My Thanksgiving Prayer

The brilliantly blue sky seems to kiss the drifts of white snow, sunlight twinkling... and I sit in awe of His goodness. There is something so dazzling about the contrast between the depth of blue next to the almost painful brightness of white. I think about the past year, a year of great contrasts.

The house of meaningless clutter... the shack with a cooking pot and a few articles of clothing in Andong.

The family gathered round the table... the 3rd foster home this year.

The excess that I have purchased in previous Black Friday sales... the sparsely furnished hotel room.

The day of celebration and laughter... the holiday spent on an ICU waiting room chair.

I have changed so very much this past year. I have learned that the life I am so grateful for is also filled with things that clutter my soul and mind. I am learning to live open-palmed. I have bought less and consumed less since last Thanksgiving than I ever have in my life. I have been reminded that, though we should hold our loved ones close, His will is sovereign. 

So while I am appropriately grateful on this Thanksgiving for all of my many blessings-- a family of people who challenge and inspire and encourage me, friends who make my life so full, a church that gives me a home and a mission, a career that makes my everyday feel purposeful, and a salvation that has redeemed me and set me free-- I am also thankful that I have a Savior who is constant. He is the same Father to me as in an orphanage in Siem Reap, Cambodia. He is the same Comforter to my family gathered around my sister's table as He was huddled around my grandmother's ICU hospital bed just under three months ago. He is the same Provider to me as He is through the hands of those doling out food in a soup kitchen. 

The contrasts of this year have shown me most of all that my God is so faithful. And that He wants to prove His faithfulness to all of His children through all of us at different times. I have been as ministered to since last Thanksgiving as I have ministered. 

So no matter which side of the contrast you fall this year, I pray one of two things... either that someone would be there to show you His faithfulness or that you would be available to be used to show it to someone else. 

"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ,and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" 2 Cor. 9:11-15