Thankful Thursday

It's Thanksgiving

and although I frequently post a list of things I'm thankful for on Thursday evenings

I'm usually reflecting on the previous week

today I had time to ponder God's goodness in my life over the last year

Ps. 86 tells us that the Lord is good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth

how grateful I am for those statements

I'm thankful that God is good and that He pours out good on His people

I'm thankful God never intends for anything to promote evil

He takes even the least desirable situations and uses them for my good and His glory

I'm thankful God is a forgiving and merciful God

because He is good, He desires for His people to be good also

I'm thankful for the blood of Christ that washes me clean

thankful that His sacrifice on the cross made forgiveness possible

thankful I am now clothed in His righteousness

it's God's lovingkindness that allows Him to forgive

it's His lovingkindness that gives Him patience when I stumble and fall

I'm thankful for the abundance of God's love for me

His love never runs out or dries up

I'm thankful God is governed by truth

there is no falsehood in Him

I'm thankful God always keeps His word

another verse in Ps. 86 says God is abundant in lovingkindness to all who call on Him

I'm so thankful for the channel of communication God has opened up for me

I can call on Him at any time knowing His ears are always open to my prayers

as I looked back over the past year today

I realized just how good and forgiving and loving God has been over the last 12 months

as I shared with family today, there were a few times this past year when I didn't know whether my wife would continue to walk by my side

she had quite a few health complications since last Thanksgiving

but God has preserved her life

He has shown me such favor

I'm thankful for each day we've been given

I'm thankful for opportunities to serve my wife as she has traveled down some difficult roads

and I'm thankful God has walked each of those roads with us

I'm thankful God continues to give me a song

I'm thankful for God's protection on the road and on the job site over this past year

there have been a few situations where the outcome could have been a lot different

but God has been a shield about me

He is the lifter of my head

I'm so thankful God calls me His beloved son, wraps me in His merciful arms and lights my path

teach me Your way, O Lord; unite my heart to fear Your name

Thankful Thursday

today is a good day to give thanks

actually every day gives us the opportunity to give thanks

I'm thankful God woke me up this morning, giving me life and breath for another day

I'm thankful God is my strength

thankful He created me with arms and legs that function and enable me to move about and do things

I'm thankful God is my song

thankful He enables me to life my voice in praise of Him

I'm thankful God is patient with me

I'm thankful His mercies are new every morning

I'm thankful for God's abundant grace

I'm thankful God is always good

thankful He is ready to forgive

I'm thankful Jesus paid the penalty for my sin when He hung on the cross

I'm thankful salvation is available to all who believe in His name

I'm thankful for the beauty of creation and for eyes to see that beauty

I'm thankful for sunshine

thankful for the crisp fall weather

the moon has been brilliant recently

actually, the moon has no light of its own, it merely reflects the light from the sun that shines on it

in the same way, I have no light of my own, but God gives me the opportunity to reflect His light as I gaze at Him and allow Him to shine on me

thankful for circumstances that allow me to shine

I'm thankful for the ways God reminds me of my need for Him

I'm thankful He holds me in His hand

thankful there is nothing that can pluck me away from Him or separate me from His love