Thankful For The Unexpected | Thankful Thursday

Today is my wedding anniversary. My husband and I have been married for 21 years! I praise God for that because He truly is the glue that held us together. Tonight, after work, I had a date and it was not with my husband!

Ever since my children were very small I made a point to have a special day with them. It was a way I could be intentional and present and get to know them better. We know and love our children, but sometimes we do not know their deepest desires, what really excites them and gets them fired up about life. So, this was the best way I could do that and I am so glad that I did. 

My son is 14 and he loves routine. He does not do well with change. He still calls our time together Mommy Javan Days. I asked him where he would like to eat and he said Blondie's which is a restaurant in Brownstown. He was supposed to go to a race but long story short, he spent the time with me. We had a great conversation on the drive over. We enjoyed ice cream from Jiffy Treet and more stories about what he is into right now, what records he has set and broken on his video game, and his view on the world we live in today. I loved every minute of it.

After we ate we went to Dollar Tree. We agreed on a limit to spend because he knows I can get carried away in there. And we may have went over budget (shhhh, don't tell) but it was so fun to spend that time with him. He wanted to go next door to the Dollar General to get some chips that he likes and I was happy to do that for him. He even got a Coke in a glass bottle! We had a great time riding over to my mom's so she could have the sandwich I couldn't eat and then we came back to the house. He was pretty tired from all the shopping and riding around.

This evening weather was perfect. It felt like fall and we both thanked God for the wonderful weather and the time we could spend together. I am so thankful for the unexpected moments in life where you get an up close and personal look at the biggest blessings in our lives. I am so glad he wanted to hang out with me. I am so thankful we had the opportunity.

So, while this was not the way I thought my wedding anniversary would go, I am so glad I had the best date ever! A handsome young man who loves Jesus and his momma! What a blessing he is! I am so thankful. I would like to share a couple of scriptures that came to mind and hope it gives you something to thank God for, too.

PSALM 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward.

PSALM 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

1 SAMUEL 1:27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of Him:

I love both of my children and so thankful to be their momma. I am so proud to be Paul's wife and it was literally the best anniversary ever!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

 

 

Siblings Pray Together Stay Together | Thankful Thursday

I walked into the kitchen as I was getting ready for work. I wanted to make sure my son got on the school bus with no issues. My daughter was just leaving for work. When I stepped in the kitchen I saw my children holding hands and Kadesia was praying for Javan. She was blessing him and praying for protection and a good first day and so many wonderful things. Javan was just receiving it and this momma's heart was elated!

The Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) I taught both of my children how to pray when they were very small. This verse is so true because when someone is hurt or something doesn't go the way we expected it to, one of my kids will suggest for us to pray. They both know the power in prayer and they both pray out loud very well. It is an honor to raise them to love and respect God. I am so thankful they know they can call on His name anytime.

We read in 1 Timothy 2:8, "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." No matter where we are we should be in a position to pray and speak to God in faith. Kadesia shared a post yesterday about the situation she was in and today God took care of the entire problem. It was awesome to see Him working out every detail.

We are reminded in Psalm 34:1 "I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall be continually in my mouth." There are times that it feels so bad or hopeless and it seems impossible to praise God, but that is when we must push past our feelings and just do it anyway. If we can get past how we feel, and praise God for who He is and for how worthy He is to be praised, our whole situation will turn around. Praise breaks barriers. 

The walls came down when Joshua and the company with him shouted at Jericho.

Joshua 6:15, 16, 20, 27 (15)And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. (16)And it to came to pass on the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. (20)So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. (27)So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

Gideon and three companies of men shouted a praise and they won the victory without fighting!

Judges 7:19-21 (19)So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew their trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. (20)And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. (21)And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

Paul and Silas praised their way out of the prison cell and shackles!

Acts 16:24-26 (24)Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in their stocks. (25)And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. (26)And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

I don't know what situation you may find yourself in today. You could be looking for a victory and all you feel is defeated. You may look around and feel outnumbered and helpless, but God in heaven is capable to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. (Ephesians 3:20). God is on our side. He always wins! He is giving victory to every one of His children. If you are born again, that means you are victorious through Christ Jesus. His blood paid it all!

