>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: I JUST WANT
TO TALK TO US TODAY ABOUT
APPRECIATING EVERY AREA
OF OUR LIFE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE APPRECIATE
SOMETHING, WE BRING AWARENESS
TO IT.
WE BRING VALUE TO IT.
AND WE ARE LESS LIKELY TO
TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
IN DEUTERONOMY 10 THROUGH 12,
GOD WAS TAKING THE CHILDREN
OF ISRAEL TO A CITY THEY HAD
NOT BUILT.
HE SAID, "I'M GIVING YOU
HOMES FILLED WITH GREAT
TREASURE."
HE SAID, "I'M GIVING YOU
VINEYARDS YOU DIDN'T PLOW,
BUT I'M GIVING THEM TO YOU SO
THAT YOU CAN WORK THEM.
I'M GIVING YOU HOMES WITH
GREAT TREASURE IN THEM SO
THAT YOU CAN LIVE IN THEM,"
AND HE WENT ON AND ON TO TELL
ALL THE WONDERFUL GIFTS THAT
HE WAS GIVING THEM.
BUT THEN HE WARNED THEM.
HE SAID, "I HAVE TO WARN YOU,
I'M GIVING YOU ALL OF THESE
THINGS, BUT DON'T TAKE THEM
FOR GRANTED."
HE SAID, "DON'T TAKE THEM FOR
GRANTED, AND DON'T FORGET WHO
GAVE THEM TO YOU.
DON'T TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED
AND NOT HONOR ME."
SEE, THE SAME THING IS
HAPPENING TODAY.
GOD HAS GIVEN US THINGS, A
GREAT COUNTRY TO LIVE IN.
HE'S GIVEN US HOMES.
HE'S GIVEN US FAMILY,
FRIENDS, JOBS, AND HE IS
SAYING, "DON'T FORGET WHO
GAVE IT TO YOU, AND HONOR ME
IN IT."
YOU SEE, I BELIEVE, WHEN WE
APPRECIATE GOD, WHEN WE
APPRECIATE THE THINGS THAT
GOD HAS GIVEN US, WE'RE
HONORING HIM.
YOU SEE, APPRECIATION IS A
LANGUAGE, AND IT HONORS GOD.
HOW MANY OF US HAVE SEEN
VIDEOS OR VISITED
IMPOVERISHED COUNTRIES AND
REALIZED HOW BLESSED WE
REALLY ARE?
WE HAVE RUNNING WATER.
WE HAVE GREAT GROCERY STORES,
RESTAURANTS.
WHATEVER WE NEED, IT'S
BASICALLY AT OUR FINGERTIPS;
AND WE SEE THESE IMPOVERISHED
COUNTRIES AND PEOPLE, AND OUR
HEART GOES OUT TO THEM, AND
WE FEEL SO COMPASSIONATE, AND
WE FEEL SO BLESSED, RIGHT?
THEN, WE GET TO OUR JOBS.
WE GET TO OUR HOMES.
WE FACE LIFE, CHALLENGES,
DECISIONS.
THINGS GO WRONG, AND WE
FORGET ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
WE FORGET HOW GRATEFUL WE
SHOULD BE.
WE GET COMFORTABLE,
UNINTERESTED.
WE TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED.
IT'S EASY TO DO, AND WE ALL
DO IT.
BUT CAN I TELL YOU THAT WE'VE
GOT TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF
APPRECIATION?
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD YOURSELF
SAY, "I HAVE TO GO TO WORK.
OH, I HAVE TO GO PICK UP MY
KIDS.
I HAVE TO MAKE DINNER.
UGH, I HAVE TO CLEAN UP AFTER
MY HUSBAND."
SEE, THE LANGUAGE OF
APPRECIATION SAYS THIS.
IT SAYS, "I GET TO GO TO WORK
BECAUSE I HAVE A JOB.
I'M SO BLESSED TO HAVE MY
CHILDREN.
I'M GOING TO GO PICK THEM UP
NOW.
I HAVE A HOUSE.
I GET TO CLEAN IT."
SEE, THAT'S THE LANGUAGE OF
APPRECIATION.
