Thankful!

Hello again dear friends.

Its mid-week now and I hope you've had a great week so far. I had a grueling weekend, having taken part in an outdoor development leadership/team building event to start off the second year of my MBA program. I must have been on my feet, either walking or doing some activity for at least 12 hours over the entire 48 hour weekend. We all had a great time though and I’m glad I didn't chicken out of the experience. Having a cold and sneezing didn't help matters in close to freezing weather. On the second day, I wore 4 layers! Thankfully, it didn't rain. Shout Out to Malteasers – you know yourselves!

And that leads me to my topic for this week. I had meant to write on a different topic yesterday but couldn't get round to it and today God proved Himself faithful in a BIG way so I decided to write about being thankful instead (No coincidences right?) It’s already listed as one of my blog topics (forward planning me has 8 topics already planned out, lol) so I simply pushed it up the pecking order.

One thing I have learnt to be, in a bigger way over the last year is Thankful. I CHOOSE to be thankful. Not because of my circumstances but in-spite of them. I chose to be thankful because I knew it could have been worse. No doubt, a lot of things could have been better, but it is indeed by the mercies of the Lord that we are not consumed.

• I’m alive!
• My kids still have 1 parent!
• I have a loving family – physical and spiritual
• Wonderful friends
• A job (up till September)
• A business (after September)
• I’m healthy (clean bill after checkups in April)
• Our needs are met (just in time, yes but it’s a start isn't it?)

Friends, I could go on and on but you get the picture, don’t you? We must cultivate a habit of gratitude because whatever our situation, it’s always better than it could have been. Gratefulness then provokes and moves the hand of God to do more. In His time, He makes all things beautiful. We must learn patience as well, if the answer seems delayed, don’t slip into complaining. Keep up a grateful attitude and wait for His appointed time. We see in part, but God who has seen everything from the beginning knows the best time for our blessing to be delivered. Your complaining is the one thing that could cause a delay so avoid complaining like the plague.

So, I’ll share my testimony in brief. I needed to discharge an obligation and it’s been overdue for many, many months. In November, I was told I had a deadline of December and I trusted God to make it happen. I prayed, had someone join me in a prayer of agreement, told a few other close friends and family to do the same but December came and went with only a possibility and not the actual resolution. I judged God faithful and continued to thank Him for the answer. Friends, I stopped praying in November and I moved into thanksgiving because I was sure He would fulfill His word to me.

Today, I was told the answer had come and that obligation can be considered discharged. Truly God is faithful. It’s taken approximately a year but I’m sure this is the best time that obligation could have been discharged. There are still a few other prayers I’m trusting and thanking Him for, but I’m rejoicing in this victory. He did this, He will sort out the rest.

Gratitude is an attitude and a lifestyle. Cultivate it, friends. If you love music like I do, use it as a vehicle to keep you constantly in praise and thanksgiving. If not, let your heart just constantly raise silent and verbal words of thanks to Him each time you think about the issues you are facing. Always remember to rejoice in the small victories and before you know it, you will graduate to big ones.

He never fails! And now, I've got to ensure I don’t fail Him by hitting the books. I've got 4 business plans to study tonight. Student life is hard, lol, especially when it’s part-time.

Till next week, Blessings on you and yours,