Thankful Tuesday

It's Thankful Tuesday.

I want to write about how I am thankful for my time in Ohio, not because it was easy, or that we seemed successful in anything we did. We struggled and struggled in an uphill battle the whole time we were there for various reasons and the Lord allowed "things" for reasons we will never know.

But we know this, we were given the gift of hardship by our Lord for those four plus years. And a gift it really was. My life in Ohio was the most blessed time in my whole life so far, not the world's standards but by God's.

I learned so much about how high, wide, and deep He really loves me. I learned how to study the word for myself and how much I could enjoy my relationship with Him. I became so dependent on Him in those years of hardship that when I say He is my friend my eyes well up with tears because I know I am not even near worthy and yet I know it's true.

I am so thankful that He loved me so much that He chose to take my away from my 'normal' to show that He is always enough no.matter.what. and I am so extremely grateful for all of the lives He allowed me to cross paths with in my time there. Words cannot even express how much I love my Ohio friends and how much I miss them but as my good and dear friend Carol says, "We long for the day when 'good-bye' is not in our vocabulary anymore." And that longing, that HOPE is what keeps us going, knowing this is not really even close to our home.

I could say so so much more but for now...

{pictures all from the "Going Away" party hosted by Kim Armstrong}

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill us completely with joy and peace because we trust in him. Then we will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Romans 15:13

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

1 Corinthians 13:7

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...
Ephesians 5:20

When Christ, WHO IS OUR LIFE appears, we will also appear with Him in His glory!

Colossians 3:4

Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.

1 Peter 5:8-11 

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:2-4 

For our light, momentary affliction is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!],

Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

 

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts....and be thankful. 

Colossians 3:15