Day 9: Psalms of Praise & Thanksgiving

“Know that the LORD, he is God!It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalm 100:3)
 
Lately, I'm snapping photos constantly. Flowers are extra bright and coffee tastes smoother than smooth.

Showers feel like soft rain washing away loads of stress off weary shoulders, and I lift my face into the stream. I’ve rediscovered the delights of chocolate. Small wonders hold great beauty when your world is shrouded in the dark.

The attorney's office the other day traumatized me to the core, and I felt like my head was going to crack. What is there to give thanks for in that office?

When you look at your beautiful dream life and realize how much is falling apart, the loss is greater than you can absorb, and your brain settles into incomprehension to avoid the unexpected reality you face.

What is there to give thanks for? Sisters, I'm finding grace in its raw form, Jesus in His glorious beauty, and friendship with God as my closest companion. I'm shrouded in the dark, but God is here with me, enclosing me in His light.

Because it's so dark, His light is inexpressibly brilliant.

Because it's so hard, His gifts are extraordinarily sweet.

Because my heart is forced to move in motion to something I want to avoid, I know beyond doubt that God does give grace when bad things happen. And this, friends, is what I'm thankful for.

We can choose to be thankful in the hardest of times just as well as the easiest.

I'm looking into the future with eyes that cannot see, but my heart is gazing into the eyes of God who holds me. This, my friends, is what we were made to crave in order to be satisfied. This is what we can be most thankful for!

When we do so, we gain a new awareness of all things most beautiful.

-Sara