What I Am Thankful For
It may seem cliche to say at Thanksgiving time that one is thankful for family, but with everything that has occurred this past couple of years, I can’t help but put my family foremost in my thoughts. You see, I love my family. Together we have been through a lot. Over the recent years, we have seen each other through many challenges including loss of loved ones, serious illness, and financial hardships. With each new issue, we have grown stronger and stronger and for that I am grateful.
Now, it may seem to be the normal course of events for a family to rally behind its members when hardships occur, but I don’t take that for granted. I know all too well that not all families operate like that. There are families with strife and division in which the members don’t care for each other at all. They each go their own way and live their lives separately. But I am so proud to be part of such a close knit family.
Despite the things that I and my family have gone through, I still thank God for his amazing love. In the midst of it all, He has shown me that He is still my loving Father and Friend.
How has God been there for me, for us? Well, as I look around at the members of my family, I see us each growing closer to God. I see how He is influencing our lives every day. It is a joy to watch it all unfold. I love the way we are now praying together through our weekly prayer call. I love seeing how we are more engaged in going to church and participating in Bible study. I love seeing how we call out loud on the name of the Lord when we feel we need Him. Awesome! It seems that those challenges that God has brought us through served as the catalyst for our spiritual growth, and that’s a good thing.
Although we have been through so much together, it is me who is feeling an extra dose of gratitude for how they have helped me through everything that I have gone through in the past year. From my awesome daughters to my wonderful siblings, and even some nieces, nephews, and cousins along the way, they have all, each in their own way, provided great comfort and much needed support that helped me to overcome, and for that I give thanks and praise to God.
Nothing I could ever do can repay them for the kindness shown to me. So I offer prayers up for them whenever I have a chance, prayers for healing, prayers for comfort, prayers for guidance. I try to keep positive thoughts in my head about them. I envision them as healed and successful in their endeavors. I ask God to bless them and give them wisdom in every matter that concerns them.
Yes, I love my family, and they love me. It is truly great to have a loving and supportive family. But it is awesome to know that God’s love is even so much greater. So I thank you God for my family, and God I thank you for being the head over us all, granting your love to us, Your family, freely. You, indeed, are awesome!
