Category Archives: Thanksgiving

Jan4

Day 4 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Redemption.

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Day 4 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Redemption.

It never fails to amaze me how God speaks directly to my heart and meets me exactly where I need to be met. It shouldn’t surprise me, but it does, every single time. He sees my fears, my questions, and my uncertainties. I think the awe comes when I realize this: the God who spoke the world into existence and made it with such intricate detail and creativity that trees can communicate with each other about dangers and food sources. That very same God cares about my fears and understands my shortcomings.

When I feel like I’m walking far from His will for me, He gently reminds me that He is carrying me, that He has wiped out my offenses, casting them as far as the east is from the west. Life on this earth is never going to be perfect. We will have troubles, trials, and tribulations. We will have fears, and we will fall short. But here is the truth, friends, a hope that you can hold fast to. Our fears, sins, and messes have no power over us. No, really, it’s true. How? Because God loves us and has redeemed us in Jesus.

So, if you feel like you’re failing, falling, or have messed up so bad that God can’t forgive you. Take comfort in God’s words to us through the prophet Isaiah and know that you are redeemed in Him.

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you” (Isaiah 44:22).

What am I thankful for today? Redemption.

Jan3

Day 3 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…JESUS

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Day 3 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…JESUS

Today, while doing my devotion, I wondered out loud if there was a way to live this life not feeling like a hamster on a wheel, continuously repeating the same mistakes, working hard (in my own strength) to figure out the lessons God wants me to learn, so I can move forward. I constantly feel like Paul, wanting to make the right choices, wanting to do what pleases God, but falling constantly. Do you ever feel the same? Wonder what you’re missing, not seeing clearly? Living that Romans 7 cycle?

“For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am!” (Romans 7:22-24A).

How do we free ourselves from the cycle, the never-ending rolling wheel of sin and shame? Here’s the truth, we can’t. If we could right our wrongs and wipeout our misdeeds and missteps, God would not have needed to send His Son. But fear not, friends, for we are not as those without hope. Our salvation does not depend on us, it is not for us to right our wrongs. This sin that we cannot tame or control is exactly why Christ came. We have hope, the same hope that Paul expresses in Romans 7.

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25).

What am I thankful for today? Jesus Christ, my Lord!

Jan2

Day 2 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Eyes That See.

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Day 2 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Eyes That See.

This morning, my devotion took me to 2 Kings 6. It is a glimpse into the life of Elisha, the prophet. The chapter, at its core, is about faith, not just the “I believe” kind, but the kind of faith that gives sight to what is unseen. The type of faith that takes God at His word without question and moves in whatever direction he says to move. The kind of faith that has no fear, because it understands that fear is not of God. This is the faith I desire, the kind we all hope to have. In verse 15, Elisha’s servant wakes up and finds that they are surrounded by their enemies. Horses, chariots, and armed men, everywhere, in fear, he runs to Elisha and exclaims, “Alas, my master! What shall we do!” (verse 15b). Elisha’s reply is eye-opening, literally.

“He said, ‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (verse 16-17).

God is not hiding His might from us, even when we’re in our valleys, walking through trials, or facing immovable mountains. There are horses and chariots of fire all around us, ready to stand in battle with us and protect us. God’s love for us is immense.

In my life, I don’t always perceive or feel God’s presence when I am walking through the fires and floods of life, and that isn’t because I don’t love God or believe in Him. It’s because, like Peter on the water, my eyes are on my circumstances instead of the Lord who has power over my storms.

Here’s why Elisha’s story is beautiful: he never asked God to remove the problem. Instead, he asked for eyes to be opened, so that God’s power could be seen. It lets me know that, like Elisha’s servant, when we ask God to show us His presence, He will. Here’s the great news, friends, God is always with us, always fighting for us, always walking with us, even when we don’t feel it, and if we ask Him to open our eyes. He will.

Today, I am thankful for eyes that see,

Jan1

Day 1 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For… A God Who Never Fails.

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Day 1 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For… A God Who Never Fails.

Happy New Year, everyone! The past year went by like a whirlwind and, to be very honest, at times felt like a fever dream. I missed so much of what God was doing last year, plagued by fear and uncertainty and not putting my complete trust in Him to do what He said He would do. However, every time without fail, God met my needs, every last one of them. Shocker, I know.

