Thanksgiving Comes Out of a Heart of Joy.

Hello friends.
Being that my word of the year is thankfulness- I can't very well NOT post on thanksgiving..right?

It's been a tough week, and it would be easy for me to focus on places I'm not thankful.
As I wrote last time: thankfulness is God's will for us. That is a lesson that has amazed me in the last few weeks. When I'm uncertain about where I should be or what I should be doing I come back to this truth. This beautiful beautiful truth that He has called me to thanks in all circumstances. And it's that calling that got me through this past week. Was I thankful in each moment. No. far from it. But have I grown in my ability to be thankful. Absolutely. And it is as thought God knows I need a little nudge in the right direction that He provides so much.

After the roughest day of work so far- my last patient ended up being a blessing. I was able to share love and encouragement with her. I was able to see that God had me there for a reason even when I feel like I'm in over my head, God is there giving me hope to hold on to.

In a morning of frustration with an uncooperative patient, where I felt like I knew nothing- - I was given a kind woman who thanked me for my wisdom.

He gave me some of the best people in the medical field to work with. The woman who helps me with billing is so kind and encouraging. The nurses are so willing to help no matter if they are "my" nurse for the day or not. The providers are helpful and the staff overall is very sweet. Are they perfect: no. But no one is. I'm thankful for them and how they teach me even when they don't know it.

God sent me a dog to warm my spirit in September of 2011 when life was hard, my faith was trying to grow, and my life was a whirlwind that I was trying to make sense of. It's a cold day and we are ignoring the "no dog on the couch" rule. She's cuddled up beside me and I can feel her cold nose pressed against me. Every once in a while she takes in a deep breath and her legs twitch with puppy dreams next to me. She's past due for a hair cut but she's the best 4 legged friend I've got. She truly is a joy and a light to my life.

God sent me my husband in 2012 and what a gift that has been and what perfect timing. I have grown so much in our marriage. It's been tough at times, but it's never been tough to know that God chose us for one another. Hands down I could not have picked someone as amazing as my husband is without help. Nor do I deserve the love he gives me each day but I can't be thankful enough for it. Even on our toughest days we grow stronger and what a blessing that has been.

And in all He has given me over the years there much He hasn't. I don't have a family to call my own truly outside of my husband and puppy dog. I don't have parents that will be grandparents to our kids. I have debt not riches. I have asthma and hearing loss and a continual battle with skin issues. And if I focused on these things..the things I don't have... it would be easy to not be thankful for the good I do have. It would be easy to blow the have nots out of proportion to what I do have. If I have learned anything at all it's to know that we are all missing something. There is not one perfect family, one perfect situation. God carefully allowed what He has in my life to shape me and grow me and give me a testimony that can bring glory to Him alone. What's the best is He brings me moments to share this testimony and proclaim His love and provision often and when I get to do that for a moment I can see why each imperfection was perfectly allowed.

Wisdom 5:21 says "Bolts of lightning will strike right on target as if the Lord had made a bow out of the clouds and was shooting arrows." What a beautiful image that God knows not only the hairs on our head, but He orchestrates each strike of lightning. Sometimes lighting illuminates a summer night sky on the beach. Sometimes it accompanies a strong rain storm. Either way, God is in control.

As advent approaches and the church prepares for the celebration of the birth of our Lord, we have much to be thankful for. No matter how many lightning strikes or joy and devastation in our lives, Christ came to redeem us. The greatest gift of all.

So friends lets not buy into the cheap commercialism the world is selling you this time of year. There is so much more that God has for us than food and objects. Let's not settle for the things of the world but rather have our hearts renewed with a sense of gratitude and joy that comes only from the Lord.
Praying for that blessing for you friends. For joy and peace for you and that you will see how much there is to be thankful no matter what the circumstances. Let's let the next lightning bolts God allows to light us on fire with a thankfulness that makes us overflow in a way that is uncontainable. The very essence of this day is thanks-giving. An overflow of thankfulness that leads to giving. A heart of such gratitude that praise is all we have.

