A Thanksgiving study by the Nashville-based LifeWay Research finds most that family tops the list (88 percent), followed by health (77 percent), personal freedom (72 percent) and friends (71 percent). Fewer give thanks for wealth (32 percent) or achievements (51 percent).
“The blessings that matter most are the ones money can’t buy,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. Researchers gave respondents a list of 10 options and asked them to rank them in order of thankfulness. Only two percent were not thankful for any of the options provided.
A majority of those questioned credit God with their blessings. According to the study nearly 63 percent give thanks to God, 57 percent give thanks to their family and 31 percent give thanks to friends. Smaller percentages give thanks to themselves (8 percent) or fate (4 percent).
LifeWay Research concludes that overall a spirit of thanksgiving is alive and well in America.
“Many Americans have felt discouraged about events of the past year,” said McConnell. “But they still find a lot to be thankful for.”