The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I share what I am thankful for. Come back each week so we can count our blessings together.
I know I say this every week, but I truly have so many things to be thankful for. God is so good to me! I have not shared on my blog that I was on a 21-day fast. I do not like to tell others unless there is a reason they need to know. I want to thank God for getting me through these past 21 days. It was not easy but I have seen the hand of God move in my circumstances and in my life so much! He has answered so many prayers and done so much for my family and me that I just cannot even begin to tell you what all it was in just the past three weeks! It was that much!
Sometimes I look back in my prayer journals and I am amazed at how much He has done for me. Not amazed because I doubt His ability. Amazed because of the sheer volume of things He is able to accomplish in such a short period of time. The incredibly hard things, the big things, the impossible things that only He can do!
This fast was special because my husband, our children, and a very close friend of mine fasted for 21 days. Today is the last day of the fast and we have shared our struggles, prayed for one another, encouraged one another, and just grew closer to one another. I look back to where we all were January 1 and where we are now and my mind is blown! I am so thankful for family and friends to help encourage and strengthen me as I go.
I am thankful for the excitement and creativity He sparked in me just in the past 24 hours. He has been giving me insight and deeper understanding of His Word and that in turn helps me help others. I am learning and growing and gaining strength. There are some BIG things He has asked me to do for Him and it's not going to be easy but I know that I can do them as He strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
I have been getting group texts from my sisters, my niece, my daughter, and my brother. It has been so encouraging and uplifting to receive messages of hope and love and just sweet reminders of how good God is. I am thankful to have this ability to communicate with them because we don't live close to each other and even though it's not far to a couple of their homes, it's not as easy to fellowship with Covid concerns, so it's a true blessing to pick up my phone and get that daily reminder that others are thinking of me and praying for me.
I am also thankful for my blog. It's not a fancy blog. I don't get paid to do this. I don't have a big following. It's not about that for me. I do this because I love God and I love His Word and I love to share with others. I want to be an encourager. I hope this blog is encouraging to all who read it. I am thankful for those who read my blog and send me messages to tell me how the posts I share have helped them in some way. What a blessing and an honor to get to do that! I am truly thankful I have this opportunity and I do hope one day more will read these blog posts but only so they can see Jesus in a whole new way. I just want to share my faith with as many as I can!
I know I will have even more to thank God for next week. Do you keep a gratitude journal? It is such a great tool for when the journey gets hard and strength fails. I look back and see the hand of God all over my life and I thank Him for that and it starts to breathe new life into me. I get uplifted and encouraged to read what God has done for me! Reminds me of my memory verse this week: Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Thy works. Isn't that so good?
Thank you for joining me this week as I count my blessings! Be sure to visit my blog tomorrow when I give you all a little fuel for the weekend!
God bless you!
~Bridgett Owens
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