How to make your own Litany of Thanks

The first time I offered a Litany of Thanks, I was a college student on the road alone escaping a hurricane. I had left my parents and home behind as they prepared to hunker down while I evacuated before Hurricane Ida hit the Louisiana coast. Born and raised in South Louisiana, preparing for, hunkering down, or evacuating for hurricanes was nothing new to me. What was new was evacuating by myself. I had a supposed three-hour drive that took nine hours to reach my sister as everyone else was also fleeing the state. I’m not sure about you, but sitting in a car alone with all your thoughts, especially when a category four hurricane is heading to your home, is nerve-wracking. I decided then to pray, and I offered a Litany of Thanks.

Thank you, Jesus, for this new vehicle that is safely helping me evacuate.

Thank you, Jesus, for my sister, who is willing to open her home to me.

Thank you, Jesus, for the warning to be able to leave.

Thank you, Jesus, for the sturdy house my parents have that has weathered other hurricanes.

Thank you, Jesus, for my phone, which has allowed me to speak to my friends and family during this time.

Thank you, Jesus, for keeping me safe on the road.

Every hour on the road, I turned my anxious heart back to God and remembered all the good things he had done in my life and all the things I had to be grateful for in that moment. Turning my heart to gratitude instead of anxiousness helped lift my spirits as I realized I had a reason to hope and a Creator I could trust. No matter the situation, the Lord walks through it with me, and he has proven it time and time again, in his word and in my life. 

Learning to offer a Litany of Thanks

Since that evacuation day, gratitude has been a theme in my life — a turning of my weary heart back to God and back to praise. One of the most practical and helpful ways to do that is to offer a Litany of Thanks in whatever situation you find yourself in. Here are some examples.

Thanks before a Youth Formation night begins:

Thank you, Jesus, for your Church.

Thank you, Jesus, for this time with you.

Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of all these little souls, who are coming to learn of your love.

Thank you, Jesus, for these mentors, who desire to share your love with the youth.

Thank you, Jesus, for bringing me here to help in your mission.

Thank you, Jesus, for my job. 

Thanks when I find myself scrolling and comparing, when my life feels small and ordinary, or when a task at home feels daunting:

Thank you, Jesus, for the safety and comfort of this apartment.

Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of my vocation.

Thank you, Jesus, for my husband.

Thank you, Jesus, for the time to clean.

Thank you, Jesus, for the rest I was able to get. 

Thank you, Jesus, for my time in prayer with you this morning.

In whatever moment you find yourself in, big or small, you can find something good that thanksgiving can be offered for. It does not have to be a long, eloquent, written-out prayer; it is simply turning of our hearts back to the Lord in whatever moment we are in, remembering what he has done for us, and offering him that praise. 

For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.  

– St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Make it personal

I am sure that a Google search can find many well-written and beautiful Litanies of Thanks/Thanksgiving. I do not have a specific litany to memorize or one that is beautifully worded. This Litany of Thanks that I encourage you to do is personal and from your heart; it is what the Lord has done for you. What better way to turn our hearts back to God than to remember all the good things he has done, and to thank him for them and give him the praise? 

Next time you find yourself anxious, stressed, bored with a task, or stuck in the ordinariness of life, remember the Lord. Remember his good deeds in your life, and offer your Litany of Thanks to him. Wherever you find yourself — driving, sitting at work, or doing the dishes at home — take a breath and offer your Litany of Thanks to him. 

Thank you, Jesus …

Kathryn Arzabala is a wife and South Louisiana native who loves a good cup of coffee in the morning and tea in the evening. After graduating with a degree in English Literature, she felt the Lord’s calling to work in youth ministry. When not engrossed in a book, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their cat, Yuki.