7-13 April: During the past week, I was thankful that our Father still hears and answers the prayers of our hearts when we call on Him for help; thankful for springtime on the Camas Prairie - the flowers are coming! I was thankful for these words from Jeremiah 24:7 where it is written: "... I will give them a heart that they might know me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God for they shall return unto me with their whole heart." (Jubilee Bible 2000); thankful for the songs running through my head - songs that remind me of the One who is always there "Just When I Need Him Most"; thankful that, at this moment, there is nothing but His perfect peace on my visible horizon; thankful for this message for believers from Romans 5:10-11 where it is written: "... If while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." (New American Standard Bible); thankful for the sleep given to me; thankful to see the buds on the trees around me visibly expanding as the days pass; thankful to know and trust the One who cares about each of His children, and longs to see us all in His kingdom - "This is the One who—imprinted with God’s image, shimmering with His glory—sustains all that exists through the power of His word. He was seated at the right hand of God once He Himself had made the offering that purified us from all our sins." (Hebrews 1:3; VOICE); thankful to live in a land where I am free to worship when and how I choose; thankful for the message of Romans 5:6-8 where it is written: "Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. But God showed how much He loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful." (Common English Version); thankful for the ability to move around inside and on even surfaces with my "always at hand" rollator; thankful to still be able to button my own buttons, tie my own laces, and snap my own snaps - AND to accomplish minuscule services for others as well; SO thankful for the Savior described in 1 Peter 2:24 where we read: "'He Himself bore our sins' in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;' by His wounds you have been healed." (New International Version); thankful for the love and mercy with which our Father covers us day by day; thankful for the assurances of protection as He keeps us in His care - we may "sleep" for a moment, but the 'forever" life He's promised is secure; thankful for these words from John 3:35-36: “The One that God sent speaks God’s words. And don’t think He rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to Him so He could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn’t see life. . . ." (Message); thankful for my sister, beginning a new trip around our star - Happy Birthday, Evie! I was thankful for the concept of April showers bringing May flowers; and thankful for the assurance that one can experience a fresh start by being "born again" - "You have been reborn—not from seed that eventually dies but from seed that is eternal—through the word of God that lives and endures forever." (I Peter 1:23; VOICE. See also 2 Corinthians 5:17).
