A Thanksgiving Playlist to Prepare Him Room

Thanksgiving songs seem scarce in comparison to our selection of tunes for most other holidays, especially Christmas.  

I find myself tuning into Christmas music in the autumn months, because my heart is ready to celebrate the holidays and who has ever heard of Thanksgiving music, am I right?  

Sweet friends, I have actually stumbled upon a few rather beautiful Thanksgiving songs through the years.  Today, I’m sharing these treasures with you.

Here is your official Thanksgiving playlist. From my heart to yours, simply because we’re friends.  Friends share these sorts of gems, you know.

1) For the Beauty of the Earth- Chris Rice “Lord of all, to Thee we praise, this our hymn of grateful praise.” May we see His glory in the beauty of His creation.  May we live with hearts full of wonder.  May the awe of our Heavenly Father produce lives of gratitude.  

2) Grace- BeBe and CeCe Winans Where would we be without His grace?  May we thank Him, first, for His gift of salvation.  I once was lost, but now am found.  Praise Him for His sovereign grace.  I am nothing that is real or true or lasting without His mercy.  I’m so thankful that I live, not for myself, but for Him and in Him alone.  For His glory and by His grace, I have true freedom to live and true reason for thanksgiving.

3) Thanksgiving Prayer- Johnny Cash This beautiful scene from the archives of the beloved Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman lives on as a true reminder of what we see in the heart of Paul in Phillipians 1:3.  “I thank my God in all my rememebrance of you.”  As they portray fictional characters, Johnny and June Carter Cash share a moment that so realistically articulates the gift of marriage and family.  May we live with a posture of thanksgiving as we consider the people whom God has entrusted us to love.  May we prayerfully thank our Creator for the gift of love that comes first from Him.  May we thank Him in every remembrance of those we hold so close.

4) Made Me Glad- Hillsong Worship Thank you, Jesus, that we can trust You at all times.  May our hearts be prepared to give grateful praise.  Because of God’s goodnesss to us, we can live with thanksgiving in all things.  May we live with glad hearts despite our circumstances.  May we give thanks in everything.

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:18

5) Doxology//Amen- Phil Wickham Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  May we know our Creator.  May we have intimate knowledge of His heart through His word and His handiwork.  May His power move our hearts to worship the One worthy of all praise.

For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.” 

~Colossians 1:16

6) Thanksgiving- Jim Brickman Like sitting down at a table of people you love? This instrumental song sounds the way Thanksgiving feels.  The tune is both nostalgic and reflective.  May our hearts reflect the goodness of God as we sit around tables of turkey and cranberry sauce. May our hands clasp with the people He has given us.  May we bow our heads in humble adoration of His provision and love for us.  May our love for Him be evident to all.

7) Thankful- Josh Groban This song is truly beautiful and has always been a favorite of mine.  However, I’ve recently noticed a line that I would like to point out to you, lest I share it haphazardly.  “Each of us must find our truth.  It’s so long overdue.”  Sweet friends, I’ve found my truth.  His name is Jesus Christ and it is to Him that I am thankful.  I know whom I have believed.  I know whom I thank for His grace on my life.  Quite truthfully, I contemplated whether or not I should omit this song from my playlist.  With intentionality, I decided to include it so that you might ask yourself, “To whom am I thankful?” May we listen to the beauty of this message as a whole and hear the aspects of truth and beauty, “We’ve so much to be thankful for.”  Most importantly, may we know deep within our hearts that a Sovereign Creator has sent a Savior.  We have an eternal hope.  I needn’t find the truth.  The truth has already found me, called me Beloved, and made me His own.  I know the truth.  May you seek Him.  May you see Him.  May you feel His love for you.  May you know the One you thank with an intimate knowledge of His grace and provision.  Yes! May we stand on this truth.  We’ve so much to be thankful for! Thank you, Jesus.  

May our hearts be thankful today and always. May our hearts prepare Him room every season. 

From my heart to yours,

~Courtney

This post has been updated (November 2019) to add a Spotify Thanksgiving playlist with additional songs. You can download or listen to the playlist by following this link: https://open.spotify.com/user/1219561488/playlist/4mTWtQD6ilHRbLcMdaQQOm?si=wi0Rpfz9TAyoOZ2qYZr0pA