I realized today that Debily is now in its 12th month of existence. And though it’s not the official one year anniversary, I can say the past 12 months have been a wild ride. I am definitely a different person, living a different life, with a different focus and a different passion for ministry than this time last year. I also realized today just how grateful I am.
You see, one of the women in my Wednesday night Bible study – a woman who I have come to admire and respect, a woman whose testimony continually challenges me to live a life of full devotion to God – has started a tradition among our small group. Every Monday morning, she greets us with an email entitled “Threads of Gratitude.” And she proceeds to share with us what she has to be grateful for at the beginning of a new week. It’s not long until others start chiming in, sharing their testimonies of what God is doing in their lives. We rejoice over answered prayer, share the small victories that God has given us, and find our perspectives regarding our own situations changed when we are reminded of God’s goodness.
As I prepared to share my threads of gratitude today, it struck me that it was just about one year ago that God called me to “Follow”. And as I reflected on that fact, this is the thread of gratitude I shared:
As I approach the 1-year anniversary of a spiritual milestone in my life, I am grateful for the journey God has led me through over the past 12 months.
I am grateful that in the midst of wrestling with Him over the decisions He was asking me to make, He showed me His strength.
I am grateful that when I cried tears of hurt, disappointment, and frustration, He showed me His tenderness.
I am grateful that during times of questioning His leading, He showed me His sovereignty.
I am grateful that when I doubted our resources, He showed me His provision.
I am grateful that even though the road was at times hard and sad and painful, He showed me His joy.
I am grateful that when circumstances around me were changing, He showed me His faithfulness.
I am grateful that because I obeyed, He showed me His blessing.And you, dear friends, are part of that blessing.
The journey ain’t over yet!
WOW, Let’s see a year ago I was hopeful and eager to follow wherever my Father called me to go, As He made my grateful moments happen in a sea of wonderment from a flood that moved me to McKinney, to new friend who prayed for me and got me to Allen, to God giving me His gift of grace to see His will being Glorified in new friend finding His love, to back to hopeful as I lean on His promises that He will always be my provider and watching as He makes a way for me to adopt a 23 year old daughter and her 3 year old girl so I get to be a Mother and a grandmother. WOW fun year so far! Watching God get His plan for us going full steam. Once again my friend ya get me to thinking about how God has been so busy in my like and I get to say thank you for that, and give Him all the Glory in prayers to Him tonight so THANK YOU,
Take care, and thanks again, Love ya,
Theresa