My Thanksgiving Message

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving thanks.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Happy Thanksgiving all my Closer Walk friends!!

This morning I have spent a great deal of time thinking about how my life has changed in the past year. Last Thanksgiving, I cooked for the very first time in my life for my Mother, who had just a few weeks earlier suffered a heart attack. We had always thought of my Mother as our pillar of strength....she was the strongest woman I have ever known and I never thought she would be sick.

After dinner, we sat on my front porch for a long time and talked....a bit of a rarity for us. You see, I was always the standoffish, none emotional, no sentiment daughter. My Mother used to tell me all the time "You will miss me when I am gone."

Little did I know that day my Mother would be dead before the New Year. And you know something, she was so right....I miss her like crazy.

I have spent this morning considering just how hard this year has been, losing my Mother, financial worries, etc. Yet today, I am filled with a joy, a peace, a love, like I have never experienced. Because you see, this year I woke up to the fact that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. In the midst of all my pain and sorrows, I have found the word of God and in that word, I found salvation.

Oh, I am so thankful today. I thank God for filling me with the Holy Spirit, giving me a helper to get me through every day, to take that next right step. I make it "one step at a time"....with Jesus in me every minute. I understand I will NEVER be alone. I don't' have to do anything alone. What joy that brings!!

Today, I hope you too feel that same joy. The peace that surpasses all understanding. We have the greatest gift of all....Jesus Christ died for our sins so we can have eternal life. Live today with the joy of that knowledge. Remember those you have lost fondly, thanking God for the beautiful memories you have of them and know this is only a stop on our journey. Have faith and know we will be together in his kingdom.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " -- Philippians 4:4-7

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will received the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." -- James 1:12

This is a day of great Thanksgiving....thank you Lord!!