I WAS TALKING TO A MAN THE
OTHER DAY, AND HE WAS TELLING
ME, HE ACTUALLY SHOWED ME A
LIST OF JOBS THAT HE HAD HAD
EVER SINCE HE WAS A TEENAGER,
AND HE BEGAN AT 13 YEARS OLD.
HE WAS A PAPER BOY.
HE WENT ON TO 15, AND HE
STARTED MOWING LAWNS; 17, HE
WAS SHOVELING SNOW.
THEN HE WENT ON TO BE A
PLUMBER.
THEN HE WENT ON TO BE A PIPE
FITTER.
THEN HE WENT ON TO BE A
CONTRACTOR.
THEN HE WENT ON TO, AND HE
WAS GOING ON AND ON.
I THOUGHT, "DEAR LORD, HOW
MANY JOBS HAS THIS MAN HAD?"
BUT THE PURPOSE OF SHOWING ME
THIS LIST WAS THIS.
HE SAID, "I WENT BACK THROUGH
MY LIFE, AND I LOOKED AT
EVERY JOB THAT I'VE EVER
HAD."
AND HE SAID, "I THOUGHT ABOUT
IT."
AND HE SAID, "WHAT DID THAT
JOB SHOW ME?
WHAT DID THAT JOB GIVE ME?"
AND HE ASSIGNED A WORD TO
EACH ONE OF THOSE JOBS, WORDS
LIKE "COMMITMENT,"
"PERSEVERANCE," "INTEGRITY,"
"RESPONSIBILITY."
HE SAID, "VICTORIA, YOU KNOW,
SOME OF THOSE JOBS, AT THE
TIME, I COULDN'T SEE HOW THEY
EVEN MADE SENSE."
HE SAID, "THEY WERE
DIFFICULT.
THEY WERE HARD."
HE SAYS, "BUT, WHEN I MADE
THIS LIST," HE SAID, "WHAT IT
DID IS IT SHOWED ME HOW
GRATEFUL I COULD BE FOR EACH
AND EVERY ONE OF THESE JOBS
AND HOW IT DEVELOPED MY
CHARACTER AND MY RESOLVE FOR
THE NEXT JOB."
YOU KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING?
HE WAS ADDING VALUE TO HIS
LIFE.
HE WAS MINING THE GOLD.
SEE, SOMETIMES WE GET STUCK
IN THOSE PLACES, AND WE MAKE
EXCUSES WHY WE DIDN'T GET TO
THE NEXT PLACE, SAYING, "WE
HAD TO DO THIS.
OUR PARENTS DIDN'T BRING US
UP RIGHT.
WELL, IF I'D HAVE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COLLEGE.
WELL, IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO
WORK THIS JOB."
YOU SEE, THIS MAN TOLD ME, "I
READ THIS LIST OFTEN," HE
SAID, "BECAUSE IT HELPS ME BE
VERY AWARE AND CONSCIOUS OF
WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW AND THE
BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE."
SEE, THIS MAN IS A TOP
EXECUTIVE, NOW, AT A
MILLION-DOLLAR COMPANY.
HE SAID, "I READ IT OFTEN.
I NEVER WANT TO TAKE THIS FOR
GRANTED."
YOU SEE, WE SHOULD ALL DIG
THE GOLD OUT OF OUR LIFE.
YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO FACE
CHALLENGES.
WE'RE GOING TO FACE
CHALLENGES.
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS GOING TO
BE EASY; BUT, WHEN WE BEGIN
TO LOOK FOR THE LESSONS, WHEN
WE BEGIN TO LOOK FOR WHAT CAN
BUILD IN US, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
WHEN WE'RE GOING TO FIND THE
VALUE.
THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GOING TO
FIND THE PURPOSE.
YOU SEE, WHEN YOU'RE
APPRECIATIVE AND YOU LOOK FOR
THE VALUE IN SOMETHING, WHAT
YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE ADDING
TO YOUR LIFE.
SOMETIMES WE RUN AROUND
THINKING THERE'S A MISSING
LINK.
