Finding Time for Gratitude

I participated in the 10 Day Gratitude Challenge created by LiveWell Behavioral Health leading up to Thanksgiving. It offered a great 10–15 minute reflection each day along with actionable challenges to help put gratitude into practice. Some days the challenges were reflective, and other days they were relational, like intentionally reaching out to tell someone in your life what you appreciate about them.

LiveWell Coaching: Coaching designed to help you think clearer, feel stronger, and live well

One of my favorite quotes from the series came from Dr. Mike Ronsisvalle:

"Gratitude to yourself is not pride... It's agreement with the work that God is already doing inside of you... all that (self-criticism) does is speak against the reality of who we are as people created in God's image."

What I love about LiveWell is that they are Christians at the top of their professional field who are not afraid to be who they are. I interviewed Trevor Hislop a couple of months ago and asked him how they balance the clinical and spiritual aspects of their work while serving such a diverse range of clients. He told me they simply do not believe that offering clinical care and faith-informed insight are in competition, and that he views his work as a “deeply missional act.”

Read: Sitting Down with Trevor Hislop: Faith, Leadership, and the LiveWell Summit

We have so many incredible people in Brevard. People working toward the same goal in so many different areas of life from health to business to science education politics culture and more. Maybe other places have that too, but what feels unique about Brevard is the intentional effort to do it together. We’re just not content doing it alone, and everywhere I go I see Christians coming together so that greater things can be accomplished.

And I’m not the only one noticing this. In the very first episode of the Pastor Podcast, Tony Hauck of told me he has come to believe that Brevard has a "mandate from God to model unusual unity.” That's an amazing vision, and it's one I hear voiced again and again by Christians in every office of Brevard culture.

Watch: Church on the Rock, Melbourne | A Conversation w/ Pastor Tony Hauck

I truly believe God has a special purpose in uniting His Church here in Brevard, and that is something I’m grateful for. 

— Connor Mahoney is a Brevard County native and graduate of Florida Institute of Technology. He attends Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Melbourne.

— Christians of Brevard is a multi-church initiative that seeks to amplify the voices of local churches and ministries for the purpose of encouraging the local body of Christ and advancing the Kingdom of God. Join our Facebook community @ChristiansOfBrevard