Thanksgiving XI ~

 1-7 September:  During the past week, I have been thankful for traveling mercies provided as we drove down to Elko, NV to celebrate my sis-in-law's ninetieth birthday - what a blessing!   I was thankful for the decision of my dear grands who chose baptism in a nearby lake to continue their walk with Jesus;  thankful for the message of Isaiah 48:16-17: "Come even closer, and hear: from the beginning I spoke, not hiding away in hushed secret. I Am and will be; I was before anything was at all....The Eternal One, who rescued you, the Holy One ... I am the Eternal One your God. I have given you My instruction for living well and right, leading you in how you should be and do.'" (VOICE); thankful for the promise of my Father's continuing love for me; thankful that His mercies are new every morning; thankful for the excellent counsel of 2 Timothy 1:13-14 where we read: "... Follow the example of the correct teaching I gave you, and let the faith and love of Christ Jesus be your model. You have been trusted with a wonderful treasure. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit, who lives within you." (Contemporary English Version); thankful for dear family and friends who keep me lifted up in prayer - what a blessing to know that they are praying for me! I was thankful, too, for the privilege of confidently praying for others around the globe - our God has given His promise to hear our praise and petitions for them; thankful for the promise of God found in Isaiah 41:13: "I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand. And I tell you, ‘Don’t be afraid! I will help you'" (Easy to Read Version); thankful for another day of life in the beautiful world the Creator has provided for us; thankful for the long life He has given me, though I'm so undeserving; thankful for this message from John 14:22-24: "Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but his other disciple with that name) said to Him, 'Sir, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us disciples and not to the world at large?' Jesus replied, 'Because I will only reveal myself to those who love me and obey me. The Father will love them too, and we will come to them and live with them. Anyone who doesn’t obey me doesn’t love me. And remember, I am not making up this answer to your question! It is the answer given by the Father who sent me.'" (The Living Bible); thankful for God's marvelous, infinite, matchless grace; thankful for His tender mercies - new every morning; and I was thankful to read the message of Paul, the apostle, from Colossians 1:28 where it is written: "We are preaching Him—spreading the Word to all with equal amounts of wise warning and instruction—so that, at the final judgment, we will be able to present everyone to the Creator fully mature because of what Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, has done." (VOICE).