Day of Thanks, 01.04.09

Today, I am thankful for:

1. A New Year: I really almost wrote '08 on the date in my title, but I caught myself. It's 2009, a new year, new opportunities for ministry ans service. I'm really excited about what God has in store for me and my ministry this year. At the same time, I'm not jumping ahead, but instead, taking things a day at a time, trying my best to follow him day to day. Thank you, God, for a new year. Thank you for allowing me to experience 23 years of living, and thank you for giving me one more. It is truly a gift that I shouldn't take for granted. Help me to glorify you this year as I have never done before. Give me opportunities to serve you, and may I find my identity and contentment in you and you alone.

2. Old friends: On Saturday, I was able to go back over to my hometown of Thomaston and meet up with 3 of my best friends from high school: Kenny, J.W., and Philip. We used to meet regularly and keep each other accountable while we were in school together, but after we all went to college, we kind of lost touch. Saturday was the first time in several years that we were all able to get together, and it was wonderful. We were able to reminisce a little, laugh a lot, and more than anything, encourage one another and spur one another on towards good things. Thank you, God, for allowing me to go meet up with Kenny, J.W., and Phil on Saturday. Thanks for bringing us together again. Thank you for their encouragement and their prayers. May you bless them in their separate endeavors and in our corporate seeking of you. Help us to keep in touch better and to continue to lift one another up to you.

3. YEC I took my youth from church to Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC) in Macon, Ga. on Sunday and Monday. We had 4 kids accept Christ that weekend! On top of that, we were able to join in worship along with thousands of other students throughout Georgia and seek the Lord there together. It was a great conference, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the aftermath of it in our group. Thank you, God, for YEC. Thank you for allowing us to go this year. Thank you for the 21 people that went from our church, and thank you for all the decisions that were made. I pray that you would continue to move in the hearts and lives of my students, and help them to live out what they learned here at home.

4. My cousins While I was over in Thomaston this week, I was able to meet up with my cousins for the evening. I enjoyed hanging out with them, catching up on things, eating a meal together, and playing the Wii with them. I lived with them for a few months awhile back, so I've always had a close connection with them. It was great to see them again. Thank you, God, for Uncle Johnny, Aunt Karen, Tyler, Tory, Tatum, Trudy, and Titus (for my readers, yes there are 5 children). Thanks for allowing me to visit with them on Saturday. Thank you for their hospitality and their generosity toward me. Please bless their family and all that they do.

5. God's Word This week, I have really been reminded of the presence of God in his Word. He truly speaks to us through his Scriptures, and it is vitally important for us as believers to stay in the Word in study and in prayer. Thank you, God, for your Word. Thank you for the everlasting truth that you give us in it. Thank you for the hope, joy, peace, comfort, and encouragement that your Word brings. Thank you for convicting us when we need to be convicted. Your Word is a lamp which guides our path, and may I never cease to seek you through your written Word.

Thank you, God, for these blessings, both significant and trivial. You are God, and you are good.