Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, and I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on all that I have to be thankful for. There is so much to be thankful for, it would make for a very long post! So, here is a small sampling.

Things for which I am Thankful

Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross

Sometimes, I take this one for granted - Christ has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. But without Christ, none of the other things I’m thankful for would be possible.

The Blessing of Friends and Family

God has blessed me with a wonderful husband, whom I would be lost without. Robert is the greatest blessing God has given me. God has also blessed me with family and friends that care about me, and let me care for them. I am thankful for each one of them. 

God’s Faithfulness

In my last post, I spoke about how I recently went through a time of discouragement and how God encouraged me and gave me peace through His word. The bills and rent for the month have been paid, in the quiet way God often works. Somehow, the dollars stretched and when it was needed the money was there in the bank. God’s timing is perfect. He is with us through it all.

God’s Provision of my Daily Human Physical Needs

With my husband out of work (and my illness prohibiting me from working), this has been a big one for me. We’ve been through tough times before, but I don’t think there has ever been a point in my life where I have had to rely on God quite so completely. One of my daily prayers has been, ‘Lord, fill the fridge with good, healthy food’. (One of the struggles of having a small budget, is that often the cheap food is highly processed, high in salt - which is something I am supposed to avoid. The food bank does not have a ‘low sodium’ option.) I am thankful for how God has kept us going, through gifts from the church, people who have given us meals and food, the food bank, and the people in our community who offer their surplus fruit for free. Let me share with you, today, our church family gave us a huge gift and were once again God’s instruments in blessing us. It had been announced for the past couple weeks that our church was going to make a Thanksgiving donation to the food bank, asking that people bring fresh food items (the type that would last a while, like root vegetables, etc.) for a display for the service (I wish I’d thought to take a picture). Then during this morning’s service, it was announced that they would be giving the food as a blessing to a family… us! I, of course, cried. So, we came home with a car full of fresh food and vegetables. God answers prayer! Abundantly! 

The Opportunity to Grow Closer in Relationship with God. 

This one is huge. For most of us, growth requires some sort of discomfort - something to take us out of our comfort zone. Well, believe me, I am uncomfortable. But I am thankful. I can see, and feel the growth in my relationship with God. The peace He’s given me is beyond anything I’ve experienced before. While the situation is difficult, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.

The Opportunity to Share with Others what I am Learning

Beyond just my own growth in Christ, the opportunity to share with others through this blog, and any other opportunities God puts in my path, adds to the meaning of going through these difficulties. If my experiences help to encourage others, then it has been more than worth it. I love connecting heart to heart with people, and many times God has brought people into my life who have been through similar experiences and have blessed me with their unique ability to understand where I was. I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to bless others in a similar way. 

Our Church

I am thankful for all of God’s people, who love and are in a relationship with Christ. But specifically, I am thankful for our little group of believers who meet each week. They have been such a blessing to us. Not just in meeting our physical needs, but emotional and spiritual as well. I fell in love with this church the first time we visited. God is doing something special here. I am excited and thankful to be part of it.

I can Give the Glory to God. 

This is the point. I can’t take any credit for anything. I don’t think I would have made it through my teen years without Christ, let alone made it to my forties (and hopefully further). My worst day or my best day are only better because of God. I can’t imagine life without Him and I don’t want to. My God is awesome. He’s all powerful, all knowing, ruler of the universe - and He loves me (and you) as an individual. He is my Heavenly Father. I pray that His glory shines through my words and into your heart.