My 2015 Thanksgiving List

Last week I talked about the spiritual discipline of learning to thank God on a regular basis. Thanks-giving to God on a regular basis gives us another portal to maintain our spiritual wholeness--to maintain our joy, peace and faith (confidence) in Him. I believe that if you want to experience joy, peace and faith regularly and at a deeper level in life, add to your daily routine the act of simply walking in ongoing thankfulness. Demonstrating to God often that we are thankful for what we have, rather than what we don't have or maybe have lost, can be the difference in recognizing and experiencing all the blessings He has for us or not.

I also challenged my readers to jot down at least 15 things in their life they were thankful for, regardless of how big or small. I completed the exercise as well and thought I would share with you the things I have been praying through recently:

Personally, I am thankful for:

• My family and friends who make my life so rich with joy
• My wife who continues to demonstrate her love for me in innumerable acts of kindness and care
• My mother who is still going strong and finds time to shell and freeze peas for my family to enjoy throughout the year
• My co-workers who know how to share food and a laugh even when the work schedule is so hectic and overbearing
• The God-given wisdom of the human soul that knows, deep down, that God is, and that He is good
• The eternal and unchanging promises of God--that I am His and He is mine, now and forever
• That there is a sure day coming when I will know Him fully, just as I have been known, and I will see Him face to face

For my children at Buckhorn, I am thankful and hopeful:

• That on restless nights when they cannot sleep, they know that they are not abandoned or forgotten by the One who created them, who loves them perfectly and knows them perfectly
• That they know the stars shining across the night sky is a gift from God, sent to remind them of the vastness of the universe
• That when they don't know how to pray, God's Spirit intercedes for them with groaning too deep for words
• That they realize it is not their job to fix their parents/guardians or peers
• That they learn that life is short and long, sweet and difficult, all at the same time
• That they learn that we are not meant to understand everything
• That they learn that their past cannot define who they are or define their future unless they allow it
• That they are surrounded by selfless, committed and compassionate staff

The Discipline of Thanks

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching—the time we are supposed to express our thankfulness to God. The Scriptures remind us often of this truth: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5:18) and I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds (Psalms 9:1).

I wonder how many of us have thought about “why” we should be thankful to God? I’m not sure many of us have. I have a Facebook and Twitter account. I have many friends, colleagues and family with whom I stay in contact and follow through these social media feeds. All of us post pictures, share videos, rant and rave over the latest news or political issues, share recipes and invite people to events. Unfortunately, some use it to bully others, air their personal laundry, debate issues and call people out for their beliefs and/or political views. What I find missing in most of the social media feeds, including mine, is thankfulness, compassion and respect for others no matter how different or unique they may be.

For the last 18 months, I have been President/CEO of Buckhorn Children & Family Services. During this time, I have learned a lot about being thankful and depending on God’s care and provision. Hidden deep in the Appalachia Mountains is an invisible city of children and youth; the children and youth who reside with us do so because of severe abuse and neglect in their lives. Because of our geographical location, the only way for our ministry to be known is for us to be the voice and face of these whom we serve so that we can find additional resources to meet the needs of our children.

My staff and I have spent many a night praying for God’s provision, knowing that when the sun broke over the eastern sky the next morning, bills would be due and the bank account would be empty. Nevertheless, we held steadfast in our prayers, thanked Him for a century of service to children, and asked for one more blessing so we could serve another day. Each time, we would wake to find God’s provision and blessing!

I’ve been a follower of Christ for 42 years and in fulltime ministry for 24 of those years. As I look through these years, I realize that expressing my thanks to our Heavenly Father may be as powerful as any other discipline of the Christian life. Being thankful compels me to fix my eyes on God rather than on myself. It humbles me. It lifts my mind off of my troubles and anxieties and reminds me that God will always provide for my needs, and that for those who love God all thing work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

As you approach Thanksgiving, spend time listing God’s blessings in your life. Don’t stop until you’ve identified at least 10-15 blessings. This exercise will force you to think creatively about God’s care and provision—even in the small things.