I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions, mostly because I find them to be unrealistic and grandiose. This year, however, I am not making a resolution so much as stating a hope. As I start this new year, my hope is that at the end of it, I can look back and see clearly how much I have changed and grown in my walk with the Lord. That I can look back and see a renewed me. That I can be a living example of Romans 12:2.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

If you want to join me on this journey of thankfulness and renewal, then come along and let’s grow in the grace and might of God together. God never promised rose petals at our feet or a perfect life. What He promises is to be with us in the fires and floods of life (Isaiah 43:2). He also promises that His plans for us are good (Jeremiah 29:11). Life happens; and will seek to choke out the promises God has made to us, but He also promises that if we seek Him with our entire heart, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). Today let’s join hands together in a journey toward trusting, hoping, and believing the promises God has made, because He never fails.

“For no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37).

Today, I am thankful for a God who never fails.

Dec29

Day 363 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…God Taking My Heart of Stone

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Day 363 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…God Taking My Heart of Stone

Yesterday at church, I read a verse that I am sure I have read many times before, but it felt like the first time I had truly seen it. The verse is from Mark 6:52. However, before I write the verse, let me give some backstory: Jesus had just finished feeding over 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. He then told his disciples to get in the boat and go ahead of him, while he spent some time in prayer. As the disciples continue their journey, a storm begins, and they struggle to keep control of the boat. Jesus sees this and comes to meet them by walking on the water. But upon seeing this, the disciples are afraid, mistaking Jesus for a ghost. We will pick up in verse 50b as we make our way to verse 52. “Immediately, He spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for THEY HAD NOT UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE LOAVES; THEIR HEARTS WERE HARDENED.”

You see it too, right? “They didn’t understand about the loaves, their hearts were hardened.” I have read the book of Mark more than once, and I have never noticed this verse before. The disciples lived with Jesus, ate with Jesus, journeyed with Jesus, and witnessed every single miracle FIRSTHAND and STILL DID NOT UNDERSTAND. It made me think about my life, about all the ways I see God move in my life and in my world daily, and how, despite all He’s done, I still struggle to trust Him with 100% of my heart. It can feel discouraging, can’t it? Like a hamster on a wheel, only the hamster knows where the food is, has all the tools needed to get off the wheel, yet speeds up its pace of going nowhere. We complain about the disciples and declare that we’d have done it differently, yet here we are doing the exact same thing in real time.

Here’s the hope, friends, Jesus didn’t leave the disciples; He continued with them because He knew that one day He would lead them to understanding, one day their eyes would see fully, and when that day came, they would change the world in His name. Here’s a promise to hold on to when you feel like your heart is hardened: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Today, I am thankful that God will take away my heart of stone.

Dec21

Day 355 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…My Weakness

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Day 355 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…My Weakness

Do you sometimes feel weak, have feelings of inadequacy? Times when you’re fearful that if you move, you will fall flat on your face? Our weakness can be crippling, keeping us from moving forward, worried that if we do, we will fail for everyone to see. Here’s a truth that we often find hard to believe: don’t fear your weakness. Embrace it. Yup, I did say embrace weakness. Why? Because in our weakness God is strong. When we look at weakness through the lens of our humanity, we see it as less than or not good enough. However, when we look at weakness through the lens of God’s love and grace towards us, we, too, like Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, can hear God say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” To us, weakness, for the lack of a better word, is, well, weak. But God sees it as an opportunity for His power to be made perfect.

If the road you are walking seems to have more pits and potholes than paved paths. Don’t let fear of being too weak to make it keep you from taking that first step. God is there walking with us, and if we trust and believe, we will see His power being perfected in us.

“Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Take heart, friends, God wants to show us beautiful, glorious, perfected power, so don’t fear your weakness. Embrace it.

Today I am thankful for my weakness.

Dec18

Day 352 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…(NOT) Failure

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Day 352 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…(NOT) Failure

This year has been a year. We have been dealing with the pain of loss and the repercussions of bad decisions made. Making the year feel like one failure after another. If you are anything like me, that feeling of disappointing God and your loved ones is the most horrible in the world, and wallowing in that devastation becomes a playground for the accuser of our faith to remind us of our failures, faults, and flaws. But God has been teaching me that our struggles and shortcomings do not equal failure. Not to God. Where we see the bad we’ve done, our limitations, and mishaps, God sees opportunity.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

Let me say it again (for those in the back): struggling and falling flat on our faces does NOT mean we are failing. It means we are being refined and molded into the image of Him whose thoughts toward us are good. Struggles suck (yeah, I did use that word), they are painful and uncomfortable, and they make us feel like horrible humans. But, praise be to God, who tells us our struggles are momentary and working in us to achieve eternal glory. Don’t despise the struggle, friends, it’s a sign that God loves us.