"IF I COULD ONLY FIND THAT
THING."
AND, WHEN YOU HAVE AN
ATTITUDE LIKE THAT, YOU ARE
LACKING; AND WHEN YOU'RE
LACKING, IT'S HARD TO FIND
PURPOSE.
THAT'S WHY, WHEREVER YOU ARE
TODAY, NO MATTER HOW
DIFFICULT IT IS, ASK GOD TO
SHOW YOU, "WHERE'S THE VALUE
IN THIS, GOD?
HOW CAN I APPRECIATE THIS
BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE
GIVEN ME?"
YOU SEE, THE HAPPY PEOPLE ARE
THE PEOPLE THAT CAN BE
APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THEY
HAVE RIGHT NOW ON THE WAY TO
WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
[CONGREGATION APPLAUDING]
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THAT
SONG, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT
YOU GOT TILL IT'S GONE?"
I THINK IT'S A COUNTRY
WESTERN SONG.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFORTUNATE
THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO LOSE
SOMETHING BEFORE THEY
RECOGNIZE THE VALUE IN IT.
YOU SEE, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO
LOSE SOMETHING TO BEGIN TO
APPRECIATE IT.
I WAS TALKING TO A MAN THE
OTHER DAY, AND HE WAS TELLING
ME HOW HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH
THIS LONG BATTLE OF CANCER,
AND HIS RECOVERY HAD BEEN
VERY DIFFICULT.
HE SAID, "BUT LET ME TELL
YOU, VICTORIA, I SEE THE
WORLD IN A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT WAY.
HOW I VIEWED MY LIFE BEFORE
CANCER IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT
THAN HOW I VIEW MY LIFE NOW."
HE SAID, "THE IMPORTANT
THINGS TO ME ARE MY FRIENDS
AND MY FAMILY."
HE SAID THIS, AND I THOUGHT
IT WAS SO GOOD.
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, WHEN
YOU'VE HAD CANCER," HE SAID,
"YOU REALIZE THAT A BUCKET
LIST IS OVERRATED."
HE SAID, "EXPERIENCING AND
APPRECIATING WHAT YOU HAVE
EVERY DAY IS WHAT'S
IMPORTANT."
YOU SEE, WE DON'T WANT TO
HAVE TO ALMOST LOSE SOMETHING
TO APPRECIATE WHAT WE HAVE.
WE CANNOT GET SO COMFORTABLE
AND SO ACCUSTOMED TO THE
BLESSINGS IN OUR LIFE.
SOMEONE GAVE ME A SCULPTURE,
AND I LIKED IT.
IT WAS REALLY PRETTY.
I PUT IT UP IN MY HOME.
AND THAT SCULPTURE WAS RIGHT
WHERE I WANTED TO PUT MY
CHRISTMAS TREE, SO I TOOK THE
SCULPTURE DOWN, AND I STORED
IT IN A BACK CLOSET IN MY
HOME.
I PUT ALL MY CHRISTMAS
DECORATIONS UP.
OKAY, DON'T JUDGE ME, BUT I
PUT MY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
UP A WEEK BEFORE
THANKSGIVING, BUT I TAKE THEM
DOWN RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS.
I WAS DIGGING IN A CLOSET
JUST NOT LONG AGO, AND I
NOTICED A SHEET IN THE BACK
OF THAT CLOSET, AND I
THOUGHT, "WHAT IS THAT?"
AND I PULLED OFF THE SHEET,
AND IT WAS THAT STATUE.
NOW, THAT STATUE HAD BEEN IN
THERE ABOUT TWO YEARS.
AND I THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOSH.
I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THIS
STATUE."
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU GET
SO MUCH STUFF, MAYBE SOME
PRETTY THINGS.
YOU FORGET ABOUT WHAT YOU
HAVE.
SO, I KIND OF JUST FORGOT ALL
ABOUT THE STATUE, SO, I
TOSSED THE SHEET BACK OVER
IT, BECAUSE I WAS IN A HURRY,
AND I LEFT.
