Not only is Mindi the wife of our Lead Pastor, Michael, she is a mom of three, a brilliantly creative mind and an avid coffee drinker. As young child Mindi led her family to Christ and has not stopped sharing His love since. Please welcome Mindi as she shares some insights from her journey with the Lord.
Smell the Roses by Mindi Winakur
As a church we are wrapping up a series called small things | BIG DIFFERENCE. Michael challenged us all to choose one word to focus on in order to experience life transformation. I chose the word thankful and have been focused on the spiritual discipline of gratitude.
The discipline of gratitude is, in a sense, the act of worship. When I have a posture of thankfulness, I am ultimately praising God.
When I complain, wake up with a negative attitude, wish I had this or was more like that, it hinders me from experiencing the rich love God has lavished on me.
When I stop to smell the roses and stop thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the street, I see God's greatness. I see the beauty in the brokenness; I see his love in my children's eyes; I see his faithfulness throughout my life. But when I glance back over at the other yard I hear lies and I lose sight.
The discipline of gratitude keeps me in that posture of worship. It's a daily reminder that every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17). It combats society's pull that tells us we need more to be happy. It fights Satan's lies that tell us we don't have enough, aren't good enough, and can't do enough.
Life is busy, messy, and it's easy to lose sight of what matters. This discipline has made me slow down, pause, and thank God for all those beautiful roses.
Mindi