Today is November 9 and I am turning 30 years old! That doesn't sound right, but I guess it is. I have been kind of dreading or just wanting to pretend that I wasn't 30, but then God just reminded me how much He has blessed me for 30 years and I thought it is just silly not to celebrate that and give God all the glory for what He has done in my life thus far.
So I decided I'm going to make a list of 30 things I am thankful for that God has provided and blessed me.
In my thirty years of life thus far, I am so thankful for.....
1. God saving me when I was 9 years old and giving me the gift of eternal life in Him.
2. The family God gave me: parents who love me and a brother and sister to enjoy.
3. My childhood....good friends and activities to be involved in.
4. My best friend....Alicia, someone to play with, talk with, laugh with, and cry with.
5. A family who raised me in church since I was born.
6. My health....this is a huge one, that I take for granted daily, but I am so thankful that I have been able to do all the things I have wanted to physically and that I am able to take care of Braelyn and go and do.
7. The mind God has given. To be able to read and learn new things and continue to grow in the knowledge of Him.
8. My husband, Aaron!! I could give 30 things just about him alone that I am thankful for! He is one of the best gifts God has given me.
9. My daughter, sweet Braelyn, who continues to tell me "Happy Birthday Mommy" over and over this morning. She could have her own list as well.
10. The blessing of being pregnant and looking forward to another addition to our family: baby sister.
11. How God has led me through high school, college, and career in making decisions and taking care of all my needs.
12. The call that God has placed on my life to do missions....as a lifestyle and career hopefully.
13. The opportunities that He has already blessed me with to go on mission trips and to see other parts of the world and learn so much from those experiences.
14. For every opportunity God has given me to share the gospel with someone.
15. I am thankful for the hard times....bc those are the times I have been closest to the Lord and have grown the most. He is so faithful.
16. For all the church bodies that I have been a part of throughout my life. For what God has taught me in each one.
17. For our church family here in Bristol, and the work He is doing there.
18. For the opportunities that God has given me to love and influence kids and youth for His kingdom and His glory....YOKE, Awanas, neighbors, my job in VA.
19. For the power of His word in my life......God has given me victory over a lot of fears and other things I continue to struggle through memorizing and believing His promises are TRUE!!
20. For my husband, who has taught me and continues to teach me how to think about things with a biblical mindset......focusing on what God says is true and believing it.
21. For all of Aaron's family who love us so much and who I get along with so well! A true blessing.
22. For a God who hears my prayers and answers.
23. For the supernatural ways that God has provided for Aaron and I since we have been married.
24. For a husband who shows me Christ's love and desires to lead our home and family in a way that glorifies the Lord.
25. For all the friendships, old and new, that God has allowed to come into my life and the blessing they have all been to me.
26. For the Lord's great LOVE, FORGIVENESS, MERCY, and GRACE! He is SO GOOD to me.
27. I am thankful for all the people God has placed in my life to teach me and encourage me in my walk with Him.
28. For the wonderful privilege to have God's word in my home...and many copies......to be able to read at any time, any place I want without fear of persecution.
29. For all my family has taught me......responsibility, integrity, honesty, money management, and that family always sticks together and helps one another.
30. For this life God has given me........my prayer today is that for every day that God gives me from now on, that I will seek with all my heart to live in a way that brings glory and honor to HIM, that my life would be spent on things that have eternal value, and that in the end I would be able to hear "well done, my good and faithful servant".
Here is a short video of Braelyn saying her prayer. She says the same thing EVERY TIME. She use to say "Dear God, thank you for the food. Amen" Then she heard her cousins praying at my Mom and Dad's house one night, and the next morning, her prayer changed to this! She is such a joy and blessing.
