Today, I’m thankful for a bundle of things, especially with my favorite holiday coming up celebrating this exact thing (thanksgiving if you couldn’t guess). Over the past few months, having to give up a lot of comforts of a typical American lifestyle, I’ve learned to be more thankful for certain things, and to not take anything for granted.
I’ll start off by saying that I’m thankful to be where I am right now, in Honduras on top of a mountain, surrounded by wonderful people who encourage me in my faith and love me unconditionally. I’m beyond thankful for those of you who supported me to get me here, whether financially or spiritually… if I haven’t said it enough, THANK YOU. You are so appreciated, and I couldn’t fulfill this calling on my heart from the Lord without your gracious support, and your wiling hearts for giving.
We arrived in Honduras last Thursday, and the view from our home is incredible, and I’m thankful that I get to do my morning devotions while staring in awe at God’s beauty daily. I’m thankful for the beds that we’ve been given (though they might be thin foam mattresses) I sleep well. I’m thankful for three meals a day even if I don’t always know what I’m eating. I’m thankful for ice cold bucket “showers” after a week of not showering… (there’s no running water here in Honduras where I’m staying). I’m thankful for the limited wifi that we have to work to get (riding on a crowded chicken bus standing up for 15-20 minutes to get to free wifi) just so that I can talk to my family. I’m thankful that I get to teach kiddos again this month at a Christian school to sweet Honduran children, then do some manual labor and evangelism month four here in Honduras. I’m thankful that I get to spend thanksgiving here, celebrating these things with my second family. I will also be here for Christmas!!
I’m thankful that I’ve made it into month three without getting sick or injured (knock on wood) and that we’ve made it safely while traveling from place to place. I’m thankful that I got to spend the first two months in Cambodia, sweating half my body weight daily, riding bikes everywhere, teaching English to small children, and just building relationships with the people of Cambodia , I miss it a lot, but God has more to show me. I’m thankful that I learned how to depend on God for my strength and guidance during my time in Cambodia. It wasn’t easy, but it’s worth it.
I’m thankful for everyone who’s back home praying for me, and for the people that I love and miss dearly. I’m thankful that back home in the states, I have a roof over my head, a comfortable bed to sleep in, safety where I live, food when I’m hungry, a hot shower accessible whenever, clean water, and so many other things. Those are most of the things that many people don’t even have here in Honduras, or in many other places in the world. I realized that I haven’t been as thankful as I should have been, and I’ve taken many of those things for granted. Though they’re just material things, there’s such a high need for each one of them.
Another thing that I’m so incredibly thankful for is an unfailing love from the father , and forgiveness that I don’t deserve, yet God graciously gives. I’m thankful that I grew up in the faith, and that I have a wonderful church back home where I attend, a loving Christian community, and a pastor that speaks life. I’m thankful that I can run to God for anything. I can come to Him when I’m weary, he’ll give me strength, I can come to Him with brokenness, and He redeems me. Sometimes we forget to thank God for every single gift he gives daily. They say “what if you woke up with only the things you thanked God for the night before?” We need to remember to come to him in Thanksgiving and be thankful for all that he’s blessed us with. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
There’s a very high need for people to hear about the Love of the father. There’s so many people who have never heard the good news that God loved them so much, he sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins so that we may have everlasting life. I’m thankful that I grew up hearing about the love of the Father. God loves each person individually, his love for us is unwavering. He gives good gifts, so we need to be thankful, at all times. Prayer isn’t about asking God for the things you want/need in that moment, but also gratitude towards who he his, what he does, and the things he gives.
He is a good God, so in all circumstances PRAISE Him, for he is worthy of our praise. The Lord answers prayers on his own time, so remember to thank Him in the waiting.
Thanks for reading
God bless!
Love, Rebekah