Today I am thankful for (NOT) failure.

Dec16

Day 350 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Sympathy

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Day 350 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Sympathy

Are you like me and need to be reminded that God doesn’t need your “help”? It’s a struggle every day to leave things in His hands, in His care. To let Him do what He chooses to do. Is it because I don’t trust that He can handle it? No. I believe with my entire heart and soul that God is who He says He is and that He can do ALL that He says He can do. Is it because I think I can do a better job? Oh, absolutely not! I know that I will mess things up, break things, and inevitably make the situation worse. Yet, somehow, I still feel the need to assist God. You know, run back up, in case He needs help. Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? We all do it at one time or another when we try to fix things using our strength instead of God’s.

Praise be to God that He is patient with us. That He understands our humanity. He sees our weakness and our struggles and has compassion. He’s walked in our flesh, suffered temptation, sadness, and anger all without sin. He doesn’t need our help, friends, and thank goodness for that.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15

Today, I am thankful for a God who sympathizes.

Dec5

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought…Today I Am Thankful For…Sight (Day 389 of 2025).

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Random (hopefully inspired) Thought…Today I Am Thankful For…Sight (Day 389 of 2025).

Today has felt dark, as though I am walking around with a rain cloud following me everywhere. It feels heavy, uncomfortable, and if I allow it, it will blind me to the good and excellent things around me. In John 1:46b, Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and SEE.” In verse 29 of that same chapter, we read, “The next day John SAW Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘LOOK, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.'” In Revelation 1:17, John writes, “When I SAW Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me and said, ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One. I was dead, and now LOOK, I am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Philip called his friend to come and SEE the Messiah. John the Baptist SAW the Messiah and testified to what he SAW. In Revelation, John SAW Jesus and fell at His feet, but Jesus told him to LOOK. Without sight, we wander around blindly, bumping into doubt, worry, trouble, guilt, and shame. The world and its webs keep us tangled in our darkness, hiding the light of sight from our view. But Jesus said, ” LOOK, I am alive forever and ever.” But more than that, He came to be our light and give us sight. John 1:4-5. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has NOT overcome it.” Today I am thankful for the sight that comes from the light of Christ.

Sep12

DAY 255 (2015)

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Fill in the blank...

Fill in the blank…

Mmmm, been a while, huh? Sorry about that. Life has gotten busy, but that is not an excuse. But if there is one thing I have learned it is that when it comes to being thankful it is better late than never. So, here goes.

Since we last interacted many things have changed. For one I have relocated both state and job. The change has been good in many ways. My mom is happy, we are closer to my brother. Life on a whole has improved. My job is fun and offers a lot of opportunity for growth.

However, there still are struggles. Such as once again I still bear most of the financial burden, and the worst one, I work on Sundays (no church). Wait, no that’s not the worst the worst is that due to lack of time, and an inability to not interact with people of like minds and hearts. I have for the better part of this entire year found myself in a spiritual funk to say the least.

Not backslidden per say, but not moving forward either. I feel that for a Christian, this is the most horrible state to be. It is the place where God has said, “I will spew you from my mouth.” Let’s be honest no one ever has aspired to be spewed from anything much less God’s mouth. But that is where I found myself in the land of the lukewarm, not hot, not cold, and not just right.

Two days ago I took a hit, a bad one. My first reaction whine and complain and inevitably ask the, “Why’s it always me,” question. But then I realized the hit wasn’t meant to hurt me, it was meant to wake me up.

Yesterday was the first in a long time that I took time in my devotion. Not just skimming the words so I could say I spent time, but reading and taking to heart what was being said. Reading to see what God was teaching. I prayed that morning for a better financial situation and to not have to work on Sundays.

Almost at the end of my work day I receive an email from my supervisor it read, “you qualify for this you should apply.” I finished up what I was doing and on my break read the email. It was a job posting in the company one that would give me my Sundays back and raise my pay exponentially. What floored me is that I hadn’t mentioned this to anyone, not the need for more money nor the desire to not work on Sundays.

God heard. God answered.

What’s my point? God hears. No matter how far you stray, no matter how hard you fall– God hears. ALWAYS.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you”  (Isaiah 54:10).

The lesson: With God you can always go back home, it’s never too late, and our Father is waiting at the gate with open arms.

So what am I thankful for today, repentance and a God, who hears, always.