Our theme this month is focused on a term that is not found in the Bible. Go to your Bible app and search various translations for appreciation - you are going to come up pretty short. Just because a specific word isn't in the Bible doesn't mean the concept isn't there either. The Bible is full of calls for us to appreciate each other.

We are in a real struggle to have gratitude today. The louder voice is the voice of the critic. Criticism is more expedient because it takes far less time and energy to point out problems than it does to actually make something better. The food at the restaurant isn't just right - can we show grace?

As the rate of technological advancement increases, our ability to appreciate what we have is more easily diminished. Let's use phones as an example. They remained virtually unchanged for nearly 100 years until the cordless phone came out...then the bag/mobile phone. Those were the biggest innovations in generations and nothing came after them for quite some time.

Some people thrive on chaos. They stoke drama...they poke and pick at things until something blows up. Why do people do that? Power. The drama has a certain attraction to it. It puts you in control. And people like to be in control. When you can keep everyone else on their heals, you get the advantage.

Wineskins started as a print publication May 1992 when Rubel Shelly, Mike Cope and Phillip Morrison launched out to create a magazine within the Restoration Movement that tackled hard questions with humility.

There is an appreciation deficit in our culture today. There is, instead, a critical eye that is constantly looking for problems. Are we addicted to drama, upheaval and chaos? One of the antidotes to the popular cultural ethos of being upset is appreciation.