THANKFUL THURSDAY

Is there not always something to be thankful for? Iris at Sting My Heart (http://www.eph2810.com/) discusses how she is thankful for the ministries that God has called us to. Specifically she sites one that is close to her heart--Harvest Ministry with Greg Laurie.

Think about it, some of us would not have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ without someone's obedience to be called to head or found a ministry. With that ministry, they spread the Gospel, our hearts were tender toward it, and we accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. That's not the only thing ministries do. Some ministries specialize in giving provisions for people who wouldn't otherwise have them, some feed the homeless, some house people, and the list can go on and on. Thank God for ministries and the people who love Jesus in them.

Did you know that we're all called to do missions work of some sort? No, I'm not saying that we're all called to the domestic and foreign mission field. I'm saying that the mission field you've been called to could be right at your job in the office, your backyard, your neighborhood, your child's school, etc. There is work to be done for the Lord. We are so privileged to be called to join Him in His work. We're all called to shine our lights, have the aroma of Christ, and be loving and giving, whether we're giving of our time, resources, money, or whatever. You can share Christ in many ways, and there are opportunities, probably more often than we realize or recognize. We're not called to do it all, but we are called to do what God has assigned us. Listen to His voice and His leading. He will be glorified, someone will be blessed, and you will be rewarded. Now, on to what I'm thankful for today and everyday.

• I'm thankful for the ministries that God has called my husband and I to: Christ-Life Community Church (our church in our home twice a month), WiSeSHILD (Wives Serving and Supporting Husbands in Leadership and Development), co-fascilitator of a woman's study on Biblica Womanhood, and starting a new group on women in the Bible. To God be the glory for the call to these groups and any success from them.
• I'm thankful for the ministry back in Hawaii that explained (better than I had had explained growing up in my church back home) the Gospel to me clearly and that I could have a real, personal relationship with Christ. My life hasn't been the same since, thank God.
• I'm thankful for any future ministries that God would call me, my husband, and/or the children to. "Here I am Lord, send me."
• I'm thankful for the ministry of homeschool. I love the responsibility of teaching my girls.
• I thank God for the new Homeschool Assoc. (name: Hearts Toward Home Christian Educators) and Co-op that our family and two others (possibly a 4th one coming soon) were blessed to form. This is a ministry to our children and whole family. We are so grateful.
• Finally for today, I thank God for the ministry of our outside-of-the-home church. We attend, most times, twice a month (sometimes more for special circumstances), and we love where God has called us to worship right now. We have grown a lot there as a family in Jesus. We thank God for all of those who give of themselves for the church's growth.

I'm off so that I can wrap up homeschool for the day. I'd like to go over and read some others' blogs for this Thankful Thursday. I love hearing about grateful hearts.