Thanksgiving XI ~

9-15 June:  During the past week, I was thankful for a quote I found in a favorite blog; "We touch lives when we live ours joyously, as winsome ambassadors for Christ," (Dawn Camp at (in)Courage); I was thankful for access to videos of 3ABN's Summer Camp Meeting; thankful for this promise from Isaiah 43:2-4: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;. . . . Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you. . . ." (New King James Version); thankful for sunlight and patches of blue outdoors; thankful to be in the Drollinger family loop when news is shared - "Get well!" wishes and prayers for daughter, Laural; thankful, too, for this counsel from Colossians 3:13-14: "As, therefore, God’s picked representatives of the new humanity, purified and beloved of God Himself, be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind. Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive if you have a difference with anyone. Forgive as freely as the Lord has forgiven you. And, above everything else, be truly loving, for love is the golden chain of all the virtues" (PHILLIPS); thankful for a night of sleep and rest, and for the mental de-fragmentation that sleep brings; thankful for blue sky and sunshine outside my window; thankful to have this counsel from Psalm 46:10-11 where it is written: "'Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.' The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; ... God ... is our fortress." (New Living Translation); thankful to know it's true that "Jesus loves me . . . ." and loves you, too; thankful for a beautiful sunrise (and to be awake to see it); thankful to believe the words of praise from Psalm 19:1-2 where we read: "The heavens tell the glory of God. and the skies announce what His hands have made. Day after day they tell the story. Night after night they tell it again." (International Childrens' Bible); especially thankful for the privilege of believers to present our praises and petitions before the Father's throne and expect (and receive) answers to our prayers; I was thankful for all the promises in God's Word that reveal His personal interest in all who call on Him; thankful to recall the words of the Savior, who said: "If you, then, being evil [that is, sinful by nature], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him.” (Luke 11:13; Amplified Bible); thankful for another night of good sleep;  thankful for the angels "who excel in strength, who do His word" (Psalm 103:20) that our Father sends in response to our call for help - His ear is always open to our cries (2 Chronicles 7:15); thankful for this assurance from Philippians 3:20 - "... Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." (New International Version); thankful to know the "good news" of the Creator's love for humanity - for all He's done to assure a place in His kingdom to all who desire to be there; thankful that one need not have attained perfection to be used in sharing this "good news" with others; and I was thankful for these words from Psalm 66:16 that echo the words of my own heart: "Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God! I will declare what He has done for me." (New English Translation).