Bountiful Blessings
Since everyone else is doing special Thanksgiving posts and promotions and more, I thought I ought to add mine to the mix. Because God is always good and His blessings abound.
So, here are some things that I am thankful for.
The God who loves me despite my sinfulness
The biggest blessing that is offered all of us is the forgiveness of our sin through the sacrificed blood of Jesus Christ. How great and unfathomable the love of God that He would provide a way for us to come to Him, clothed newly in righteousness because of His Son whom He gave up for us! And the Holy Spirit who lives within us and guides us. I could go on and on, because there is no way to every say everything that God is and does for us.
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are save)." Ephesians 2:4-5
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15
The family God has given me
I am so very thankful that I have the family that I do. A God-fearing family who raised me up in full knowledge of Christ and trained me in the way I should go. He provided me with many other relatives - Grandparents (most of whom have gone to join Him), aunts and uncles, cousins (who, even though they are older than me, are still fun and wonderful), the children of my cousins, and even further out relatives.
And then, the Family I have who I am connected to by blood - the blood of Jesus Christ. For "who is my mother, or my brethren?" and I can look around me and say, "behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." (Mark 3:33-35) So for that Family - especially those of you in my "ministry family" who are very dear to my heart - I am so very thankful.
The friends God has provided me
This one always astonishes me. God always provides me friends and special people in my life no matter where I find myself. He knows we all need other people and He has given me the ability to connect with many different kinds of people. He's just so awesome like that!! I have so many friends from elementary school on up to college that I hold very dear. A lot of them are far away - all the way out to Guatemala, Germany, even China - but they are still my friends and I thank the Lord for all of them, and what they've been to me!
"We [I] give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our [my] prayers." 1 Thessalonians 1:2
The necessities of life, which we too often take for granted
It is amazing how we - myself completely included - can go through life every day never stopping to realize just how blessed we are by having all of our necessities provided along with too many of our wants. I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to go to Guatemala twice, and see just how incredibly blessed a nation we are - and yet how little we value those blessings and how greatly we take advantage of what we have. The house I live in, the water I drink, the food I eat, the clothes I have (too many of), the education I have been given, the vehicles my family has to get around in, the proper health and dental care we receive, even the orthodontics I hated so much that will help me in the long run - all of this and so much more, the things we don't need but simply what we want that we can afford.
"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?...for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." Matthew 6:31-32
The job that supports me
When so many people are having trouble finding jobs, I am thankful that God has provided me with a job that not only supplies my means, but is a good work environment with wonderful coworkers and a flexible schedule. Also, that I am able to work, and for the amazing things that God surprises me with at work.
"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." Psalm 90:17
The dreams He gives
I love the dreams that God has placed in my heart for my future. He has been doing amazing things in my life and been speaking awesome things into me through His words and the words that He has others say. God not only wants us to live life for Him, but do it in the way that He designed just for us.
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6
The trials of life
Yes, I am thankful not only for all of the good, but I am thankful for the harder things of life, because through all of them He teaches me lessons that I learn from. They are often lessons I don't necessarily always feel like learning, but they are necessary and I thank Him for what He has been teaching me.
Indeed, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
The sunrises and sunsets
I just love how God makes each sunrise and each sunset to different from the others and so beautiful.
A note to you
So, readers, have a blessed Thanksgiving as you reflect over what God has done in your life. Only, do not let it stop at midnight of November 26. Colossians 2:6-7 tells us, "As ye therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therin with thanksgiving." Abound with thanksgiving for the bountiful blessings that He gives!
So, here are some things that I am thankful for.
The God who loves me despite my sinfulness
The biggest blessing that is offered all of us is the forgiveness of our sin through the sacrificed blood of Jesus Christ. How great and unfathomable the love of God that He would provide a way for us to come to Him, clothed newly in righteousness because of His Son whom He gave up for us! And the Holy Spirit who lives within us and guides us. I could go on and on, because there is no way to every say everything that God is and does for us.
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are save)." Ephesians 2:4-5
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15
The family God has given me
I am so very thankful that I have the family that I do. A God-fearing family who raised me up in full knowledge of Christ and trained me in the way I should go. He provided me with many other relatives - Grandparents (most of whom have gone to join Him), aunts and uncles, cousins (who, even though they are older than me, are still fun and wonderful), the children of my cousins, and even further out relatives.
And then, the Family I have who I am connected to by blood - the blood of Jesus Christ. For "who is my mother, or my brethren?" and I can look around me and say, "behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." (Mark 3:33-35) So for that Family - especially those of you in my "ministry family" who are very dear to my heart - I am so very thankful.
The friends God has provided me
This one always astonishes me. God always provides me friends and special people in my life no matter where I find myself. He knows we all need other people and He has given me the ability to connect with many different kinds of people. He's just so awesome like that!! I have so many friends from elementary school on up to college that I hold very dear. A lot of them are far away - all the way out to Guatemala, Germany, even China - but they are still my friends and I thank the Lord for all of them, and what they've been to me!
"We [I] give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our [my] prayers." 1 Thessalonians 1:2
The necessities of life, which we too often take for granted
It is amazing how we - myself completely included - can go through life every day never stopping to realize just how blessed we are by having all of our necessities provided along with too many of our wants. I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to go to Guatemala twice, and see just how incredibly blessed a nation we are - and yet how little we value those blessings and how greatly we take advantage of what we have. The house I live in, the water I drink, the food I eat, the clothes I have (too many of), the education I have been given, the vehicles my family has to get around in, the proper health and dental care we receive, even the orthodontics I hated so much that will help me in the long run - all of this and so much more, the things we don't need but simply what we want that we can afford.
"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?...for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." Matthew 6:31-32
The job that supports me
When so many people are having trouble finding jobs, I am thankful that God has provided me with a job that not only supplies my means, but is a good work environment with wonderful coworkers and a flexible schedule. Also, that I am able to work, and for the amazing things that God surprises me with at work.
"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." Psalm 90:17
The dreams He gives
I love the dreams that God has placed in my heart for my future. He has been doing amazing things in my life and been speaking awesome things into me through His words and the words that He has others say. God not only wants us to live life for Him, but do it in the way that He designed just for us.
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6
The trials of life
Yes, I am thankful not only for all of the good, but I am thankful for the harder things of life, because through all of them He teaches me lessons that I learn from. They are often lessons I don't necessarily always feel like learning, but they are necessary and I thank Him for what He has been teaching me.
Indeed, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
The sunrises and sunsets
I just love how God makes each sunrise and each sunset to different from the others and so beautiful.
A note to you
So, readers, have a blessed Thanksgiving as you reflect over what God has done in your life. Only, do not let it stop at midnight of November 26. Colossians 2:6-7 tells us, "As ye therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therin with thanksgiving." Abound with thanksgiving for the bountiful blessings that He gives!
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