I was recently on my computer and a pop up came up that said, "What are you Thankful for?" I started think about my childhood and being asked that question all the time around Thanksgiving. At a young age you say things like: your mommy and daddy, friends, toys, candy and as you grow up you start saying things like: your parents, God, your friends and family, blessings, etc. I started to think at that moment what am I truly thankful for. If I had to sit and name 2 things right now that my God has blessed me with, then what would they be, and then it hit me.....is my thankfulness for the things in my life selfish or am I truly thankful for what I have in my life. Do I take those things for granted? My mind wanted to say no I don't act selfish in my thankfulness but my heart was telling me otherwise. Am I selfish to be thankful for a great house and a vehicle and money or do I really consider myself blessed without selfishness.
God has called us to be thankful but what should we be thankful for...and thats what I have thought about for the past couple of days and I think I have found an answer for myself.
My 3 things I am most thankful for in my life that God has blessed me with are my Family, and my call to the Ministry.
1) My Family is my everything and they are the ones who have raised me to be the man I am today. My Dad through our ups and downs has always been my strong hold in growing up. He has been the man I have look up too for guidance, truthfulness and the example of a man who has the most caring a selfless heart of anyone I know. He gives whatever he has to others and expects nothing in return. He cares for his wife and his sons like a righteous man of God should and no one could ever take that away from him. Whether we are joking around, arguing or just being a typical father and son combo I always know at the end of the day he is a blessing in my life and has been a leader in my life and I wish I would shave realized that earlier in my life. My Dad is a true man of God and my God has blessed me with a man of patience and great virtues. He is truly the man it says to be in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 — “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." Through trials and tribulations my earthly Dad stands firm in his faith even when its heart. He is the rock of our family.
My Mom is the greatest women in this world, (and if you want to argue, bring in on!). She is a women of God and truly the women it says she should be in Proverbs 31:9-31. She is the women that gave me my sarcasm but also who gave me my heart for youth and children. My mom is someone that gives without want and is filled with a helping heart for others. She is the women I want my wife to be and someone who has always been there for me when I need to vent and yell or when I just wanted someone to sit and listen to me. Washington Irving said, "There is in every true woman's heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity" and that is what my mom is. She is my spark in the times of my darkness, she is my encouragement even when I am at the lowest points of my life. She is my support system.
2) My call to Ministry is the 2nd greatest thing I am truly blessed to have. For awhile after I was called into youth ministry I ran from it in the hopes that if would go away and God would choose someone else, but during the summer of 2008 I accepted it and it has been the greatest thing ever. I have the honor to spend my life Ministering to Youth as my JOB! not as something after I do when I get off work, not something I do on the weekends or the summer, but 24/7 365 days for however long the Lord will have me in the ministry and the greatest thing is my God will be my boss. God has instructed us all to minster to others and make his name known to everyone, but I have the blessing to do that as my occupation and I am very excited. After I graduate I will spend the next decades ministering to youth, doing missions and doing whatever other Ministry opportunities God puts in my life and I am so pumped. God has instructed me to do this job and I couldn't think of a better job.
My life is full of blessing an I only have one person to thank for them all and that is my Lord and Creator God, Jesus Christ. He has filled me with His spirit and His blessing and no matter how much I thank Him for it all it will never be enough. He is my God and my Everything.
So during the holidays, think about what you are thankful for and are you truly thankful.
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:15-17
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