I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book since its 2010 release. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are fits the title to a T. It is a challenging, yet enjoyable read with new (to me) perspectives on some familiar Scripture.
A thread runs throughout this book. Eucharisteo. Early on, Ann explains that this is the Greek word in Luke 22:19 (NIV) translated gave thanks. She refers to this concept often and expounds on it: “Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning ‘joy.’” (p. 32) [You know my love for language, right? Of course this drew me in!]
Is the height of my chara joy dependent on the depths of my eucharisteo thanks? (p. 33)
This is the question the book is built around. This is the perspective she explores. Maybe, just maybe, our joy is directly related to our ability and willingness to live out our thankfulness.
Ann’s writing style is quite uncommon for our day. Her prose has a very poetic canter to it, which was actually difficult for me to get used to initially. However, by the end of the book, I can’t imagine that the journey throughout the book would have been as convicting and eye-opening if her writing style were more “traditional.” She meticulously includes many details normally overlooked in a non-fiction work, but that serves to draw the reader in, to have you walk alongside her as she shares all that she has learned about this eucharisteo thankfulness.
One Thousand Gifts was the catalyst for our New Every Morning: Recounting His Mercies link-up on Thursdays. It is an excellent book, which I am eagerly assigning 5 stars.
As I read through 50 books this year, I will often tweet quotes that stand out to me. If you are on Twitter, I’d love for you to follow along as I pick up a variety of genres and dig into them. Maybe you’ll be challenged by what I’m reading, too!
Quotes:
The picking up of a pen isn’t painful, and ink can be cheap medicine. (p. 49)
Eucharisteo always precedes the miracle. (p. 128)
