Thankfulness and praise are such key parts of the Christian life. Why don't we participate in them more often?
As we exit the Thanksgiving season and enter Advent, I am lead to the reminder of being thankful always, and that there is so much for which to be thankful. Every day can be an exercise in thankfulness. For me today, it was celebrating the way God has provided for my spiritual growth throughout my life. That is a whole story in itself, but it is not the one I came here to share. Perhaps I will at another time, but today I want to spend time not just being thankful, but also praising God for something very specific.
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving day, my husband and I bought our very first house! That in itself is enough cause us to thank and praise God, but I want to take it a step further, because our Father took it ten thousand steps further! I want to share how God blessed us and praise Him for those.
Like most home-buyers we had a wish list of what we hoped for in a home. Some were musts and some were dreams. Some were big and some were minor. God answered most of them!
- My husband and I had a specific neighborhood in mind as we were looking at houses, because that is where we hope to do life as ministry. However, for our first home we were willing to be outside that area. This house it right in the middle of the neighborhood!
Thank you, Lord! - We dreamed of a home to not only grow our family, but to also be able to host friends, family, and people in need of a place of respite along their journey (refugees, women leaving hard situations, missionaries, etc.) As new buyers we knew that we might have to settle for a smaller home at first. This house was once split into two apartments, but can still be lived in as one home.
Thank you, Lord! - At lease two bathrooms was on the list. Each floor has a full bathroom!
Thank you, Lord! - Part of the ministry we hope to live out is sharing produce from our own garden with our neighbors. This home has a perfect yard- front and back- for gardening!
Thank you, Lord! - I have always dreamed of having a gas stove. We now have two!
Thank you, Lord!
Those are just a few ways God answered our prayers, but that is not where He stopped! There is a verse in Ephesian that says
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21 NKJV)
Let me share how He went "exceedingly above all that we" asked or thought.
- Space to host people beyond what we ever thought in our first home.
- Gorgeous wood floors and trim throughout the house, and the floors were never covered with carpet.
- An over one hundred year old house with character and solid bones.
- Both bathrooms have bathtubs.
- The previous owners labeled almost all the plants in the yard, with some already being herbs. There are also flowers I've only dreamed of having (peonies, hibiscus, etc).
- The yard has been organic for twenty-five years, and they left us a compost pile.
- A bay window with a window seat! (This reader's dream for most my life!)
- Space to build a real "meet-your-neighbors" front porch!
- A piano and an organ left in the house.
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"To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." (Psalm 30:12)_____________________
"Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name." (2 Samuel 22:50)
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