Thankfulness

Thankfulness: 
conscious of benefit received; expressive of thanks; well pleased


This Thanksgiving I have much to be thankful for.  God has blessed me and poured out His loving kindness.  Praying this morning, I began to write down things that I am thankful to God for.  Some are major growing things that God is doing inside of me and other things are the simple joys in life.  {In no particular order}

1. Shown Yourself faithful
2. Grown in my trust & faith in You
3. Given me strength & perseverance
4. Taught me where my value comes from
5. Provided for me to pay my bills
6. Given me a roof over my head & food
7. Revealing a community here in this place
8. Opened opportunities to serve
9. Blessed with good health
10. Given me hope for the future
11. Teaching me Your ways
12. My 23 beautiful children
13. The courage to listen to Your will and obey
14. Memories
15. The ability to forgive and forget
16. A family that loves me
17. The chance to encourage others
18. A future in You
19. Beauty all around me
20. Your creation and the lessons it teaches me
21. Travel
22. That I am a reflection of You
23. You are my Father in Heaven
24. I am redeemed
25. There is no condemnation in You
26. For the dreams You have given to me
27. Creativity
28. An education
29. The experiences I've had
30. Friends and kindred spirits
31. Peace of the mind & spirit
32. Coffee
33. Joy in any circumstance
34. Tears
35. Your guiding hand that never leaves me
36. Plans to go to Africa (soon!)
37. A church that is seeking You
38. Living out who You have called me to be
39. A heart of compassion
40. That You have good plans for me
41. Salvation
42. Hope for a husband someday
43. Abundant life
44. My needs are met
45. Grace & mercy
46. Your Word that guides me
47. Answered prayers
48. Patience
49. Family
50. I am Yours

I have a great deal to be thankful for.  This week especially I am thankful for good reports about my kids back in Africa.  They are growing in the Lord and doing so well in school.  They are growing up quickly.  Here is a video of some of the girls from last Thanksgiving while we were at Mirembe House:

George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1789:

"It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, 

to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor."

Operation Christmas Child

This is my first year doing Operation Christmas Child.  It has been great!  I would encourage you to fill a shoe box and bless a child.  It is simple and a great way to start off the holiday season.  

You can find all the information you need on their website:

Operation Christmas Child

First, wrap a shoe box.

Second, fill the shoe box (you can find a list of recommended items on their website).

 I filled mine with: school supplies, personal care items, small etch-a-sketch, a little lamb, a jumprope, candy, and a few other things.  

Third, place a label for the age & gender and send!

You can even register your box online to see where it goes.  

Be creative!  Be a blessing!

What gives me value?

This video pretty much sums up what I have been growing in and learning the last couple of weeks:



It wasn't until a conversation with this dear friend that I realized just what God wanted me to know.  I know that this is nothing new and perhaps I should have known and lived this far before this moment in my life.  But, God is gracious with me.

The question of my heart has been: What gives me value?

It is NOT my job status.
It is NOT my education level.
It is NOT what others think of me.
It is NOT how much good I do.
It is NOT how much I sacrifice.
It is NOT what I do or don't do.
It is NOT my relationship status.
Etc...

So, what gives me value?

I believe it is because I am a daughter of the King.
It is because He created and purposed me to love Him before time.
It is because He loves me.

It is as simple as that.  But, we run from this don't we?  We hide behind our titles and relationships.  We barricade our hearts.  How dare we be vulnerable and honest with others.  There is no way we could show others that we are weak.  What if they see that I don't have it all together?

For me, I think Christ is asking me to let go of these things.  To lay down what I think others think of me.  To lay down what society tells me my value is.  Because you see, I am valuable because I am His. Plain and simple.  He doesn't love me more or less, ever.  His love isn't based on what I do or don't do.

That is the kind of love that I want to receive and that is the kind of love that I want to give.

I want to love my neighbor not based on how well we get along, but because they are created and purposed by God.
I want to love my friends and family not based on what they do for me, but because they are created and purposed by God.
I want to love my (hopefully) future spouse not based on what he does or how he supports me, but because he is created and purposed by God.
I want to love my future children not based on what they do or how well they behave, but because they are created and purposed by God.

This is where freedom is.  When we know our value comes from Him and not anything that we do or don't do.  I am going to walk in this freedom.  Because when I trust Him fully, that is where freedom is to be found.

I needed to be reminded today.

A bit of reminiscing.

Some reminiscing for your viewing pleasure.  

One of the many things that happened on tour after set-up was finished.  

