The wind was raging!                                                                                                                                              It was truly making itself known.                                                                                                                      I, I, in my room, still on the phone.                                                                                                                           I begin to loose sight of my conversation                                                                                                      To pay attention to this loud sensation!

I quickly said goodbye to my friend,                                                                                                                As I listened more closely to the raging wind.                                                                                                 I heard trees singing, with their leaves whistling in the wind.                                                                    I heard sounds of things falling;                                                                                                                       In my garden, flower pots being tossed about,                                                                                                I knew for a fact, I was not going out!

I willed to sit still; Yet, my heart pounding within!                                                                                  But no matter the commotion, I sat quietly unspoken.                                                                           As I kneeled beside my bed                                                                                                                                      Now bowing my head,                                                                                                                                             I was reminded who controls the sea, wind, and rain,                                                                               The One who controls everything… God!

When I thought of Him and His great power,                                                                                        Peace and calmness re-entered my soul that very hour.                                                                             I was no longer afraid or alarmed,                                                                                                                     Because I knew it was God                                                                                                                                  Keeping my heart calm.

Now I shout, without a doubt,                                                                                                                 “Thank You, oh, God, for Your peace within,                                                                                      Despite the raging of the high wind!

This poem was written to encourage trust in God, and to stand strong no matter how loud the wind blows in our lives.

“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Peace be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4 39-41 , ESV

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:7, ESV 

Please pray with me: Dear Lord, I will keep on thanking you in this New Year that I have no need to fear. You are still in control of everything, even the wind and the rain,  in Jesus name, amen.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

By Hertistine Washington   /  keeponthanking.com

Happy New Year!

Wow, let us lift our hands in joyful praise of thanksgiving that our God, allowed us to see this NEW YEAR, 2024! Let us shout, HALLELUJAH to the MOST HIGH GOD! Let us thank Him for His grace and mercy! Nothing we’ve done to earn this grace. Only God.

Mind you, God has not granted us life just to say, I’m alive. There is a divine purpose why we are still here. Let’s give Him all the glory and praise!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! for the LORD is good, his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100: 4-5, ESV

Please pray with me: Dear God, we will keep on thanking you for your faithfulness and goodness. Thank you for letting us see another year, in Jesus name, amen.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

Happy New Year!

By Hertistine Washington / keeponthanking.com

Happy New Year’s Eve! In a few hours the New Year will be upon us, 2024! Some time zones will make it there before others do. Nevertheless, like you, I’m hoping for the New Year too. I pray you, like me, desire to walk in ‘newness’ of life in this New Year. I’d like to share some things I’m mindful to do in order for the ‘newness’ to come through.

Old habits must be done away with, so the new will come.

Bad company must be avoided, so the new will come.

Negative thinking must be denounced, so the new will come.

Worn out garments must be thrown out, so the new will come.

Just saying, even the top soil in my garden must be cultivated, so the new will come.

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4, ESV

“Therefore , if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV

Question: What need to be done in your New Year, so the ‘newness’ will come?

Please pray with me: Dear Lord, I will keep on thanking you for newness of life, in Jesus name, amen.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

Happy New Year’s Eve!

By Hertistine Washington/ keeponthanking.com

As you begin your day, I hope you know God is with you. Thank Him today. Bless His name. He’s the one who woke you up, and started you on your way.

As we’re approaching the end of this year, 2023, to hopefully step into the New Year, 2024, I encourage you to continue to bless the Lord. As you meditate on the things God has brought you through this year, I pray you can join with me and say, “Oh, bless His name!” God’s been good and deserves our gratitude.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Psalm 103:1, ESV

“Be thankful unto him and bless his name.” Psalm 4, ESV

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

By Hertistine Washington /keeponthanking.com

Day 13: It’s Christmas Day! Merry Christmas to you! Let us be thankful to God that a day has been set aside to recognize and remember that our Savior Jesus was born! Hallelujah! I invite you to join with me in giving Him praise, as we, who believe in Him, come together to celebrate this Great Virgin Birth of our LORD, who brought Salvation to the world!

Thank you, and thank you again for celebrating Jesus with me. I pray this few posts have been an inspiration for you to continue to lift the name of Jesus. I have provided thirteen magnificent reasons in which I felt was inspired by the Holy Spirit to share to celebrate Jesus. And there are so many more reasons to do so! As I’m still inviting you to pray and meditate on God’s most Holy Word daily, I hope you too will discover and appreciate the depths of why Jesus deserves to be celebrated until His return. Now… that’s a mighty great reason to celebrate Jesus this season, and always!

Here’s the celebratory scripture content for today:

She will bear a son,

and you shall call his name Jesus,

for he will save his people from their sins.” 

Matt 1:21 , ESV

As I come to a close of this segment, I would like to share with you a celebratory poem I wrote in honor of the Birth of Jesus

We celebrate that God sent His Son to the earth

By way of The Virgin Birth.

