Thankful Thursday (on Friday!?)

Iris at Sting My Heart is on a break (good for you girl!) so Laurel at Laurel's Wreath is hosting this week! Oh- and yes- I am posting this late!

Today I am thankful for many things but I have decided to focus on the UNEXPECTED blessings in my life and those I am believing for!

* When I arrived at work someone blessed me with FIVE bags of clothes for my girls! Some of it is BRAND NEW too!

* I am thankful for a totally unexpected promotion at my secular workplace!

* I am thankful for the unexpected, yet happy fact that my sister and bil are expecting another blessing (#2)! Especially when so many odds were stacked against them!

* I am thankful for the UNEXPECTED yet GOD ORDAINED DIVINE APPOINTMENTS God is setting me up for in the next 3 months!

* I am thankful for an UNEXPECTED packed out crowd at Pastor Deanna's UNSTOPPABLE conference with LOADS of UNEXPECTED blessings HEAPED upon the entire event!

* I am thankful for God's hand on my girls making a way for the VERY BEST in their education, training, and opportunities in every expected and UNEXPECTED way!

* I am thankful that just this morning I was thanking God for UNEXPECTED blessings! I am wide open!

Thankful Thursday: My THANKFUL Acronym

My THANKFUL Acronym:

T- TRUSTING me with five beautiful girls to TEACH and TRAIN to follow His ways

H- Having a HUSBAND who is HUMBLE, yet driven man of God

A- ABILITIES given to me by Him to use for His glory

N- NEVER failing love and grace of God

K- KINSHIP with other believers

F- FREEDOM to worship

U- Peace that passes all UNDERSTANDING

L- That I can LEAN on the everlasting arms of God!

Check out more thankful folks at Sting My Heart!

Thankful Thursday

Today is “Thankful Thursday.” And I am truly thankful for so many things! However, a song has been going over and over in my spirit. I thought I would share some of the lyrics….

“Thanks”

Thanks, thanks, I give You thanks
For all You’ve done
I am SO blessed, My heart is at rest
Oh Lord, I give you thanks!

Even in the valley when everything is going wrong,
And even on the mountaintop,
Your loving presence makes me strong
Just to know that, each and every moment of each and every day,
I’m gonna sing and shout,
Don’t let the rocks cry out,
I give You all the praise!

It’s so easy to “thank” Him and “praise” Him when all is right and everything is going the way we want it to. However, when we thank Him in spite of the adversity we face and the pain that is real, and the circumstances that don’t seem to budge, we build ourselves up in Him. The Word says to “encourage yourself in the Lord…”

I don’t know about you all, but whenever my spiritman is weak, I begin to encourage myself in Him in spite of what is going on around me!

So today I choose to PRAISE Him:

• In spite of missing my family so far away. Instead of wallowing, I THANK Him for giving me parents who gave me roots and wings and siblings who are discovering their destiny in Him all over the country!
• In spite of the dings a careless driver left on my car and giving me bad insurance information. Instead of being angry, I THANK Him for keeping my children and I safe while we were sitting in the car when it was hit!
• In spite of the few little things my dh does that irritate me. Instead of having a bad attitude, I THANK God for giving me a wonderful man who loves and serves God wholeheartedly, loves me and our girls to pieces, and takes excellent care of our family!
• In spite of things in my life that I wish were “better” or “perfect.” Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I THANK Him for the opportunity to be who He called me to be and for the very fact that He called me at all!
• In spite of the challenges of raising 5 daughters ages 14, 12, 9, 5, and 15 months. Instead of worrying, I THANK Him for these five precious jewels He has entrusted to Craig and I. I THANK Him that they are born again and desire to please and serve Him. I THANK Him that they are gifted, talented, intelligent, beautiful, anointed, young women with a hope and future in HIM!
• In spite of at times feeling limited in my walk and potential in Him. Instead I THANK Him that He has called me to LIMITLESS LIVING in HIM! I THANK Him for anointing me and calling me to go forth without limits! THANK YOU Lord for taking the limits off of my thinking and living!

As you THANK Him today, remember to PRAISE Him in spite of what you may see with your natural eyes and THANK Him for what He is doing IN SPITE of what you see naturally!

Thanks Iris at Sting My Heart for hosting Thankful Thursday!