Thankful Thursday

Isaiah 40:31--But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

On this, my very first "Thankful Thursday", this verse came to my mind. Why?? Because any hope I have for my life, any strength that I have comes from God. With God, I can accomplish anything that He wills for me. And I am thankful that God is my focus in my life. I can bring anything to Him in prayer and quietly sit and listen and wait.

I went to work today and told everyone there that it was "Thankful Thursday". I passed around a notepad and everyone wrote several things that they were thankful for.

Here are some of their answers:

Family, friends, co-workers who can make even a bad day a good day, laughter, good health, being employed.

Here is what I am thankful for today:

This is my best friend. I love her dearly. She saw the anger and bitterness in me and knew that I needed God in my life. She didn't push me or prod me. She just quietly lived her life, and I saw goodness and peace there. I wanted what she had and just didn't know how to go about it.

She is the one who obeyed God's command to her; she is the one who reached out to me and invited me to her church. I stood her up the first time she invited me. There was no reproachment on her part. She just said that we would try again next week. And the next week I did go. God touched me that day, and I found something very special. I knew that I had finally come home.

My other thankfuls for today:

• My spiritual family who are always there for me in good times and in bad.
• My children--children that I had been told I would never be able to have--they are miracles from God.
• The fact that I can freely worship God without persecution from others.
• Talents given to me by God so that I can serve and bring joy to others.
• Birds--I know that may sound a little off the wall--but it's cool enough to sleep with the windows open. I heard the birds singing when I was getting ready for work this morning. I stopped to listen carefully. So many species of birds, each with their own song and colors! How creative of God!
• I am thankful for the difficult times I have had in my life. God has used these very trying circumstances to open my eyes so that I may serve Him and others.
• And most of all I am thankful for Jesus. He is the HOLY ONE--the one I am to try to pattern myself after in my own pursuit of holiness. Will I ever attain this goal? Of course not!! I will fail and falter along the way. But, thanks to Jesus, I can seek forgiveness for my sins, and He will pick me up and help me start along my way again!

Beth