He was born to seek and to save the lost,

As He was headed to suffer and die on the Cross.

We celebrate Jesus who deserves honor worldwide,

Who came in humility,

Not with worldly puffed up pride.

Hopefully, you will continue to celebrate Jesus

this season and always,

Thanking God that Jesus was born and still lives to save.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

Merry Christmas!

By Hertistine Washington / keeponthanking.com

Day 12: Christmas Eve! Let us continue to celebrate Jesus, knowing that He is God, and He has done great things for us. He brought redemption and Salvation to the world for all mankind. Let us continue to praise Him. Let us lift Him up for the Great God He is! Now that’s a mighty great reason to celebrate Jesus this season, and always!

Here’s the celebratory scripture content for today:

“The Lord has done great things for us;

we are glad.” 

Psalm 126:3 ESV

“For the grace of God has appeared,

bringing Salvation for all people,

training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions,

and to live self-controlled, upright,

and godly lives in this present age,

waiting for our blessed hope,

the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness

and to purify for himself a people for his own possession

who are zealous for good works.”

Titus 2 11-14, ESV

Today I’m inviting you to pray and meditate on this scripture, thanking God for what the Holy Spirit is revealing to your heart concerning Jesus, the Savior of the World. By doing this you are in full celebration mode giving God all glory and praise for who He is and for what He has done. I hope you have a great time celebrating Him today, being thankful, Jesus is the reason for the season.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

Merry Christmas!

By Hertistine Washington / keeponthanking.com

Day 11: Today we celebrate Jesus’s love, grace, and mercy. Do you know Jesus loves us just the way we are? He gives us mercy everyday, and there’s nothing we can do to earn His grace. He just gives it because, He is Love. As we go higher in our celebration of Him, I hope you experience His great love for you, thanking Him also for His grace and mercy.

Here’s the celebratory scripture content for today:

“Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us

from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son,

in truth and love.

2John 1:3 ESV

“We love because he first loved us” 

1 John 4:19 ESV

Inviting you to pray and meditate on this scripture thanking God for what the Holy spirit us revealing to your heart about Jesus. By doing this, you are in full celebration mode, giving God all glory and praise for who He is and for what He has done! I hope you have a great time celebrating Him today, being thankful, Jesus is the reason for the season.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

Merry Christmas!

By Hertistine Washington / keeponthanking.com

Day 10: I encourage you to keep on celebrating Jesus this season, God’s Inexpressible Gift of Salvation to the world; born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Today let us continue to celebrate by thanking God for the greatest Gift of all times, who made it possible for us to have peace with God. Now what a mighty great reason to celebrate Jesus this season, and always!

Here’s the celebratory scripture content for today.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ”

Romans 5:1, ESV

Today I’m inviting you to pray and meditate on this scripture, thanking God for what the Holy Spirit is revealing to your heart concerning Jesus, the Savior of the world. By doing this you are in full celebration mode giving God all glory and praise for who He is and what He has done. I hope you have a great time celebrating Him today, being thankful, Jesus is the reason for the season.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

Merry Christmas!

By Hertistine Washington / keeponthanking.com

Day 9: Here we are only a few days left before Christmas. Let’s continue to celebrate Jesus because He is worthy of all honor and praise! We celebrate at Christmas not only that Christ was born but that He still lives today! He is the born King! Therefore we lift Him up, giving Him the glory due His name. Now that’s a mighty great reason to celebrate Jesus this season, and always!

Here’s the celebratory scripture content for today.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

and we have seen his glory,

glory as of the only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth”

John 1:14, ESV

Today I’m inviting you to pray and meditate on this scripture, thanking God for what the Holy Spirit is revealing to your heart concerning Jesus, the Savior of the world. By doing this, you are in full celebration mode, giving God all the glory and praise for who He is and what He has done. I hope you have a great time celebrating Him today, being thankful, Jesus is the reason for the season.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

Merry Christmas!

By Hertistine Washington / keeponthanking.com

Day 8: Here we are now with only a few days before Christmas. I pray you’re still celebrating Jesus. He deserves all glory and praise! Today let us celebrate by thanking God that Jesus is the Light of the World. And what a mighty great reason to celebrate Jesus this season, and always!

Here’s the celebratory scripture content for today:

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying,

“I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,

but will have the light

of life.”

John 8:12, ESV

Today I’m inviting you to pray and meditate on this scripture, thanking God for what the Holy Spirit is revealing to your heart concerning Jesus, the Savior of the world. By doing this, you are in full celebration mode, giving God all glory and praise for who He is and what He has done. I hope you have a great time celebrating Him today, being thankful, Jesus is the reason for the season.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you always!

Merry Christmas!

By Hertistine Washington / keeponthanking.com