What are you thankful for?

Every year about this time I start thinking about Thanksgiving. This year it kind of snuck up on me. I always look forward to certain things like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, lunch at my grandmother's, checking out the Black Friday ads and getting my game plan together to shop till I drop. I absolutely love cranberry salad. I love deep fried turkeys and with lots of cornbread dressing (not stuffing!). We will eat at my grandmother's at lunch and my in-law's at dinner. After that we collapse in complete turkey overdose. Its great!!

The actual time spent on being "thankful" I am sad to say is not nearly what it should be. However, this year is different. On the heels of the greatest year of spiritual growth in my whole 32 years ( that's old, right?), Thanksgiving has different meaning. When I say that Jesus has radically changed my life, I truly mean it. This time last year I was walking under a dark cloud. Spiritually, I felt like I was in the ditch knowing that I needed to get out but no idea how. (pretty sure that was a run-on sentence) I was depressed, disconnected, angry, fearful, and insecure. It was not a pretty sight at all.

Right after New Year's of this year, when everyone is making the usual resolutions about what they are or are not going to do in the new year, I was giving an eviction notice. I put the enemy on notice that his days of having free reign to wreck havoc were drawing to a close. In fact, this is precisely what I wrote in my journal, "January 3 2010- This is the year I take my life and family back from the enemy." See, I realized that because I was in Christ I had been given a spiritual inheritance that I had literally been forfeiting. I know longer wanted to walk under that cloud. I was ready to claim everything my heavenly Father had for me. After all, He did give His only son in order for me to have it.

So the journey began...I started to seek healing, freedom, and restoration. Even better, my husband was right there seeking the same thing. We were going to walk this road together. Through some wonderful friends and family that were divinely placed in our lives, God started unveiling the map back to His heart. Nearly a year later, I have encountered the love of God. I have learned what it REALLY means to have relationship/fellowship with the Father. I have dumped the junk (sin, curses, lies, unforgiveness) and received blessings beyond my wildest imagination. I am finally understanding what it is that I was called/purposed to do for the Kingdom.

All this being said, I have sooooo much to be thankful for. He has been faithful to do everything he promised. I still have the same job, same house, same bills, and same car. My husband is not the same, though. We are not the same spouses, parents, employees, friends, or Christians. I am so thankful for everything my Father has done and continues to do in me and my family. We have been blessed with some amazing friends who have come alongside us in this journey to encourage and support.

I read this Psalm the other day and it captures how I feel about this journey and how I feel about the Lord.

I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to You and You have healed me. Lord, You have brought my life up from Sheol (the place of the dead); You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (the grave). Sing to the Lord, O you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, but His favor is for a lifetime or in His favor is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. As for me, in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. By your favor, O Lord, You have established me as a strong mountain; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried to You, O Lord, and to the Lord I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit (the grave)? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth and faithfulness to men? Hear, O Lord, have mercy and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper! You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, to the end that my tongue and my heart and everything glorious within me may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Psalms 30

I don't know where you are or what you are thankful for, but I do want to encourage you. If you are in the ditch looking for a way out, I strongly urge you to seek healing for the pain and the "junk" you are carrying around. Your heavenly Father is drawing you to Him. He is wooing you back to His heart. There you will find security, peace, joy, hope and unfailing love.