WELL, A FEW DAYS LATER, I WAS
WITH SOME FRIENDS OF MINE,
AND WE WERE ON A PROJECT, AND
WE WERE STAGING A TABLE.
AND SO, WE HAD THE TABLE
LOOKING REALLY GOOD, AND
SOMEBODY SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE
NEED SOMETHING SPECIAL ON
THIS TABLE.
WE NEED SOMETHING TO SET THIS
TABLE OFF."
AND SO, WE WERE LOOKING FOR
ALL THESE THINGS.
"WHAT CAN WE JUST TOP THIS
TABLE OFF WITH?"
AND, IN MY MIND, I THOUGHT
ABOUT THAT STATUE IN MY
CLOSET WITH THE SHEET ON IT.
I THOUGHT, "HM, THAT MIGHT
JUST LOOK GOOD."
SO, I HAD SOMEONE BRING IT
WHERE I WAS.
AND SO, WE PUT THE STATUE ON
IT, AND ALL THE GIRLS WERE
LIKE, "WHOA.
THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.
THAT IS THE MOST PERFECT
THING EVER.
THAT IS SO GORGEOUS."
AND I STOOD BACK, AND I
THOUGHT, "THAT IS PRETTY,
ISN'T IT?"
IT'S AMAZING HOW I VALUED THE
BEAUTY IN THAT STATUE BECAUSE
EVERYONE ELSE DID.
SO, ON MY WAY HOME, I WAS
THINKING TO MYSELF, "I'VE GOT
TO FIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT
BECAUSE I WANT MY STATUE
BACK."
SO, I GOT HOME, AND I GOT ON
THE INTERNET, AND I STARTED
LOOKING, LOOKING.
"WHAT CAN I GET THAT'S LIKE
THAT?
WHAT CAN I GET THAT'S LIKE
THAT?"
AND, TO MY SURPRISE, I
REALIZED THAT THAT STATUE WAS
A LIMITED EDITION.
THE ARTIST ONLY MADE A FEW,
AND YOU COULDN'T GET IT
ANYMORE.
AND THEN I FOUND A GALLERY
THAT WAS LOOKING FOR THAT
SPECIFIC STATUE.
THEY WANTED TO BUY IT.
I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH.
THIS IS SOMETHING SO
VALUABLE.
I WANT MY STATUE BACK.
I WANT MY STATUE BACK."
THAT'S ALL I COULD THINK
ABOUT WAS GETTING MY STATUE
BACK.
YOU SEE, SOMETIMES WE DON'T
APPRECIATE THINGS UNTIL
SOMEONE ELSE SEES THE VALUE
IN THEM.
[APPLAUDING]
YOU SEE, WHAT YOU'RE TAKING
FOR GRANTED TODAY, SOMEONE
ELSE MAY BE PRAYING FOR.
SOME THINGS CAN'T BE
REPLACED.
THEY'RE ONE OF A KIND.
YOUR MOTHER, YOUR FATHER,
YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR SPOUSE.
DON'T NEGLECT IT.
DON'T GET SO USED TO IT THAT
YOU FORGET THE PRECIOUS GIFT
THAT IT REALLY IS.
YOU SEE, I BELIEVE THE
HAPPIEST PEOPLE ARE THE
PEOPLE WHO APPRECIATE WHAT
THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW AND PLACE
VALUE ON IT BECAUSE, WHEN YOU
PLACE VALUE ON IT, IT PLACES
VALUE ON YOU AND YOUR LIFE.
LISTEN.
GOD'S TAKING US TO GREAT
PLACES, BUT HE NEVER WANTS US
TO TAKE FOR GRANTED
EVERYTHING THAT HE'S GIVEN US
RIGHT NOW.
AMEN?
[MUSIC]
> JOEL: THANKS FOR
WATCHING THIS
MESSAGE.
I HOPE
YOU ENJOYED IT.
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> VICTORIA: LET US
KNOW IN THE
COMMENTS BELOW HOW
THIS MESSAGE HAS
ENCOURAGED YOU.
WE WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR FROM YOU.
WE'RE PRAYING FOR
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
WE'LL SEE YOU
NEXT TIME!