30-Day Gratitude Social Media Challenge For Your Small Church

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Don’t wait until New Year’s to challenge yourself! Bring joy to this Thanksgiving season by completing this 30-Day Gratitude Challenge to express gratitude. As simple as it sounds, living in gratitude daily through thought, word, and deed is a challenge. Lock arms with others in your small church and see how you can approach gratitude together. Each day of the gratitude challenge will spark ideas on how to spread joy, delight in the Lord, and show others in your community your appreciation for them.

Social Media images for each day are available to download and use for your church. All images were created by Rachael Swihart. Drop your email in the form below to receive all 30 images sent straight to your inbox.

Day 1: Start a gratitude jar or journal.

To start off this gratitude challenge, add one thing each day that you are grateful for in a gratitude jar or journal.

Make this process of gratitude collective by having people share with each other the things they are thankful for. Hearing what makes other people grateful inspires more gratitude all around! The act of sharing will also help people remember to add something to their jar or journal each day.

Day 2: Go out of your way to help someone today.

Acts of kindness not only fill another person’s cup; it also overflows yours. According to Paul, “ … Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35b) Apply that concept and see what unfolds. How does it make you feel? How did the other person receive it? Doing something nice for someone happens naturally in our daily lives, but take a moment today to reflect on the gift of giving.

Day 3: Send a loved one a handwritten note.

Would you rather brighten a person’s day through a wireless connection or a tangible one? Don’t get me wrong. A thoughtful text can mean a lot. But a note is different, not an everyday occurrence. A note is a tangible way to show your thanks. Go beyond a simple text message and genuinely put some thought into this note. Think about who you might want to express your appreciation to. A family member? Friend? Spouse? Or someone you know who has really made an impact in your life.

Day 4: Offer someone a heartfelt compliment.

Sit on this for a moment: Why do we compliment people? … To make people feel good? Is it really necessary? Why do we go out of our way to do this? Think about your answer – it could be a myriad of things. The reason I ask this is that when you offer someone a heartfelt compliment today, it shouldn’t be because you feel obligated. It should be real. The more authentic you can be with your compliment the better the result.

Day 5: Bake a treat for your neighbors.

Whether you consider yourself a pastry chef or are only good for licking the batter off the spatula, find a step-by-step recipe for a sweet treat to bake and bring over to your neighbors. There isn’t as much of a close-knit feel to neighborhoods these days where you have an excuse to knock next door. This is an opportunity to get to know your neighbors more if you don’t already, or to simply show them you’re there.

Day 6: Thank your pastor(s) for their hard work.

Have people in your congregation share what about the pastor they are thankful for. If you have an associate pastor, don’t forget about them! Be specific about how they have made a positive influence on you. There is a lot that happens behind the scenes in the life of a pastor. Love and encouragement from their congregation will build them up and fuel them in their ministry.

Day 7: Recall a tough situation in your life that helped you to grow. Add it to your gratitude jar.

Being thankful is seamless when our blessings are so apparent and abundant it’s impossible to ignore. But being thankful in all circumstances? Being thankful for hardships? That’s not only counterintuitive, that’s hard!

Think of Paul in his letter to the Philippians …

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Philippians 4:12

Well, if Paul has learned the secret of being content and has shared that secret, shouldn’t we be pros by now? He only shared it thousands of years ago …

It’s true that difficult experiences help us grow, but if that’s the only reason you’re grateful, then you’re missing the most important piece, and your ability to remain in your state of gratefulness will eventually fade. Delight yourself in Christ, not in your circumstances, not in who you are, but who you are in Christ. He is the foundation you want to build on.

Day 8: Find as many excuses as you can to smile today.

Smile! I’m not saying you have to change your personality for a day and always be smiling and happy-go-lucky. In this case, a smile doesn’t just mean to grin. You can fake a grin. To smile means to laugh, to take joy in something. Take advantage of any excuse to delight in something. If your day doesn’t go according to plan, give yourself a break and see if you can laugh it off.

Day 9: Be intentional to spend time with someone you care about.

If your love language is quality time, you’ll love this one! Or if quality time is the love language of the person you’re spending time with, they’ll definitely see you are going out of your way to show your appreciation for them. You can do a budget-friendly night in, or get all gussied up for a night out on the town! So long as you are spending intentional time with them.

Day 10: Leave a note of encouragement in a public place.

Get creative with Day 10 of this gratitude challenge! Don’t go vandalizing any public places, but you could leave a note of thanks to your waiter/waitress along with your tip, or in the tip jar for the baristas at your local coffee shop. Leaving it anonymous will add to the mystery of it and make it more fun!

Day 11: Say, “I get to … ” instead of “I have to … ”

It’s not always easy to stay present through the mundane, remember the freedoms we have, and the fortunes we get to experience. All of the build-up and anticipation of the holiday season: pumpkin-spice lattes, the change in home decor, the small get-togethers with family and friends. We get to look forward to those luxuries every year. If life feels stagnant for you, I encourage you to acknowledge all of the things you “get to” do today, as well as this time of year.

Day 12: Spend 10 minutes doing some gentle stretches.

Your body will thank you for this one. On Day 12 of this gratitude challenge, stretch while listening to a couple of your go-to songs. Ten minutes is not very long, but a decent ten minutes of stretching is enough for your body to reap the benefits.

Day 13: Write Colossians 2:6-7 on a note card.

Paul says …

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6-7

While in the spirit of Thanksgiving thankfulness is an obvious keyword in this passage, another one is “received.” At some point in your life, you received Christ, and that was the greatest gift incomparable to any other. The reason the Christian is grateful in life is not because of what they have done, but because of what Jesus has done for them. No one but the Christian lives in that freedom. Now, we are called to continue walking alongside Christ in humble confidence and thankfulness that we are His.