If you are not born again, you can ask Jesus to save you. Confess you are a sinner and in need of a Savior. Confess that you believe Jesus is the Son of God and died to save you. Ask Him to be the Lord of your life and watch Him do the impossible for you! He is a loving God and He wants you to be His son or daughter. Choose life! Choose Jesus.

This Thankful Thursday I am very thankful for the victory we win in Jesus. I am thankful for the gift of prayer. I am thankful God hears and answers prayer. I am thankful my children do not have to be told to pray, but they see an opportunity and they take it! God is so good! I am thankful that my children choose to honor God. We do not always know if what we are teaching them sinks in, but it's moments like this that make me smile and I know it is all glory to God. He takes the credit for this!

I hope something I shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you.

~Bridgett Owens

Praying Family & Friends | Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that I have so many wonderful friends and family members I can call on to ask for prayer! I know that God has blessed me abundantly! And God heard and answered prayers from Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and Indiana.

So often in life we have times where we pray and ask God to meet a specific need we have and it's exciting to see God move. It's nice to see how our prayers make a difference. Other times we just feel like we need some help. It isn't that our prayers are not good enough. It's just that we really want the help of others interceding on our behalf. And when we join our faith together God moves mountains!

MATTHEW 18:19-20 (19)Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. (20)For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.

It's Biblical to touch and agree. Jesus spoke those very words in the book of Matthew. When you have someone praying with you, God is going to answer your prayer according to His Will. If you and a friend are gathered to pray, to spend time studying the Bible, or whatever you do in His name, Jesus promises to be in the middle of it. He is showing up for us! And He showed up for me today!!

Remember the man sick of the palsy? His friends had faith but there is never any mention that the sick man had any. These four friends carried him on his bed of affliction, tore up the roof where Jesus was preaching after not being able to press through the crowds to get to the Healer. They lowered their friend down and Jesus answered their prayers. These four friends were desiring something of the Master. Sometimes we have to join our friends in praying for the wayward ones. God will do something about it! Watch this:

MATTHEW 9:2 And, behold, they brought to Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Never discount the power of praying friends. I am so thankful that many of you were just a text away. I am grateful for the praying men and women in my life who took the time to set aside what they were doing to pray for me today. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I am so thankful for all that the LORD has done!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens 

 

 

Tooth Extraction | Thankful Thursday

 

A week ago tomorrow I had a tooth pulled. I did not want to go to the dentist to have this taken care of because I am terrified of anything to do with a dentist. They gave me laughing gas just to clean my teeth last time. I hate the whole process of anything to do with dentistry. 

So, backstory: I had a cavity in one of my baby teeth. Tooth #19. My dentist drilled it and filled it even though he said it was only a small sign of decay. I was eating candy and I bit on a Sugar Daddy, which for those that don't know, it's a big gob of caramel on a stick. But when I pulled the stick out of my mouth, that sugary treat took my filling with it! So my mom took me back to the dentist, and I was scared out of my wits to have that done again! My dentist drilled it and filled it again. Two weeks later that tooth fell out! My mom was not happy. Then the adult tooth came in and it decided to show a sign of decay too, so again drilled and filled.

To this day I cannot stand to hear a drill running. It hurts my teeth like nothing else! So the filling stayed for many, many years until I was eating a sucker in the library in Mitchell. I literally chipped the tooth and knocked out a piece of the filling. I refused to do anything about it for a while, but finally I went to the dentist. She referred me to an oral surgeon, but I didn't go. Time went on, it started to bother me again, so I went back to the dentist, and same suggestion, she referred me to an oral surgeon. I finally went. I was treated very well by all the dental professionals, but something happened in one of the fillings and it scarred me for life!

So I finally went to the oral surgeon to have a root canal. He didn't think he could save it but I insisted he try because I desperately wanted to save my tooth. So he did the best he could. He said it was a success and I just needed to get a crown. So I tried, but my dentist could never get me in. We moved to Alabama and I had to wait until I had a job with insurance and then wait for the insurance to be active and finally I went to see if I could get a crown. Meanwhile my tooth broke more and so the answer was no, the tooth has to come out. I scheduled for surgery but then we moved back to Indiana before I could have the procedure.

