Thankful

Scripture: Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.(I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Tomorrow we gather together with family and friends on this special holiday to give thanks in remembrance of the Pilgrims who escaped to America from religious persecution in England. This day is also set aside to give thanks to God for all of His blessings throughout the year.

It's a special day that both believers and non-believers celebrate. But it has special meaning to Christians, as we also endure persecution in America for our beliefs. But fortunately for us, we don't face death for practicing our faith. But we do struggle as Christians in a world that continues to push values, morality and God away in every venue.

Despite the difficulties we encounter here on earth, we must remember all we do have to be thankful for on a daily basis. I have a Facebook account, and one of my cousins offered up a challenge to her friends: To write something we are thankful for every day leading up to Thanksgiving. So for the better part of 2 weeks, I have posted something I was thankful for. Most have been serious, being thankful for my friends, family and parents. A few have been silly ... being thankful for the existence of macaroni and cheese.

But the exercise brought to mind the fact that there is much to be thankful to God for on a daily basis. I used to wake up every morning, and immediately, I would thank God for my health, the air in my lungs, for the ability to get out of bed, for bringing me into the world. I don't know when I got out of that habit, but it seems like a great habit to get back into.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, my readers. May you be blessed this Thanksgiving with safe traveling mercies and the good company of friends and family. And may you find something to be thankful for every day beyond this special, national holiday.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for Your tender blessings upon each of us as we enter into the holiday season. Help us to remember Who the holiday celebrations are really about, and turn our eyes to You each waking moment. Enrich our relationship with You more and more as we recognize all that we are thankful for in our lives.

Prayer request: Pray for those outside of the United States who must practice Christianity in secret for fear of losing their lives if discovered. Pray for our missionaries abroad who risk their lives every day to spread the Gospel.