[Written to the students in our university-aged ministry]
I'm sitting in Starbucks (my "office-away-from-office"), planning for next spring, researching for our post-Thanksgiving "Forever" talk, and responding to emails, and just found myself smiling. I am lucky enough to have the coolest job in the world. And it's because of you all. Each of you plays a huge role in the excitement that gets me out of bed in the morning; you feed my passion for university-aged students as I see you live more and more for the glory and purposes of God; you make me excited for the future of companies, politics, media, and ministry as you take God into your future. I am so thankful to you and to God that I get to be a small part of your college years.
I have a great family, and a wife who's amazing beyond words; I've got a good group of friends, who I can turn to and share life with - good, bad, and ugly times, and everything inbetween. I've got great folks to lead with, a good home (which is currently in the first stages of looking a lot like Christmas!), enough food to eat, plus everything I need and more. I have freedom, relative safety, and health. Sure, there are bumps along the way, and there are moments of pain and hardship... but generally, life is pretty good. I have much to be thankful for, for the Lord's provision.
But above all of this - beyond all of these amazing things which for which I'm thankful, I have hope, joy, peace, love, and salvation. I have a God who reveals himself to me and died for me; I have a savior who redeemed me to a perfection I couldn't achieve or attain; I have a promised future that is far better than all the things I mentioned above! So as I sit and smile, thinking about all I have to be thankful for in this life, I find myself even more thankful for all that I have in eternity. And that's the "drive-you-to-your-knees-in-gratitude-and-worship" type of thankfulness, you know?
What about you? As you disperse across the country (and for some of you, beyond) this week, what do you have to be thankful for? If it's friends; if it's family; if it's someone who's blessed you... thank them. But for all these things, and for so much more... thank God. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..." (James 1:17). Enjoy your holiday, get some needed rest, stuff yourself silly, and enjoy some good company, and some great laughter. But don't forget to be thankful. Really, truly, "drive-you-to-your-knees" thankful.
"I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers..." (Phil 1:4).
Happy Thanksgiving.
