By Ann Farabee

The tudes matter. They make a difference, they move us forward and they make our goals achievable.

What are the tudes?

ATTI-TUDE — Attitude is a settled way of thinking about something.

Philippians 4:8-9 says, “Finally brothers, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; it there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

Do we need the God of peace to be with us?

Yes.

If we practice these things and adjust our attitude, God of peace will be with us.

GRATI-TUDE — Gratitude is the quality of being thankful.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Do we want to be in the will of God?

Yes.

We need to give thanks in every thing, for this is the will of God concerning us.

Every thing means every thing.

MAGNI-TUDE — Magnitude is the great size or extent of something.

Hebrews 1:2-3 says, “God, in these last days, spoke unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

If those verses did not take your breath away, read them again!

God is the God of great magnitude!

Can we live a life of magnitude?

Yes.

Living a life of magnitude will honor our God of great magnitude!

Think big, love big, live big.

We can do that because God is with us and we are his children.

FORTI-TUDE — Fortitude is our strength in the time of adversity or difficulty.

Can we live a life of fortitude?

Yes.

Our children learn about fortitude at an early age, as they sing these words:

Jesus loves me, this I know

For the Bible tells me so

Little ones to him belong

They are weak — but he is strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10 says, “For when we are weak, He is strong.”

Psalm 18:32 says,”It is God that gives us strength and makes our way perfect.” 

We really should not make choices as though this is the only life we will have. We need to use what we have. We need to do what we can.

Attitude.

Gratitude.

Magnitude.

Fortitude.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.