{August 2025 // Gratitude Journal}

Thirty-One Days of Thankfulness

This August, I set out to find a little joy in each day. Whether it was something big, like a family adventure, or something small, like a quiet moment on the porch with my Bible and a sweet tea, my goal was simple: to slow down, notice the blessings, and say “thank you.”

Below is a sentence and maybe a snapshot from each day this month… a little journal of gratitude, sunshine, and simple joys. Sometimes the snapshot will correlate with my sentence and other times it will just be a photo I snapped that day. 

August 1

Praise God for answered prayers! Today I am especially thankful for good news from my neurologist. My medications are working well, and he doesn’t even need to see me again for a whole year. What a relief and a blessing! Migraine-free is a freedom I have not felt in a long while. 

8/1 I thrifted a brand new watch band (for $1 buck) that matched my outfit perfectly

August 2

Today I’m giving thanks for something simple but such a gift...a new dishwasher! It may seem like a small thing, but I’m so grateful.

New dishwasher, who dis?! :)

August 3

Today I am thankful for our church and for God leading us to such an amazing place! It's my favorite place to be!!  

Selfie on the porch before church!

August 4

Praise God for home-cooked meals! It felt so wonderful to get to cook for my family. Nate helped too, of  course. He makes the best pork-chops. 

August 5

Thank you, Lord, for hockey coaches who pour into our kids…for the time, energy, and heart they give to help them grow both on and off the ice.

Hockey Pro Time

August 6

I'm thankful that my flowers survived the storm! It was strong enough to knock a light-pole down so I was not hopeful when it came to my flowers. But? God is so good! 

home-grown :)))

August 7

Tonight I’m thankful for the gift of simple weeknight dates with Nate. Nothing fancy, nothing over the top...just grocery shopping together and grabbing a sweet tea. Yet those little moments mean so much. They remind me that love is found in the everyday, ordinary rhythms of life. I’m grateful for the laughter in the aisles, the small conversations, and the comfort of just being together. Thank You, Lord, for the blessing of marriage and for the joy tucked into even the simplest nights.

August 8

My heart is full because my boys joined me at the thrift store today. It's always a nice treat to have them join me. 

August 9

Feeling so blessed by these slow Saturday mornings at home with my boys… watching them play hockey in the driveway just fills my heart with joy.

August 10

Holding so much gratitude for our church and every member, staff, pastor at our church. The Lord is moving in our community and I see and feel it! 

August 11

Counting my blessings and including a man that knows his way around a grill! :) Especially on a Monday when I don't feel like cooking. 

August 12

In awe of a God that paints such beautiful skies for us to enjoy. 

August 13

My soul is grateful for slow, rainy mornings and quite time reading the Word. 

Also, today, I am pausing to be grateful for my sister. It's her birthday today! Happy Birthday, Leslie. I'm grateful God chose her to be my sister and built-in best friend for life. 

August 14

I’m so grateful for the doctors and medical team we have. Mason’s doctor wasn’t available in the timeframe we needed, so we saw the nurse practitioner instead, and wow, she was amazing! Having worked with Dr. Sweet for many years, it was clear how much experience and care she brings. She was incredibly sweet, helpful, and kind, and we left the appointment feeling truly cared for and thankful.

August 15

Today my heart feels so full...my cup truly overflows. I’m praising God for a husband who is always willing to step in and serve others. As I write this, Nate is out mowing our neighbor’s 1.5-acre lot so their lawn crew won’t have to tackle it with a push mower. 

I’m so grateful for his servant heart, his kindness, and the way he lives out love in such practical, humble ways. It’s these quiet acts of service that remind me of Jesus’ heart—to love others through action. Thank You, Lord, for blessing me with a husband who reflects Your love so beautifully.

August 16

Overwhelmed with gratitude for the friends God has brought into our lives… this group has truly become family to us. Their love, laughter, and support mean more than I can put into words, and my heart is so thankful for each one of them.

August 17

Today my heart is overflowing with gratitude for everyone who answered the call… for those who stepped out in obedience and publicly declared their faith in Jesus. Over 60 people were baptized in the first service alone! Praise God for His work in their lives and the joy of seeing His Spirit move so powerfully.

August 18

Today I’m so thankful for a night with absolutely no plans… today was the Mondayest of Mondays, and I needed this time to just slow down. Sitting on the couch, relaxing, and letting the day melt away felt like exactly what my heart and mind needed. Simple evenings like this are such a gift, and I’m grateful for the chance to rest and recharge.

August 19

Today I am immensely grateful for a husband who makes me feel better after a hard day at work. God bless this sweet, sweet man. 

August 20

Thank you Lord for lifelong friendships!! Today I got to have dinner with friends (and our teacher) that I have known for over 37 years. What a blessing that is!

August 21

I am so thankful that someone turned in Mason’s hockey stick that he left at the rink! Thank You, Lord, for honest people… that would have been an expensive accident.

August 22

I am grateful for time spent with my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. Brunch together was such a sweet and beautiful time.

August 23

Tonight, I am thankful for family time. We went to a hockey game, and as the three of us sat there chatting and watching the game together, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for this little life we’ve built.

August 24

Today, I am grateful for naps! I wasn’t feeling well after church, and a good nap felt absolutely glorious.

August 25

Today, I am thankful for my husband and 19 years of wedded bliss. God perfectly designed us for one another, and for that I am so incredibly grateful.

August 26

Today I am giving thanks that I got to attend Mason's hockey pro time. I've missed a couple lately because they kept getting moved up earlier in the day when I was still working. 

August 27

Today I am grateful for a husband that knows me so well! He ran to the store for me and on the way back he snapped this photo of the sunset behind our house because he knew I would love it. 

August 28

Today I am thankful for a great BP order! It's a secret jewelry party and I revealed an adorable necklace and ring. 

August 29

So thankful for a day off to spend with my sweet husband and mother-in-law. We enjoyed a full day of thrifting together and found some real treasures!

August 30

I have so many from this day...for my in-laws and how well they love, for God getting us through a huge storm on the way to look at a car for Mason, for His timing, for my brother who dropped everything to come take a look at the car we were maybe buying for Mason, and for the blessing of being a parent. 

August 31

As I sit down to write this last entry in my 31 Days of Gratitude series, my heart is just overflowing. This month has been such a gift... not because every day was perfect or easy, but because God reminded me again and again that His blessings are all around me. Some were big and impossible to miss... and some were small and quiet, tucked into the ordinary moments of everyday life. But all of them pointed me back to His goodness.

I’m grateful that this challenge slowed me down. It taught me to pause, to look for the beauty right in front of me, and to recognize the good in each day. Even on the harder days, there was always something...always a reason to lift my eyes and say “thank You, Lord.”

As this series closes, I’m carrying with me a deeper awareness that gratitude changes everything. It shifts my perspective, fills my heart with peace, and draws me closer to the One who gives every good gift. And for that... I am truly thankful.