My 5 Go-To Bible Verses for Thanksgiving This Year

 

Today’s episode is a little different, and honestly, one that feels really special to share. As much as I love talking about movement, nutrition, and mindset, I also know that true peace and gratitude come from something deeper. And with Thanksgiving here, I wanted to share the five Bible verses that have grounded me most this year. These verses have helped me slow down, breathe, and stay connected to what truly matters, even when life feels full or overwhelming.

If you’ve felt stretched thin, distracted, or anxious heading into this season, this episode will give you a soft place to land.

Here is what you will learn:

  • How to invite more calm and presence into your day

  • The deeper meaning behind gratitude and why it strengthens your heart

  • A simple way to re-center your perspective when stress or heaviness shows up

  • Five verses you can lean on when you need peace, grounding, or reassurance

This episode is your reminder that peace is not something you have to chase. It is something you can return to, again and again, through stillness, prayer, and intentional gratitude.

If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy:
The Gratitude Effect: How Thankfulness Transforms Us
 

If you want more from me, be sure to check out… 

Website: www.juliealedbetter.com

Transcript

00:00

00:00 - Speaker 1

Hey, hey, beautiful human, Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you, but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace your Real with me, julie Ledbetter. I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned If you're ready to embrace your real, let's get it. Let's go. Hello and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace your Podcast.

00:37

Today we're going to be doing a little something different because, as much as I love talking about fitness, nutrition and mindset, I also know that true joy and meaning up to life really does come from something deeper. And as we head into Thanksgiving, I just want to share five Bible verses that I have been leaning on this year, like the ones that are helping me to slow down, to stay grounded, to keep my heart centered on what really matters, because it's really easy to get caught up in the chaos, the cooking, the travel, the expectations, the kid schedules, the conversations and really forget to pause and reflect on the goodness and the blessings right in front of us. So today I'm inviting you to take a few deep breaths with me and reflect on five simple verses that remind us how powerful gratitude really is. We're going to be talking about how to bring more peace and calm into your heart this season, why gratitude is actually a form of worship, how to recenter your perspective when things feel heavy or hard, and also the five verses that keep you close, to remind you of God's faithfulness this year. Before we dive in, though, I wanna share this review. She gave a five-star review and said love it. This is the first podcast that I've ever loved. This helps keep me motivated and I love it. This is the first podcast that I've ever loved. This helps keep me motivated and I learn so much.

01:47

All the small changes have slowly led to big changes. That's sustainable. I look forward to each and every episode. I love this so much. This is truly like. This is gold right here. Even though it's a very short, simple sentence all of the small changes have slowly led to big changes. That's sustainable, and that is the goal of this podcast is to show you that it's the small, mundane things that you are doing day in and day out that will ultimately snowball into big, big changes. And also because they are small, mundane things and they're not just like this all or nothing or totally like changing your lifestyle overnight. It's going to be sustainable and, as a result, you're going to enjoy your actual journey because it is sustainable. So thank you so much. I'm so grateful that this podcast is helping you and that you are learning that, because that is truly like one of the hearts, just kind of like the center of this podcast and just these episodes is to really show you that that these small changes over time, like this consistent, imperfect action over time, really does compound into massive results.

02:57

All right, let's get right into it. This time of year can really pull us into a million different directions, like family plans, food, travel, emotions and, before we know it, our peace feels like it's been replaced by pressure, right? If you've ever felt that way, I want you to know. It's not about finding more time or trying to control every detail. It's really about slowing down long enough to remember what really matters.

03:19

True peace isn't something that you chase. It's something that you really cultivate through intentional stillness. When you take even a few minutes each day to deeply breathe like pray or just sit quietly without multitasking, you're actually signaling safety to your nervous system. Physiologically slow breathing and stillness lowers cortisol and calms your body, right the part of your brain that really sounds that alarm during stress. And spiritually, the same pause creates space to hear from God, to feel grounded in something bigger than your to-do list. And peace does come from alignment, not achievement. So instead of filling every minute right, I want you to try protecting a few like step outside for a quiet walk, light a candle before dinner, whisper a prayer of gratitude before your feet hit the floor in the morning, like when you get out of bed. Those little anchors really do pull you back to center and remind you that calm isn't found in a perfect plan. It's built in small, sacred moments of presence.

04:24

Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an act of faith. And when you start to thank God for what you have, even before everything feels perfect, you're declaring God, I trust you where I am and that right, there is worship. Right Gratitude turns our attention from what we can't control to the one who can and who is in control. It's easy to praise God when life feels smooth, but the real transformation happens when we choose gratitude in the middle of the chaos, in the middle of the unknown, when we thank him not after the breakthrough but before it, science even backs this up. When we practice gratitude, our brains actually release dopamine and serotonin right Two chemicals responsible for feeling happiness and calm. In other words, gratitude literally rewires your brain and your mind to find joy more easily.

05:15

Spiritually, it shifts your heart posture. You stop striving for what's next and you start seeing the miracle in what you already have here Every good thing, the people that you love, the home that you live in, the ability to move your body, even the air in your lungs. That is a gift. And gratitude helps you to see the divine in the ordinary. When you live from that awareness whether you're folding laundry, that becomes worship. Whether you're cooking dinner, that becomes worship. Whether you're cooking dinner, that becomes praise. Whether you're sitting in silence, that becomes connection you start to realize that you don't need a perfect life to feel blessed. You just need to notice the blessings are already surrounding you.

