Just stop and think here for a minute.
Think about your life - What it used to be; What it is now; and what it could be.
Think about the family and friends that surround you.
Think about the beautiful world we live in - The sunsets. The thunder. The lightening. The trees. The earth.
Think about the opportunities we get every day.
Just think about our bodies - how they work.
Do these things not amaze you? Gosh, God is so, so good.
This thanksgiving I had the opportunity to spend thanksgiving with one of my best friends, Roxanna, and her amazing family. It was not until this Thanksgiving did I realize truly how blessed I am, and how thankful I should be. God has blessed me in so, so many ways. It amazes me. I have clothes on my back and shoes on my feet. I have the opportunity to play a sport I love. I am getting a college education. I have a family - and one that loves me. I am healthy. This list could go on, and on, and on. We are all doing better than we deserve. Be thankful for the life you have been blessed with. Praise the Lord – that He loves you so much, He would send His son for the ultimate sacrifice, and he desires a relationship with us - wretches. sinners. nobodies.
God began to open my eyes this summer when I went to Kenya. It is really such an experience to live in another country way out of your comfort zone. Here is a little of what I experienced there...
I experienced the poverty. I was loved on, by Kenyan’s of all ages, and was treated with such hospitality by the host families. I lived in a mud hut, and shared a 2-inch, foam, twin mattress with another teammate. My host family slept on the floor with the chickens. I experienced no plumbing, or running water. I experienced going to the bathroom in a hole, hoping I had good aim. I flew on 15 flights in 13 days – three of which I was alone. We drove on dirt roads for hours in a bumping van, listening to Kenyan music while getting carsick. We played soccer in Chaco’s and a skirt. We were provided with more than enough food to nourish our bodies.
I also experienced true joy and thankfulness in the people’s hearts there. They rejoiced in everything. They praised God in the good and hard times. They are thankful for everything they have. We got to know the loving people there. They smiled at the smallest things – that is one image I will never forget. When we were blessed with food, the children would not eat lunch that day. I experienced the absolute beauty of this country, and the people there.
I am not trying to say that the people in Kenya are perfect in any way, but they are so thankful for what they DO have, and do not focus on what they do not have. Before I went to Kenya I thought that in my time there I would be giving more to the people there, rather than receiving more from them. I was terribly wrong. I gained more from this trip than I ever could have given to the wonderful people there.
I am blessed.
This year has been a roller coaster. The Lord is teaching me so much, and sometimes it can be hard to go through, and overwhelming, but it is all, so worth it. I have a fun, loving family that I have grown so much more appreciation for being away from home. At the same point I am blessed with amazing friends that help me to grow and keep me accountable. It is so much fun getting to know your old friends better, and establishing friendships with new ones.
I challenge you to take a step back and think about the blessed life that you have. Be convicted, but praise God for what you do have. Try not to make “Thanksgiving,” a once-a-year holiday, but an everyday thing. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in family, food, and football that we can forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