What a beautiful truth to put in writing and remind yourself of during this season.

Day 14: Make time to stop and breathe in your favorite scent.

Smells conjure up a mix of memories and emotions. If you could bottle a memory, a candle would be a pretty close contender. Whether it’s a candle or freshly baked cookies, inhale the scent of something you love or reminds you of a fond memory.

Day 15: Replace every complaint with a blessing.

It’s tempting to become wrapped up in either what we lack or what about life isn’t going right. Any time a thought like that starts to form, try to change your mindset. Even if you consider yourself a pessimist, this shift in thinking is possible and will help you to be more present.

Day 16: Give someone a small gift, just because.

Smaller gifts can hold more meaning than a large, extravagant gift with a bow on top screaming, “Open me!” (Although I’m not completely opposed to that.)

Something small shows the other person you were thinking of them or thought they would laugh at an inside joke you two share. Make this one lighthearted and special.

Day 17: Lend a hand to someone needing help.

You don’t need to travel far to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Lend a helping hand, either to someone in your community or within your church family. Would someone really appreciate having a meal brought over? Anyone moving to a new place who could use help in the transition? Do you feel a tug on your heart to invite someone over for a meal? Spark ideas like these with other people in your congregation.

Get the social media images that go along with the 30-Day Gratitude Challenge here 👇🏻👇🏻

Day 18: Go on a walk and find something beautiful.

Tap into your inner child and go on a bit of a scavenger hunt while on a walk to take notice of something beautiful. Capture it with a picture, and if you’re able to take it home with you, put it on display somewhere in your home. Share your findings and see what other people in your church discovered.

Day 19: Make yourself your favorite hot drink.

There’s nothing like warming your hands around a hot cup of cocoa or joe. Or tea if that’s your cup of tea. If you want to make it into a social event, treat yourself and a friend. This would provide an ample opportunity to check in and see how they are doing during the chaos of the holiday season.

Day 20: Be watchful and thankful in your prayers today. (Colossians 4:2)

Prayer provides the opportunity to praise God and express gratitude. If this practice doesn’t come naturally, start with naming one thing you’re grateful for. And know that your relationship with God isn’t transnational. The reason you’re expressing gratitude is because of who God is and His love for you.

Day 21: Show yourself grace.

Grace: the ultimate free gift from God. At times, it’s hard not to see a relationship as transactional. But there is nothing you can trade that would measure up to God’s grace. Luckily, you don’t have to. That burden has been lifted from us. Allow yourself the room today to fall short, and to not always be okay.

Day 22: Cheer on someone else’s achievements (out loud).

Words of encouragement are like pixie dust; it gives people the ability to fly. It builds up instead of tearing down. Cheer someone on for any kind of achievement – big or small. Letting someone know that you see and support them will fuel them and confirm the work they are doing is purposeful.

Day 23: Close your eyes and picture 10 things you are thankful for.

Thankfulness grows exponentially. Once you start to take notice of your blessings, you begin to notice more and more until you’ve lost count. By Day 23 of this gratitude challenge, picturing ten things you are thankful for will come naturally. The Lord always provides for what we need. Trust in that and see how you’ve been blessed.

Day 24: Tell your loved ones why you love them. Be specific.

When was the last time you told someone you love them, and also mentioned why you love them? It’s a beautiful sentiment that adds a whole new layer to “I love you.” Words are powerful and have the potential to stick with people for a lifetime.

Day 25: Call a parent or a grandparent and be an active listener.

Let this be the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one. Call a parent or grandparent – maybe one you wouldn’t typically think to call. Listen to them like how you desire to be heard. Oftentimes, that means more to someone, and you may be surprised by what you learn from them.

Day 26: Volunteer to do an unpleasant task.

The most humbling experiences tend to be the most degrading ones. Cleaning toilets, “No thanks!” Cleaning the smelly drains, “I’m good!” However, these toilets and drains aren’t going to clean themselves. Someone has to do it. And it’s crucial to remind ourselves that we are not above these tasks. View this gratitude challenge as an opportunity to clear your mind as you’re tidying up something else.

Day 27: Give someone a hug.

An embrace from a loved one communicates they are with you. Even if it’s a hug goodbye. They love you and aren’t going anywhere. Be that for someone else today, and show them you support them and aren’t going anywhere. They’ll be beyond grateful for your presence in their life.

Day 28: Think of someone who made a difference in your life. Tell them.

When I think of the people who have made a difference in my life, I would have great remorse if I didn’t tell them how they’ve impacted me and how much I appreciate them. Think about who this person is for you. Who has mentored and guided you through life decisions? Protected you from harm? Or provided a shoulder to lean on?

Day 29: Perform a random act of kindness.

This particular gratitude challenge sparks the question: “Shouldn’t this be a daily occurrence? Shouldn’t the natural way we live exemplify acts of kindness to others?”

Well, yes. And maybe some of us live out a kind lifestyle to an extent. That’s at least the goal. But we are imperfect people and sometimes need that reminder to act, not just think about acting kind.

It’s a nice thought but isn’t really nice until it is carried out.

Day 30: Read over your gratitude journal or jar entries for the month.

Looking back at what you put in your gratitude jar or journal, you will smile, laugh, and reflect on your growth over the course of this month.

Don’t let this gratitude challenge stop after 30 days. Continue the practice of thankfulness. There’s a reason Paul mentions it in the Bible so many times. Thankfulness is not strictly designated for the Thanksgiving dinner table.