Thankful Thursday # 16

Thank you, Iris at Sting My Heart for rallying woman all around the world to be thankful on Thursdays. I find the choice to be thankful on this one particular day overflows into the other six days of the week.

Those of you who read my post last week know that I was worn out and struggling to be thankful. A great big Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for all of the encouraging words posted on my blog and for the prayers that were prayed for me. To be honest, the battle with weariness and discouragement didn't disappear until early this week. But, reading the other TT posts and your messages to me kept me in a continual spirit of thankfulness, in spite of the pressure I faced.

So, what am I thankful for today? So many, many things:

• Each one of you Thankful Thursday friends who posted an encouraging word and/or prayer for me last week. You were my spiritual "ground support."


• That we got not 1 but 2 phone calls from my daughter, Amy, on Sunday! I was a happy mom!! Amy is now in Nicaragua and beginning her adventure with her team. I know she is in the center of God's will for her life. (And, yes, I miss her!)


• My iPod and my praise and worship music--and the chance to fall asleep listening to songs that lighten my spirit and redirect my anxious thoughts and remind me that God is faithful.


• That I've experienced breakthrough with the oppression and discouragement I've battled the last month. My feet are back on firm ground--thank God!


• For my husband Rob, because he loves me during good times and bad, good moods and bad, and is truly my best and most faithful friend.


• For fun family walks with Rob and our two daughters and our two dogs. Ah, stress relief.


• For the chance to sit in my den in my rocking chair--the one I rocked all my babies in--and read God's word and have my spirit be refreshed. To have God speak specifically to the needs of my life through his word--amazing.


• For "Wise Guy"--my trusted counselor. (You can read about him in other Accidental Pharisee posts.) And for his unwavering belief that I am a person of worth.


• For this specific Scripture passage: The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23