05:55

So if this season feels heavier than you hoped, I get it Like life doesn't pause for the holidays. The same challenges, the same losses or worries that were there last month oftentimes follow us into this one. Only now they're sitting beside expectation of joy and togetherness, and it's okay if your heart feels a little out of sync with the season. You're not doing it wrong, but sometimes the best way to find your footing again is to gently shift your perspective. Instead of asking God like why is this happening to me? I want you to try asking what is this moment supposed to teach me? That one question really does change everything. It takes you out of this victim mode and into a growth mode. It opens your heart to what God might be forming in you Patience, compassion, resilience qualities that can only grow in the soil of challenge.

06:48

And, from a psychological standpoint, this kind of reframing helps your brain to regulate emotions and re-engage the rational part that stress tends to shut down. Spiritually, it's an act of surrender, choosing to believe that there's purpose even in the pain. Recentering your perspective doesn't mean pretending that everything's fine. It means inviting God into the mess and trusting that he is working something out, even when you cannot see a way out. And sometimes that's the lesson learning to stay open in the waiting, to soften instead of harden, and to trust that being refined isn't punishment, it's preparation. Even when you feel stretched, you're still being shaped, you're still being strengthened and you're still being held.

07:36

When life feels loud, I find it grounding for me personally to have truth that I can always return to. These words do not ever return back void. They really do steady my thoughts and remind me that I am not walking through any of this alone. Because, let's be real, our minds can literally run wild when we are stressed or stretched thin. We start to believe every single anxious thought, every worst case scenario and every lie that says that we have to do it all on our own. But God's word really does cut through that noise. It brings clarity when the world feels chaotic, and that's why I keep a few key verses close during the season. They really do remind me that peace isn't something that I have to earn. Gratitude really is a form of strength and God's love does not shift with my circumstances. They pull me back when my thoughts spiral and recenter me on truth.

08:32

Whether you write them down in your journal, you save them on your phone, you repeat them out loud in the middle of a stressful day, I pray and hope that these verses can be your anchors. They can be simple, steady reminders that you're safe, supported and seen, not alone. So I wanna share a few favorites with you, the ones, again that I just keep coming back to again and again when I need to feel grounded, when I need to focus and refocus on gratitude and really connect to what matters most. So first is Philippians 4, 6 through 7. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus. This is a very powerful reminder that peace doesn't come from control, it comes from surrender. So when you pray with gratitude, even before your circumstances change, that's where the peace starts to flow from God.

09:32

Psalm 107, one. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever. I love this one because it's simple, it's grounding and it reminds me that gratitude is inconditional, even when things feel very uncertain. God's goodness has and will never change, and that's something that we can always anchor to. Colossians 3, 15,. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since, as members of one body, you were called to peace and be thankful, especially during the holidays, when emotions and opinions can run super high. This verse just reminds me to let peace rule, not my feelings, not my need to be right, but peace.

10:16

James 1, 17,. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. This one, for me, personally, helps me to zoom out every good thing our health, our family, our homes, even the food that we'll eat this week, everything our children, the hard, messy things that we're going through those are gifts and really it does help me to shift out of striving and into gratitude. And, last but not least, 1 Thessalonians, 5, 16 through 18. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. This verse is really the heartbeat of Thanksgiving for me, like gratitude isn't just when life feels good, it's for every single circumstance, because gratitude really does change how we see everything. I hope and pray that these verses encourage you today and remind you that, even in the chaos, peace and gratitude are always available to you. So, as you gather with loved ones, as you move your body, as you prepare your meals, as you prepare your meals, as you are going into the chaos from day to day, let these words play in the background of your heart and from my heart to yours. I am so, so thankful for you.

11:41

If this episode encouraged you, would you just take a second and share it with someone who you love? Sometimes, a single verse is the reminder that someone else needs to. And if you haven't already, make sure that you follow Embrace Real on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and you can leave a quick review if this show has blessed you in any way. It just means the world to me, and it also helps the message reach more women just like you. If you love this episode, I also want you to check out episode 498, the Gratitude Effect how Thankfulness Transforms Us.

12:12

And before I let you go, I just wanna remind you that if this season has you craving more structure, more peace or just a way to take care of your body in a way that actually feels good, I have two resources for you. The first is, if you're looking for a simple, sustainable way to move your body, whether that's at home, at the gym I want you to check out my Moo and Julie app. It's filled with dumbbell workouts. Literally all you need is a few pair of dumbbells and a small space. You can do in as little as 30 minutes. It's really designed to help you build strength and confidence without the guilt or guesswork. And then if this conversation on gratitude and nourishment stirred something in you around food, my Macro Academy, simple, is the perfect next step. Inside, I teach you exactly how to feel your body without obsession or restrictions. You can finally find the freedom and balance in how you eat. You can find both of those links in the show notes below.

13:00

I'd love for you to join one of our communities of women who are all doing this journey right alongside of you. And again, happy Thanksgiving from my heart to yours, from my family to yours. I love you so dang much. I mean it and I'll talk to you in the next one.

13:22

All right, sister, that's all I got for you today, but I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so. Julie A Ledbetter yes, it's with an A in the middle For that daily post-workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world, and I'm going to leave you with one last thought the most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real, because you're worth it.

 
Julie Ledbetterembrace your real, q and a, workouts, scheduleComment