But in the moment and the pain it doesn’t make sense…..the tears come over and over. I wonder and think. It feels confusing, and I can’t sort it out. I don’t even know how to talk.

I must come to rest in God. I need to have my faith in God completely and wholeheartedly. God has not allowed this trial just because He did not want to stop it. He allowed this exact circumstance to be in my life at this appointed time, because He has a reason and purpose for it. Am I able to to trust in His faithfulness because He has not left me before? He has met me at my low spots and He will again. He is God. He is Omnipotent, having all power.

And then I see a glimpse of Jesus. He brings a special person at just the right time. That note, hug and cup of coffee are extra special. The sun shining on the trees is a love touch from Jesus when I needed it most. Jesus continues to show Himself True and Faithful even in the hardest moments when I don’t see it myself.

I have a choice. Do I want to become bitter or better through this situation. I can become more refined and beautiful through it. If I choose to grow through it, allowing Jesus to change me, and use others to care for me, I will be better equipped to understand myself and others later in life.

It’s hard. The surrender and joy don’t come easy. Some days I just don’t know, and the pain is too deep. And it’s okay for me to not always understand and be fine. Surrender is casting our anger, pain and intense emotions at Jesus’ feet and asking Him to help me surrender. It’s letting the tears come and telling Him how I feel.

But today I choose to be surrendered and claim joy! Deep inside I know that is what I want. I don’t want to be out of God’s plan for my life. I desire to become more beautiful through it. I want to hold His hand in complete surrender because He is faithful, and has not let me down once.

…..And even though it’s seems impossible now, I even desire to come to a place where I can thank Jesus for allowing this situation…..”God, You are good all the time.

” Blessed be the God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

We can’t control everything that happens to us, but we can control how we choose to respond to things we can’t control. – Avis J. Williams

Music is a language that everyone can understand. Sometimes it speaks to us in a way that words just can’t. Enjoy this list of some of our favorite Christmas songs and comment below what Christmas music you’re listening to this season!

Thanksgiving. Right now I’m having a little bit of a hard time writing about Thanksgiving. I’m wondering if anyone even wants to hear anything about the chilly, beautiful, holiday, or if everyone has just about heard enough about being thankful! Really, though, sometimes around fall I do get tired of being told to be thankful, so let’s concentrate on Thanksgiving year round; each day, every day; that way it will already be ingrained in us when Thanksgiving comes around each year.

There are lots of thanksgiving stories out there. I’m going to start by telling you a short, rather humorous story that I heard from my dad.

Once a lady was making turkey for her friends for Thanksgiving. Curiously, one of her friends asked why she cut the turkey in half and baked it in two pans?

“Well,” the lady replied, “I’m not really sure, I guess that’s just the way my mom’s always done it. But you know what, now I’m really wondering why we do that, so I’m going to call her and ask.”

Calling her mom, the lady posed her question.

“Well, that is interesting,” her mom said, ” I really don’t know, I reckon that’s just the way my mom’s always done it. But you know what I’m just going to have to call her and ask why we do that!”

So, the mom called her mom and asked the question.

“You know what,” she answered, “the reason that I always cut my turkey in half and baked it in two pans is because I never had one pan big enough to fit the whole turkey in!”

Everyone got a good laugh for the day and I hope you do also! Comment below what your favorite meaningful or hilarious Thanksgiving story is.

Now, on a more serious note, I’d like to discuss the story from Luke 10:38-42.

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

In this story Mary did something that was very extreme. Opinions vary, but it seems that this bottle of oil could feed a poor man’s family for about a year. Can you imagine just “throwing away” that much money! Like was pointed out in verse 5, why wasn’t the oil sold and the money given to the poor? In that question the point was missed though, yes, giving to the poor is important, but a lot more important is giving directly to Jesus! This shows true thankfulness! I think all of us could handle giving a little more to Jesus, after all, he has given so, so much to us!

What can we give to Jesus? Here’s a random list of things that were running through my mind of things we need to be giving to Jesus.

1. The most important thing; your heart!! You will never regret it!
2. Praise; it’s impossible to give too much.
3. Your time; this includes spending time reading your Bible and talking to Jesus. Another way to give your time is to serve others.

I would like to recommend this devotional book for you. As the title suggests, it focuses on keeping a grateful spirit no matter how life is going.

Please have a very thankful Thanksgiving and not only this week, but all year!

Written by Kinza