Ponder: What are some things in this season of life that you are thankful for?
Scripture: And on that day you will say, "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted." Praise the LORD in song, for He has done glorious things; let this be known throughout the earth.-Isaiah 12:4-5
Tom's Thoughts:
After two hurricanes in roughly two weeks, I had two different types of thankfulness. During the first hurricane, Helene, we didn’t even lose power, but many friends lost their homes to saltwater flooding. I am thankful to be able to help numerous friends and some people I had never met get through the shock; they had just lost everything. I have worked with Samaritan’s Purse in the past. They show up at your home with a group of volunteers. They get everything that is ruined in the front yard and help you salvage what you can. They then pull up your floors, cut the drywall, and disinfect for mold. It’s contractor-ready in one day. Homeowners go from complete shock, not knowing what to do next, to a feeling of relief. I truly appreciate God giving me the ability to help others in those situations.
Milton arrived 2 weeks later, and we were pretty exhausted. This hurricane was a freshwater and wind event. Many people were flooded, and trees were down everywhere. We lost power for 5 nights: no fridge, no AC, no hot water, and no lights. Gas was hard to find the first 3-4 days. When the power came back on, it was party time. We were so thankful to be able to fill our fridge with food and take a hot shower in a bathroom with light. I thank God for AC often.
The Bible talks often about the storms of life. We just happened to have actual storms. It tells us that we have a Rock and a Shelter in Jesus to get through these troubles. Psalm 62, written by David for his director of music Jeduthun. David wanted this psalm to be put to music. Below, I chose verses 5-8.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Karen's Thoughts:
There are many things that I thank God for in my current season of life. One that tops the list is my weekly women’s Bible Study. I am inspired each week as we sing and praise, pray together, and dive deep into God’s Word. It is one of the highlights of my week and I thank God for it.
Ephesians 1:15-17 (NIV)
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Another thing I am so thankful for in this season is that our daughter, Reagan, chose to move back to Tampa after graduating from college. Our relationship is not only mom/daughter, but also good friends. I love that we can hang out often; it is such a gift.
Psalm 127:3 (NLT)
Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
