Just So Thankful...

This past weekend has been one of the best I've had in quite some time. It was a time of reflection. I spent time with some great friends, and had some good talks. I had some great worship time, and really just had one of those moments where life seems to slow down long enough for you to appreciate everything for what it is.

There's a song that I have been listening to and playing and singing non-stop. It's by Kari Jobe, and it's called "Beautiful". The words are amazing, but just something about singing it to God, just telling Him how beautiful He truly is, caused me to look back at what brought me to where I am in my life.

I started thinking about Alex, and just how personal a gift he is, from God to me. It's like God prepared him in the previous years to be the exact man of God I needed in my life. Alex's love for his family, and understanding of what family is, caused me to work on my relationships with my family. Thinking about what my family situation was before, and what it is now, brings tears to my eyes. When I was growing up, my family was circled around big lies, and a bitter, vengeful, vindictive home; where fights escalated to the point of no return, and no functional relationships existed. Now my relationship with my family is better than ever, and even when it's not great, I have a husband that helps me stay balanced and always has my back. I'm in a place that I love under leadership that I love, and working with youth that I love. I have an amazing close circle of friends that add to my life and don't take away from it. I am just so blessed! I'm not saying that my life is perfect, because it's not; but I've just been swept away by gratefulness for where God has brought my life.

God really does cause everything to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I always said it before in faith. Now I say it because my life is proof. Not that I have "arrived" at this great place and will never face trouble again. I have my set of troubles now, but the hindsight of a troubled past and the acknowledgement of a healed present have given me the foresight to really know in my heart that no matter what perilous times come, God has the power to transform all situations and work them for good; and in the meantime, the strength and peace to sustain us through the hard times.

I've just been so overcome by thankfulness, about how personal and specific God really is. I know that things will be difficult again.  Days will come where it doesn’t feel so natural to have this level of gratefulness, but I know that God is the same God in those tough times that He is for me today; and I will find strength in that truth.