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Speaker 1: Life Audio.

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Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to have you

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Speaker 2: listening with us. Today's topic is about cultivating a healthy

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Speaker 2: heart physically and spiritually. We'll return with the devotional after

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Speaker 2: a brief message from our sponsors. Cultivating a Healthy Heart,

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Speaker 2: written and read by Cindy McManamon. Give thanks in all circumstances,

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Speaker 2: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus

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Speaker 2: for you. For Thessalonians five eighteen English Standard version, How

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Speaker 2: healthy are you these days? And how healthy is your heart?

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Speaker 2: While you can try to steer clear of germs, eat

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Speaker 2: more nutritionally, and exercise regularly, one of the healthiest habits

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Speaker 2: you can develop is to regularly express a grateful heart.

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Speaker 2: That's right, Gratitude makes your heart healthier. Numerous studies have

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Speaker 2: shown a direct correlation between a positive attitude and improved

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Speaker 2: health and even a longer life. To be positive, in short,

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Speaker 2: means to be grateful, to find the good in every situation,

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Speaker 2: to be thankful in all things. I'm sure God had

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Speaker 2: our physical as well as spiritual health in mind when

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Speaker 2: he inspired the apostle Paul to write these words to

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Speaker 2: the Thessalonians after admonishing them to display proper Christian conduct. He wrote, rejoice, always,

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Speaker 2: pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks, for this is

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Speaker 2: God's will for you in Christ Jesus. New American Standard Bible.

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Speaker 2: Did you notice that Paul didn't just say, in every

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Speaker 2: good circumstance, give thanks. He also didn't write, when things

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Speaker 2: work out well for you, give thanks. He specifically said

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Speaker 2: in everything, give thanks in the good times as well

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Speaker 2: as the bad, in the pleasantries of life as well

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Speaker 2: as in the pain, during difficult times, trying times, and

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Speaker 2: frustrating times too. That's because when we're thanking God or

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Speaker 2: focused on our blessings rather than the bitterness of whatever

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Speaker 2: else might be going on. There's also another beautiful result

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Speaker 2: of having a grateful heart. When we are thankful in

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Speaker 2: all things, not just the good things, we are living

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Speaker 2: out God's will for us. That verse, after telling us

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Speaker 2: to be thankful in all things, reinforces the reason to

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Speaker 2: do so, for this is God's will for you in

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Speaker 2: Christ Jesus. It couldn't be said any clearer. Being thankful

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Speaker 2: in everything is how you and I display God's will

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Speaker 2: for our lives, intersecting faith in life as you and

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Speaker 2: I focus on our circumstances we can tend to become

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Speaker 2: more depressed and more critical if we're not guarding our

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Speaker 2: hearts and minds, so all the more reason to be

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Speaker 2: a person of gratitude rather than a bad attitude. I've

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Speaker 2: found in my own life that when I'm praising God

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Speaker 2: in the aches and pains, or the losses that seem

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Speaker 2: more frequent these days, or just thanking Him during the mundane,

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Speaker 2: it helps me become a person of gratitude in any circumstance,

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Speaker 2: and that keeps me healthier and happier over all. Here

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Speaker 2: are seven simple prayers you can begin saying to practice

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Speaker 2: gratitude when the bad attitude starts seeping in to steal

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Speaker 2: your joy and harm your relationships and attack your health.

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Speaker 2: Thank you Lord for the things you have withheld from me.

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Speaker 2: You have protected me from what I may never realize.

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Speaker 2: Thank you God for the doors you have closed. They

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Speaker 2: have prevented me from going where you would rather not

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Speaker 2: have me go. Thank you Lord for the physical pain

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Speaker 2: you've allowed in my life. It has helped me more

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Speaker 2: closely relate to your sufferings on my behalf. Thank you

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Speaker 2: Lord for the alone times in my life. Those times

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Speaker 2: have forced me to lean in closer to You. Thank

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Speaker 2: you God for the tears I have shed. They have

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Speaker 2: kept my heart soft and mouldable. Thank you God for

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Speaker 2: the times I haven't been able to control my circumstances.

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Speaker 2: They have reminded me that You are on the throne.

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Speaker 2: Thank you God for these people in my life whom

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Speaker 2: you have called home to be with You. Their absence

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Speaker 2: from this earth keeps my heart longing for Heaven. Can

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Speaker 2: you begin saying thank you a few more times throughout

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Speaker 2: your day, Start expressing gratitude toward others for their kindness,

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Speaker 2: and remember to thank God throughout the day as well

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Speaker 2: for everything He allows to come your way. As you do,

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Speaker 2: you may find it lightens your load and makes you

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Speaker 2: feel better physically as well. For further studies, see Psalm

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Speaker 2: nine to one. For daily encouragement to keep a healthy heart,

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Speaker 2: see my book The New Loneliness Devotional Fifty Days to

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Speaker 2: a Closer Connection with God.

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Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what

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Speaker 1: you heard today, we want to make sure you know

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Speaker 1: about our sister podcast, your Daily Prayer. When you follow

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Speaker 1: your daily prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get

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Speaker 1: a brand new prayer and devotional each day, so your

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Speaker 1: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to

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Speaker 1: grow in prayer or start your day with your heart

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Speaker 1: focused on the right things, search for your daily prayer

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Speaker 1: in your favorite podcast app and be sure to follow

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Speaker 1: the show so you get a new prayer delivered straight

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Speaker 1: to you each mon.

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Speaker 3: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched

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Speaker 3: newsletter built for people who want to go a little

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Speaker 3: deeper in their faith. Thank devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcasts, recommendations,

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Speaker 3: and a little community all in one place. No ads,

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Speaker 3: just good content. This one means a lot to us.

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Speaker 3: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey

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Speaker 3: so many of you filled out a few months back.

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Speaker 3: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So

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Speaker 3: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to

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Speaker 3: the link in the show notes and join our community today.

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