Every Day is a Day of Thanksgiving!

I can hear the choir singing, I can see the people praising – it’s a Holy Ghost party in the house:

Everyday is a day of thanksgiving.
God’s been so good to me,
Everyday He blesses me.
Everyday is a day of thanksgiving; (Take the time to) glorify the Lord today. (Repeat)

Leonard Burks (JVOI revised lyrics)

Performed by the GMWA Mass Choir – 1990, and Charles G. Hayes and The Warriors – 1993)

Indeed, every day is a day of Thanksgiving! God HAS been so good to me, every day He keeps blessing me! This is my story and I’m not taking it back. Even on those days when I don’t get my way; when I’m disappointed with the actions of me and those I love; when I’m frustrated and feel as if there is no hope – YES, even on those days, God is better to me than I’ve been to myself.

I decided a long time ago to take a risk – to venture onto what I was told would be a new life. Thinking that my present life had far too many problems, I thought, "what can I lose?" So on what little faith this pragmatist could muster, I ventured out and confessed Jesus to be my Savior. It didn’t take long before I realized that I needed him to be more than a ticket to heaven, I needed Him to be Lord of my life, guiding and directing me every day.  The trials came, the tests were many. Walking through one desert after another, I felt that there was no living water for my soul. Amidst the tears and the heartache, I felt a presence saying, "come – follow me". And I followed as best I could, and I traveled over unknown terrain- and every now and then there was an oasis where I could stop and drink…

Without warning.- breakthroughs came – answers to prayer – loved ones saved – finances turned upside right! Still not enough – I had to keep traveling… there was more… soon I began to experience a peace that everything was going to be alright – along with that peace came a love that went beyond those I loved – I began to love those I ordinarily would have turned away from…I understood what Jesus meant when He said:

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.. John 13:35 (KJV)

Greater than all of this was a spirit of praise that rose from my belly = a praise of gratitude for all that the Lord had done for me – the good, the bad, the questionable – (Yes I’m still asking some questions). God is faithful to those who will give Him their heart. So I say again, "every day is a day of thanksgiving! God’s been so good to me, every day He’s blessing me!

Maria