THANKful Thursday is Awesome!

I join Sonya today for her Thankful Thursday and am so glad that she hosts this each week.

Megan, Melissa, Ashlie

1. I am so thankful for my 3 precious daughters. God richly blessed me with sweet girls who love the Lord and I am so thankful that they all call me their best friend.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord.." (Psalms 127:3)

2. I am so thankful that Megan and Ashlie are raising their children (my precious little grandbabies) in the admonition of the Lord. They both began teaching them the truths of God's Word when they were just babies and they continue to help their children grow in Him as they get older.

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6)

Thank you Lord for the Truth of your Word.

3. I am so thankful for something called "skype" so I can talk to my daughter Melissa while she is in Africa. What a blessing modern technology can be!

Thank you Lord for your mercy!

4. I am so thankful that Melissa is feeling so much better. Nothing is worse than knowing your child is very sick and that she is on another continent, far away from home. She has been so sick for the last week and it was so awesome to answer the phone last night and NOT hear her crying. She was happy and laughing and it did this mama a world of good to hear that!

"For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds",says the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17)

Thank you Lord for your healing hand upon my sweet Melissa! You are so good! Nothing is too hard for you!

5. I am so thankful for prayer. There are times when I feel like I am on my face ALL the time and I am so thankful that God hears my cry and that He answers me!

"In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me" (Psalm 120:1)

Thank you Lord for the power and privilege of PRAYER!

Happy Birthday Megan & More Grace

Happy 24th birthday Megan! What an absolute joy you have been to me sweet one. 24 years ago, I entered the world of motherhood with your birth. I have watched you grow from a happy, precious, content little baby to a happy, precious, content young woman. You are a godly wife and mother and I couldn't be more proud of you. As I watch you seek after God and instill what you believe into those amazing 3 children you are raising, my heart is filled with joy. You are a blessing to me sweet girl.

I love you - Mama

And yes, for those of you who did the math, I had my oldest girls 12 months apart. And no, it wasn't planned =)

"Grace is God at work"

As my husband and I were watching a DVD last night, Louie Giglio made that statement. He said that is the best way he knows how to explain what grace is to people who don't have a clue. Grace has nothing to do with us. Grace is strictly about God and what He did.

I think that is why it is so hard for us to fully accept it without having that feeling of it being so undeserved. The fact of the matter is - it IS undeserved. We are NOT worthy. That is why it is grace. We can't understand it, because in reality we don't operate that way. We put conditions on our love and we put conditions on our 'good deeds'.
We expect something in return.

But that isn't how God operates. God transfered our sin to His Son at the cross. We don't have to do anything but believe and accept it. But when we fully understand it and we fully 'get it' - we want to do all we can to be worthy. We want to be sanctified. We want to be set apart. We want to live holy lives. We want to walk worthy of our calling.

I am so humbled and thankful for what Christ did for me at the cross. I know that I am undeserving and I know that I am unworthy. But He did for me, what I couldn't do for myself. I am thankful for His mercy and His forgiveness. I am thankful for reconciliation. I want to walk the rest of my days in holiness. I want to walk the rest of my days in His footsteps.

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthians 5:21