Happy Thanksgiving to all!
1 Thessalonians 5:18
New King James Version (NKJV)
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
This Thanksgiving, next to my love and appreciation for God, I am especially thankful for my husband and our children, who share the most special place in my heart. We have four teenagers and one tween in our house and I’ve never loved life more. Each of our children bring a unique and interesting flavour to our home, to make it what it is and what I love. We have a ‘normal’ home in every way, with spills and spats, laughter and tears, gentleness and moments of anger, intertwined with laughter… and that all blends together to make it ‘our’ home, the place I love on earth, more than any other, and feel safest.
My extended family & friends, the many people in my life who encourage and inspire me to live life with passion and without apology, are high on my ‘thank you’ list as well. Too many to begin to name, I simply thank God for you all. By your lives, your words and your examples, you challenge me to set one foot in front of the other when I am afraid of failure, rejection, or judgement and human nature makes me feel like retreating. You are the people who hold up my arms in battle, when I have grown weary, like Aaron and Hur did for Moses in Exodus 17. Some of you I have known for many years, had coffee with, and know well, others inspire from a distance, having never met, through prayers and notes, often inspired by your own pain and trauma. Thank you for ‘fighting’ the battle with me, through prayer, encouragement and by your example of faith as well as sharing struggles vulnerably. You remind me that there is a place in God’s Kingdom for broken hearts and lives to serve.
In ministry we also have much to give thanks for, not the least of which is having officially been granted our Charitable status, through Generations Unleashed. As doors open to expand our ministry into new areas–both geographically and in ministry–this status is a huge blessing.
Finally, I thank God for the ‘bumps and scrapes’ of this past year. I am thankful that He has redeemed, and will continue to redeem each one of my mistakes and sins, as well as the mistakes and sins of others. I thank Him that He has used the negative experiences and words, that were intended to shut me down and destroy me, to make me stronger in Him. Through them he is teaching me to find my identity only in Him, and to surround myself with leaders who fight for truth rather than protect me from backlash, or protect their own image. God is teaching me to choose wisely what voices I ‘hear’ and allow influence in my life and ministry, with His voice being number one.
It has been a year of challenge, growth and blessing in every area of my life, especially in my faith and trust in God. I look forward with anticipation, to what lies ahead, knowing that the best is yet to come!
©TrudyMetzger
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Return to First Post in Spiritual Abuse Series
A Splash of Love.... 
There is and always be much to be thankful. Thank you for posting.