Please note in the video how un-phased Uncle Vic is about it all :)

ArtPrize

This weekend we had gorgeous weather here in West Michigan.  It was celebrated by lots of time spent outside.  

 ^At Robinettes, I love this place.

 ^I wonder how many coats of paint are on here?

 ^God's handiwork

ArtPrize...Amy you would love this event.

^This gentleman burned the wood with a magnifying glass.  I'm pretty sure he hails from Florida or Texas for this type of art.

^Rules, rules...

^Single sheets of paper cut with an exacto knife.  

^Sister in front of the "paper trees."

^I really like all the colors.

^The artist painted all of these on a "spinning" easel.  

 ^Um, okay? Projector with a glass of water on it?  It is even for sale.

 ^Downtown

 ^Lego man

 ^Entirely made from duct tape.

 ^Don't you just LOVE the reflection of the trees in the windows.  love.

 ^The winner of ArtPrize.  The artist won $250,000.

 ^A close up of some of the tiles of the winning piece.  

 ^Monkeys on the bridge =0)

 ^Sisters

Rosy Mound

 ^Fall colors.

^I can't get enough.

^A lovely walk with Hilary.

You've Got Mail

This season has been one of complete trust.  That is the only word that really describes what my purpose is day in and day out.  I am trusting God with today and tomorrow.  I love how God encourages His children through a quiet word, a written note, scripture, prayers, and through...emails.  Feeling particularly weary the last few weeks, His encouragement came at just the right time.  Today I received two emails reminding me of truth and to keep on trusting.  

Email #1

Running Aground by MaryBeth Whalen

“Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” Acts 27:26 (NIV)

Have you ever been going along, intent in your calling, certain of your direction, sure of God’s goodness, only to have something happen that throws you completely off course?

When my husband and I resolved to become financially sound, we were dismayed to quickly have an appliance break, shelling out the entire emergency fund we’d built up to repair it. Instead of moving forward we were going backwards.

We had two choices to make at that moment: thank God that we had the money to cover the repair or doubt God’s sovereignty in allowing the appliance to break.

In the book of Acts, chapter twenty-seven, Paul tells the people he is traveling with that God has called them to their mission. Not only that, he is certain the Holy Spirit is on their side. And yet, for reasons he doesn’t go into, we read in our key verse that he also tells them they must run aground, which means they’d be delayed on some island before their purpose would be accomplished.

This delay, it turns out, is part of the plan. This setback is actually sovereign. But of course at that moment they can’t see that. All they can see is a looming shipwreck, a deserted island.

Perhaps you are on your own deserted island—a personal exile that has been painful and prolonged. You wonder if God sees where you are, if He cares. You remember the time you were moving along, the wind in your sails, full speed ahead. And you miss that time. You wish God would rescue you from the island, put you back on course. Perhaps you’re beginning to doubt God really does have a plan for you.

I don’t know what your deserted island looks like. It might be the desolation of a marriage, the barren land of motherhood, the wasteland of a career. It might be the emptiness of simply not knowing what your purpose—your passion—really is, even as you watch other women seem to steam forward.

When I start to feel this way, I think about this verse. I remember that even Paul ran aground, even Paul faced setbacks. But I also remember that the island wasn’t the end of the story. Rescue was coming. Running aground doesn’t mean you’ve run outside of God’s will. It might just mean you are exactly where you’re supposed to be. Use this time to increase your trust in God and to see Him work on your behalf, even when the palm trees obscure your view.

Email #2

The Right Doors Open by Max Lucado

You try one door after another, yet no one responds to your résumé. No university accepts your application. No doctor has a solution for your illness. No buyers look at your house.

Obstacles pack your path. Road, barricaded. Doorway, padlocked. Do you know the frustration of a blocked door?

God uses closed doors to advance his cause.

He closed the womb of a young Sarah so he could display his power to the elderly one.

He shut the palace door on Moses the prince so he could open shackles through Moses the liberator.

He marched Daniel out of Jerusalem so he could use Daniel in Babylon.

And Jesus. Yes, even Jesus knew the challenge of a blocked door. When he requested a path that bypassed the cross, God said no. He said no to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane so he could say yes to us at the gates of heaven.

It’s not that our plans are bad but that God’s plans are better.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.

“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so my ways are higher than your ways

and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:8–9 NLT)

Your blocked door doesn’t mean God doesn’t love you. Quite the opposite. It’s proof that he does.

So today I remember that I am His daughter, called, thought of, and loved.