One Thousand Gifts: A Word to Live…and Die By

I’m really starting to see why everyone loves this book. Chapter 2 was powerful, and humbling. Voskamp focuses this chapter on one word: Eucharist. Not the meaning I first associated it with, regarding Catholic tradition, but the true meaning behind it all.

“Eucharist [thanksgiving] is the state of the perfect man. Eucharist is the life of paradise. Eucharist is the only full and real response of man to God’s creation, redemption, and gift of heaven.”   ~Alexander Schmemann

Ann opens the passage with this quote. It’s powerful stuff people. Break it down? We are called to only one response to God’s work….His unfathomably amazing work. Thanksgiving. Not just once a year, but all of the time. Thanksgiving in everything we do.
Voskamp exposes her experiences with cancer in her own life and how they numbed her and shook her to the core. But she also talks about how these harsh realities ignited her to seek more. To live fully. Her search leads her to a Greek translation of the bible, where she finds Jesus giving thanks as eucharisteo. From this word, you can derive grace, thanksgiving, and joy. Ann’s mantra for these meanings spoke to me through the pages of the book. God spoke to me through these words, to truly identify this eucharisteo and its place in my life. If thanksgiving means “giving thanks in everything,” have I met my potential? Do I truly give thanks in everything?


I think about the fact that I meant to write this post yesterday, but was too busy to actually find the time to sit down and do it. Multiple things throughout the day left me flustered and overwhelmed. I stressed about unnecessary problems and in no way showed thanksgiving or gratitude. It wasn’t until my friend pointed out that these things weren’t a big deal and pointed me back to God that it clicked. I had non-eucharisteo. I wasn’t living out the very thing I had just learned. God calls us to live out His truths, and I needed to do that. 

I could go on with more of my thoughts on Chapter 2, but I realize that’s not the point here. God is calling me to eucharisteo. He calls us all to it. So to anyone reading this, choose grace. Choose thanksgiving. Choose joy.

Choose eucharisteo.

Linking up Here:

Annie // Margret