Happy Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. It’s probably my favorite holiday of the year. It’s the one time of year our extended family gets together to celebrate the day and each other. It’s especially important as the years go by.

 

Our family has traditions surrounding the holiday, including playing charades, children making projects at the craft table, and having breakfast at my cousin’s house the next morning.  And, of course, there are always stories to swap when it’s been so long since we’ve
seen each other.  

How ‘bout you?  What are you most thankful for?  Do you have any traditions or things you look forward to for Thanksgiving?  Share them here. Don’t forget to join the conversation.

Hebrews 11:1

 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

Hope. It’s that elusive thing we can’t live without.  Like air, we can’t see or touch it, but we can’t live without it.  It’s what keeps us going each day—especially on challenging days.  When I’m overwhelmed and can’t see how negative things can turn around and lead to a positive outcome, we need to remember  that if we persevere,  we may see how and when things turn for the better. Giving up ensures we never will.

 

How do you maintain hope in the midst of trials?  Don't forget to join the conversation.

 

In the midst of the storm

Life can pull us in many different directions. It’s not just physically, when we need to be in two places at once, but emotionally too. I find the latter much more difficult.

There are many times when our lives are going well. There’s money in the bank, our health is good, and we have friends we can rely on. We enjoy it.

If we remember to, we thank God for these blessings, recognizing He’s provided them for us. But when something happens that changes our lives we’re left wondering why and what to do next.

It could be anything—job loss, health issues, death of a loved one, or any host of other circumstances. What do we do then?

I’ve found I have to hold on to what never changes in this world and that there are three things that meet that criteria: God, God’s Word, and God’s promises. We’re going to take a look at these over the next several weeks. I’d love to hear your feedback in the process.

First, God is love. Everything He does is done out of love for us. Sometimes I find that hard to believe, especially when life doesn’t go the way it should. Or when senseless things happen. Often God doesn’t answer our “why” questions. Sometimes we have to wait. I’ve had to wait for an answer to that question for months in the past, regarding my health. It frustrated me, but I spoke to Him more in that time than usual. Perhaps that was part of the point?  Maybe.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been through when you questioned God? How did you make it through? Share your experience here. Someone will benefit from it.