Thank You!

I often forget to show gratitude.  Honestly, I haven't really been that good at expressing my thankfulness at the times the blessings are given me.  Many times, we feel most thankful for things when there's been an experience of a shortage or absence of those things.  For example, when I lived in Milwaukee for a summer, we went through a two and a half day "poverty simulation" where we went without transportation, beds, showers, much food, or water.  Those two and a half days were some of the worst and best days of my life.  The worst because I haven't felt so helpless, weak, disgusting, and pitiful in my life.  The best because I realized how everything in my life had been given to me, I could sympathize with the homeless a little better who aren't going through a "simulation".  After going through that, I was thinking about air conditioning, a soft bed, showers, places to sit, water, changes of clothes, things I was deprived of for what seemed like an eternity at the time.

I wanted to take time in this blog post to not only thank God but also thank you for your support, love, and prayers.

-Thank you to those of you that have called me just to catch up and see how things are going.  God has used many of those conversations to encourage me at times I was feeling empty.

-Thank you to those of you that help me out financially in order that I work with 2nd Mile Ministries and help serve the Brentwood community with whatever time and energy I have.  I've been amazed by God's loving provision for my needs this year.

-Thank you to those of you that have faithfully prayed for me and the kids in our program, trusting that God hears and responds to your prayers.

-Thank you to those of you that read these blogs and give me encouragement through them.  I pray that God would be using these devotional times to bless you, challenge you, and point you towards Christ.

Looking back on Thanksgiving, shouldn't every moment, every situation be a perfect time to give thanks?  Everything you own was given to you.  Maybe you bought that sweater with your own money, but where did you get that money?  How did you get that job?  How did you get the people skills and experience to obtain that job?  All that you have was not yours to begin with.  Job says in chapter 1, verse 21,

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,

and naked I will depart.

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;

May the name of the LORD be praised."

It's gotta be difficult to take all your stuff with you after you die.

Wherever you are right now, take 5 minutes (sometimes even 1 minute or 60 seconds seems like a long time to sit still), and just start naming things, whether physical possessions or moments of grace that God has shown you, even just in the last few months.  Just know that God is mighty, merciful, and the lover of your soul.  All you need to do is allow yourself to do nothing.  Sit at his feet.  Life is not about you, it's about Jesus Christ.

-The best words that I can use are just simply, "Thank you," again for all the support, whether through encouragement, financially, or through prayers.