#Grateful

Hey, friends! Thanksgiving is upon us and it seems that November has flown by so quickly. I love November for a number of reasons… it’s my birthday month (Happy Birthday to me!), there’s Thanksgiving, of course (#gratefulness), and it ends with the kickoff to THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! So many reasons to celebrate! (So many exclamation marks, lol.)

During this week there are many preparations going forth while we’re deciding what to cook, whether or not to invite others into our homes (COVID is still among us, you know), where to shop for the secret ingredients for our special dishes, strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, among the other things on our minds. Let’s not get too distracted with the details that we forget to truly give thanks.

2020 and 2021 have both been a huge roller coaster of life worldwide. So many loved ones will be missing from the table this year. The pandemic is still affecting travel plans everywhere. There is such a debate surrounding the COVID vaccines that we are questioning the safety of having large gatherings. Who would have thought that we would be at this point almost 2 years after the virus broke out?

I just want to encourage you all that JOY is where you find it. Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things work together for good for those who love God. Not that everything that happens is good, but it all works together in the larger scheme of things for our good. Give thanks in all situations. Give thanks no matter how you feel. Give thanks for what you have, even if it’s not all that you want. When your heart is filled with gratitude, your joy increases.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving celebrations and stay safe. Find your JOY in gratitude, my friends.