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Happy Thanksgiving to you.

Count it all joy.

Friends, Sometimes in life we have trials, whether big or small. How do you deal with trials? sometimes I pray. Sometimes I ask why. Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in what I want and whats not fair about the situation or how if only this or that had happened this would have been prevented. But what does Gods word say I should do

"Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.- James 1:2"

Joy?
Thats what I'm supposed to call it?

When I think of joy I think of a sense of peace and pleasure. A kind of sunshine rainbows nothing is going to rain on my parade sorta sensation. Joy is not the "why,crying,blaming,frustrated,don't understand,wanttorunaway" sort of feeling I get when trials come my way.

But Nehemiah 8:10 gives us some insight. "The joy of the Lord is your strength."

Ever felt week in a trial, powerless? Were you lacking joy?

Joy is not based on circumstances it is based on God. It's knowing Him and knowing that He was the perfect plan and  having faith that He will see you through.

James goes on to say in verse 12 "Blessed is the man who preservers under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

We are to have joy. We are to love Him. We are to know that in verse 3 when it says why He allows trials "because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

Oh.
So. The testing of my faith produces perseverance and the perseverance produced gives a crown of life, but to do that I gotta stand the test have count it as joy? How do I do that.

Practice thankfulness.

It's God's will for us that we be thankful and that realizing of what God has given will produce in us a joy and a hope that knows that as God has provided for us before, He will provide again. It's what the Israelites missed when God brought them out of Egypt. Thankfulness.

So what am I thankful for? In no particular order.

1.  A wonderful God that loves me enough to save me.
2.  A wonderful husband who loves me no matter what I do. 
3.  A puppy dog by my side that is curled up and sleeping peacefully. 
4.  a yummy chinese food lunch, when so many don't have food
5.  Pop. (caffeine really). 
6.  the word of God and the promise that it has. 
7.  great professors at my school. 
8.  the opportunity to be in school. 
9.  my health
10.  the tattered yarn wrapped around my wrist symboling a beautiful connection with amazing women 
11.  great friends. 
12.  my hearing aid.
13.  my car that got me safely to and from school. 
14.  knitting
15.  the pretty roses that my husband got me last week for no reason. 
16.  Gods faithfulness in my life.
17.  Well done by Moriah Peters. 
18.  dinner on Monday night with my friend Kelly.
19.  A visit from my friend is coming this weekend. 
20.  Gods love for me is not based on my performance. 
21.  God rewards our faithfulness. God has a plan 
22. that my doggie is so well behaved. 
23. that we have the written word of God to read. not everyone has had that in the past. 
24. the ability to study
25. the life I've lived. The good the bad the ugly. It all worked out beautifully. 
26. that God continues to teach me. 
27. that I have a home. 
28. that God has blessed me with a wonderful career field. 
29. that I don't know everything.
30. that when I feel like I know everything I'm reminded that is not true, but God does. 
31. That I have such a giving husband.
32. That God has given me a heart of compassion for people
33. That God changed my heart, and is still changing it.
34. That God gives good gifts. 
35. That God encourages me. 
36. That no matter what happens that this world is not my home, and that one day I will see the beautiful gates of heaven. 
37. Confidence knowing that God put in me in PA school.
38. Knowing that when I ask for forgiveness God is just to forgive. 
39. The puppy that is now keeping my toes warm in this sort of bipolar weather we have been having
40. That beautiful role models that God has placed in my life. 

God has blessed me and this is just a small glimpse of some of the ways. Some big things, some things, but there is no doubt that He is behind it all. 

Friends. Pray that God will give you the strength to count it all joy. 

Practice thankfulness 

Remember the Joy of the Lord is your strength. 

Know that every good gift is from above. 

and know that no matter what He's not finished with you yet, He's sharpening you and growing perseverance in you. 

"because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Love Him. Love Others. 

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