Thanksgiving Prayer

Day 27:  Write a prayer of thanks for this year’s blessings, challenges, and lessons.

Father God, 

I love You, I worship You, and I trust You.

Thank You for being faithful and kind and protective and empowering, weaving everything together for the good of those who love You!

Thank You for ALL the daily blessings and small joys You've given me, along with the big events and happy things You planned long ago for me to enjoy and celebrate in 2025 -- Mom's 70th birthday, a trip with Triston and a solo trip to NYC, Judge Golden's retirement, Jaceman becoming a teenager and stepping out of elementary school, Abby's graduation, a trip with Mom and a solo trip to Colorado, graduating with my Masters and stepping into CCU's doctoral program, Triston starting his Senior year and getting promising news on college scholarships, reaching a weight-loss milestone, training for and finishing a full marathon, Rach passing the CPC-A exam, adopting embryos, starting my LPC-Candidacy, Ashley Campbell's book release, finding my Heal Out Loud lifegroup community, the Wilsons' pregnancy and gender reveal party, Frankie's new job, Marilyn's recovery, having a paid-off home, the global impact of the Bible app, getting to join Chet for his marathon finish line, remixing my home and setting up a great office space, and landing a new job I'm truly excited to start next month!!  Thank You for the close relationships that make all of the above more meaningful and beautiful to me!

Thank You for Your timing and guiding my steps and challenging me to grow in new ways this year -- for being with me and for me even as I received more painful medical news at Dallas IVF, for giving me all the courage and relational support I needed to finally step back from the adoption path, for timely books and podcasts, for repentance and grace, for meaningful counseling sessions with Emily and consistent support and wisdom from Chet Lee, for the defining mentorship of Dr. Burkhart (and wise words from Dr. Elliott and Dr. Robinson) that challenged me to stay in the PhD program when I wanted to leave, for challenging me to step up in integrity, for wisdom to navigate hard situations with aging parents, for prompting a timely friendship connection and for the beautiful ceremony honoring the life of Kristen Harriss, for what I learned through rejection and confusion as I applied and interviewed for so. many. jobs. this year, for supportive friends and family, for what You taught me through my clients and how you worked through me in counseling sessions at ITS, for a growing and shifting understanding about my future career path, and for increasing calm and clarity after a lot of inner chaos in 2025.  Thank You for Your faithfulness and for the legit gift of writing to help me process ALL of the above!!

Thank You for Your promise that You never abandon us and that nothing can separate us from Your love.  Thank You for the cloud of witnesses cheering me on and for the anchoring hope of spending eternity with You.  Thank You for rich conversations, good music and books and movies, football games, outdoor walks, family dinners, naps, volleyball tournaments, ballet recitals, school programs, birthday celebrations, live musicals, delicious food, fun projects, growing friendships, all the things I'm learning, and all the things I am so looking forward to -- and thank You that Heaven will be a serious upgrade on everything we love and enjoy here!  Thank You for the quiet failures, the funerals, rejection letters, hard conversations, painful goodbyes, ambiguous grief, and other sharp reminders of our human frailty (that we are all subject to death and decay here) - and for the way these things increase our hope for Heaven.  Our time here is short, and our calling is opposed.  I need Your grace, Your armor, Your wisdom, and Your presence today, Lord!  Give me eyes to see what matters and a heart that cares enough to engage and act boldly.  Help me to walk in love and joy and peace, to think and speak in ways that honor You, and to always be thankful!!

Thank You for loving me and believing in me and making my paths straight.  Thank You that I belong to You, and I always belong with You, and I am never alone!  I still have questions about what lies ahead, but I am trusting You, O Lord, saying, "You are my God." My future is in Your hands!

In the authority of Jesus' name,

Amen. ❤

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