COUNTING BLESSINGS INSTEAD OF LITERS 

Yolanda Lindsay 

Today’s Scripture: “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content.” Philippians 4:11, ESV 

Theme: Focusing on what we have, not what we lack, allows us to practice contentment. 

A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHECKLIST 

For years, every outing with my family began with what felt like preparing for a NASA launch. Did we have enough oxygen tanks? Were all the batteries charged? Extra tubing? Chargers? How far would I have to walk? How long before we’d have to head home? My poor husband, Jonathan, could probably pack an oxygen bag in his sleep. We never just grabbed the keys and walked out the door. Every trip required planning, packing, and a whole lot of “just in case.” 

Then, after my double lung transplant, my family and I took our first boat ride on Lake Norman. Somewhere in the middle of that beautiful lake, it hit me. There were no oxygen tanks. No tubing wrapped around my face. No batteries to check. No machine beeping at me. I actually caught myself looking around thinking, “Wait…did we forget something?” We hadn’t. No one was asking, “How much oxygen do you have left?” Instead, they were asking, “Who wants another ride around the lake?” For the first time in years, I wasn’t counting liters of oxygen—I was counting blessings. 

LEARNING CONTENTMENT 

One of the beautiful lessons in The Unbreakable Boy is that contentment isn’t found in having a perfect life. Austin has challenges which most of us cannot imagine, yet he sees beauty where others see obstacles. He finds joy in the ordinary and reminds those around him that our perspectives often shape our experiences. The Apostle Paul understood that truth long before any of us. He had experienced abundance and hardship, freedom and imprisonment, comfort and suffering. Yet he wrote that he had learned to be content in every situation. Notice he said “learned.” Contentment doesn’t come naturally. It is cultivated as we learn to trust God, regardless of our circumstances. 

SEEING WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN 

That evening on Lake Norman was more than a boat ride. It was a reminder of how faithful God had been through every chapter of my journey. During the hardest days, I spent so much time thinking about everything I couldn’t do. I couldn’t breathe without oxygen. I couldn’t walk very far. I couldn’t simply leave the house without a detailed plan. Those things were real. But they weren’t the whole story. God was still providing strength for each day. He was still surrounding me with people who loved me. He was still writing a story that I couldn’t yet see. As the boat gently drifted across the water, I realized God hadn’t simply given me new lungs. He had given me a new perspective. Contentment isn’t pretending we have no struggles. It’s choosing to focus on God’s faithfulness instead of our limitations. The more we recognize what He has already provided, the more our hearts learn to rest in Him. 

Make It Personal: It’s easy to spend our days focusing on the things we wish were different. What if today you made a different list? Instead of listing what is missing, write down the blessings God has already placed in your life. You may discover that contentment begins when gratitude changes what you choose to count. 

Pray: Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in every season. Forgive me for the times I become so focused on what I lack that I overlook the countless ways You have provided for me. Teach me, like Paul, to be content in every circumstance. Open my eyes to recognize Your blessings, both big and small, and help me trust that You are enough. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Read: Matthew 6:25–34, Psalm 23:1–3, Hebrews 13:5  

Weekly Memory Verse: “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT