SixEight Life

Thankfulness

Photo Credit- The Alieness Gisela Giardino (Creative Commons)

Confession time friends: June hasn’t been ideal so far. Husband is struggling with some major back/sciatic pain, I’m trying to figure out ‘what’s next’ for me vocationally, and we are really having to trust God for provision. There have been times of loneliness and times of questioning. There have been times where I’ve had to repeat 100 times “I choose joy, I choose joy, I choose joy”. Sometimes my self confidence has wavered and I’ve questioned myself and God’s power.

If I were to sit down with most of you who read this over coffee and detail all of the things I’ve thought about and all the circumstances I’ve struggled with this month, you’d probably think I’m being a big whiny baby. And I can accept that. I definitely have moments where I need some major perspective- hence this blog post.

With that being said and my acknowledgement that it’s time for perspective, here are ten things I’m thankful for.

1. Health– Yes, Brent has been struggling with a lot of pain and hasn’t been able to work for a week. But God has gifted us with overall health. I’m thankful for this, and am lifting up so many friends who have huge health restoration needs in prayer today.

2. Family– Wow, we are so blessed with an incredible family. A lot of love abounds on both sides of our family. Great parents, great siblings, great extended family members. Holidays are wonderful and filled with laughter and great memories.

3. Neighbors– Oh.my.gosh we have the most incredible neighbors in the world! A few of us have started a Bible Study on Tuesday nights and hang out together a good bit. I feel like we live in an actual community, surrounded by amazing people. God is so good!

4. Provision- Despite Brent’s health setback and my contract ending at work, God has provided for us in immense ways. We have the ability to pay all of our bills and cover the essentials, which is all you really need.

5. Passion City Church– We have been attending Passion City for about 14 months now, and God definitely has us in the right place. We are so blessed with great friendships and amazing people who love God and love each other. It’s a family and I’m so humbled to be a part of it.

6. Education– I love to read and write, and I don’t think I fully thank God enough for this ability. So many girls in the developing world can’t go to school. And so many children in our own country deal with stressors and struggling schools that dramatically affect their education. I’m thankful for the amazing schools I’ve attended and the ability to express myself through writing.

7. Biscuit- This may seem silly if you don’t have a pet, but I am so thankful for our little pup Biscuit. Very few things are more therapeutic than petting a dog at the end of the day. Rescuing our pup from a kill shelter has probably done more for us than it’s done for him. He’s an amazing dog.

8. Food- Sometimes when I think about how much God loves us I think about food. I get so much pleasure out of food- the different styles of cuisine, seasonings, flavors, textures. Food reflects culture and cultivates community. I’m thankful that I can choose what I want to eat and can enjoy the flavors of the food God has blessed us with.

9. Community- I could say friends for this one, but what I’m thankful for is so much deeper. I’m thankful for the friendships I have that push me to be a better person. I’m thankful for encouraging discussions over a cup of coffee and friends who are fighting for justice alongside me. I’m thankful for an online community of twitter friends, facebook friends, and fellow bloggers who share the same values and are working towards common goals. Community is so rich and diverse, and I’m thankful for it.

10. Grace- Even though my faith wavers sometimes, I’m so thankful for God’s grace in my life. I don’t deserve grace, but He has given me more than I deserve.

So there you have it. I’m blessed in many ways- much more than I deserve. Thanks for exploring this with me and for reading to the end. Now my question for you is this: What are YOU thankful for?