Gratitude

"Give praise unto the Lord. Proclaim his name, make known among the nations what he has done." 1 chronicles 16:8

Turning to check the time on my phone I noticed a text message from a friend. He wanted to wish me a wonderful new month and God’s blessings in the second half of the year. I said a brief amen, checked the time and turned around to continue my early morning sleep. But as I closed my eyes, my mind thought about the latter part of the text message I had just read. It was indeed the first day of the last half of the year. 

Immediately I started to build up a list of things I needed to get done before the year runs out, goals I needed to accomplish and things I needed to have. As I mentally made those notes I began to pray about them – asking God to help me make the best of the next six months. But as I prayed my spirit got a gentle nudge “have you even thanked God for the first six months of the year?”

For a few seconds I felt a stab of remorse that prompted me to stop asking and start thinking through the last six months –what has God done for me?

I cast my mind back to January and remembered how overwhelmed I was trying to unravel the mystery of moving into a new home. I remembered the stress of moving into a new location and how much emotional and physical stress it was for me at the time. I was worried about settling in, finding friends, helping my kids find friends, the increase travel time to work and dealing with traffic. I look back now, a few months after my move, I’m grateful to God for his help in this mundane yet important part of my life.

Journeying back to February I remember  while still trying to settle down on my new job I was thrust into a planning committee to host very high profile guests in a Leadership forum. Very stressful time for me back then as I remember how much was required from me and how little I knew of the company. But God in his wisdom stepped in and guided me to make all the right decisions – turned out to be an exceptional event for which I’m eternally grateful to have been a part of. And I got a very memorable valentine gift from my husband..wink,wink.

So time in March my lil princess turned one and it was such a joyful day for me not because I had family and friends around to celebrate but because I remember the conditions that surrounded the pregnancy and her birth. I remember the days and night my husband and I worried and prayed every time I started to bleed again during the pregnancy. I remember God’s promise that I and my children are for signs and wonders. I think back on March and remember God’s faithfulness in bringing my lil girl to the world in perfect health.

April was a fun month for me as I added another year to my life and my married life. I had the luxury of experiencing God’s love to me for another 365 days and it really felt good to know his love would last a life time and since his will, the one I shared with the man of my dreams also had the same future.

May was the scariest month for me cos my lil boy decided to wonder out of church during the children’s day celebration and got lost for a brief moment. I am especially grateful to God for sending a godly man to find him wondering on the road and bring him back to us in church…this by far is the most scary day of my entire life thankfully I can write about it with smiles.

In June, my husband added another year to his life and I had an opportunity to appreciate the good health God blessed my kids with as I watch a friend struggle with the ill health of his child. It’s so easy to watch your kids run around and play without losing breath that you forget that a lot of kids come into the world without that luxury. And As trying as this was for my friend I couldn’t help but be grateful to God that I didn’t have that extra burden to deal with.

But the first six months wasn’t all rosy. I had my fair share of pain and disappointment as I went through life as we all know it. The reassuring thing about it all was that God’s presence never left me in spite of the storm and he never will as long as you believe in him.

So as I anticipate the last six months of the year to be filled with many more good stories, I’m grateful to God for all his amazing saves in the first six. May not have been exactly as I would have wanted but it turned out great at the end. 

It’s time for you to do a little reflection, what are you grateful for?