So finally we have jobs, we have insurance, and it's time for me to take care of this tooth which is even more broken now. They drilled and pulled and yanked. I was numb through my ear which somehow was still painful, and I felt a lot of pain and pressure in my front teeth during the procedure. I was a nervous wreck and all alone, well except for all the people in the room. It takes a village to pull a tooth!! And so then after seeing the debris spraying all over the place, and feeling the pressure as the roots were yanked out of my mouth, I was finally free of the tooth. Two sutures and a mouthful of gauze I was sent out to my waiting family.

So what am I thankful for? I am thankful for kind, caring staff who took care of my problem. I am thankful for no infection or dry socket. I am thankful for pain medication. I am thankful that Jesus was with me every second and I could feel Him with me because I was freaking out on the inside. I am thankful for my mother-in-law and son who wanted to take me. I am thankful for the car ride home that I do not really remember. I am thankful for the way my mother-in-law took care of me to insist I rest, gave me food and delicious jello she made for me! I am thankful for the kindness in her voice as she asked if there was anything I needed. I am thankful that she left the bathroom light on for me. I am thankful that we live here, even though I truly do want my own home. I am still so grateful that we have a nice place to live.

I am thankful God has brought me through these days of working this week even though I have not felt the best. I am thankful the stitches fell out without pain or problems. I am thankful I can drink from a straw again!! I am thankful that the whole thing is over with. Even though I wish I didn't have to lose a tooth, I'm glad I lost the trouble maker of them all! 

I am thankful that the Bible says in Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." I did not have to cowardly approach the Lord. I did not have to cower in fear that He may demand I leave His presence. Instead I found mercy and grace to help me in my time of need. I was so scared and He was there to help me.

Maybe you are not afraid of the dentist. You may enjoy getting your teeth cleaned or not mind having a tooth pulled. But sometimes in life we go through things we don't want to, but God is always there. In 2 Samuel 22:33 we read that "God is my strength and power: and He maketh my way perfect." We are not perfect people, but God will give us His strength and His power to face the tough challenges in life we are not expecting. He makes the hard paths, the winding roads, the hills and valleys to become perfect paths. He straightens the crooked ways and helps us to navigate this life. 

Waiting to get a home of our own has been difficult to say the least. We have looked at different places to rent or buy and it's so frustrating. At times I am so weary and this week I thought my heart may truly fail me. I was so distressed with everything. My health was not good, and you already know about the whole dental thing, and my husband had to see a surgeon (please be praying about that), and then Kadesia wound up in a brace on her arm because it keeps going numb to the fingers but they can't find the issue (please be praying about that). She had to go three places and still no real answers. So it's just a lot and so I take comfort in reading Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

Friends, I am counting my blessings for the Word of God. He never fails me and He never lets me down. If I am discouraged when I start reading the Word of God, it's not long before I become strengthened and encouraged. I get my hope back. I get my joy back. Let's close with this verse in Habakkuk.

HABAKKUK 3:19 The Lord God is my strength; and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

I am scared of heights...honestly this is not supposed to be a blog post about the things I am afraid of. But I am truly scared of being up high. Yet if the Lord God gives me the ability to climb up high mountains then I will do so without fear. I know He gives me the strength to do hard things. He alone is my source of strength.

I hope that you have been counting your blessings with me this Thankful Thursday. I always enjoy sharing what God has done for me. It's not fun to reveal the weaknesses of my flesh with the whole world, but if it can even help one other person with the verses I share or the things I thank God for doing in my life, then it is worth it. I am so thankful for you all. I pray that something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Exodus 14 Again! | Fuel For The Weekend

 

It's Friday evening and I am not sure what to share. I have been starting at my unopened laptop and nothing has come to mind. I have memorized a lot of scripture, but I just couldn't decide on which verse to share. I feel stuck in my life right now. I feel like I am caught in midair. Have you ever been there?

I have been thinking about our life in Alabama a lot. We had no intentions of ever moving back to Indiana but God had other plans. We prayed about it and God confirmed that we should move back. We still weren't sure, so we talked about it and we believed we heard from God, but we just hated to leave our life, our friends, and our family behind again and move back to...what? What jobs? What school would Javan go to? Where would we live? How can we decide on what doctor to see, or choose a school for our son when we had no idea where we would be living. It felt a lot like moving to Alabama when God told us to do so.

Now we are back in Indiana, still staying with Paul's parents and we are so incredibly grateful, but I have to be honest, we want our own home. We fasted and prayed 21 days for it in January and we really thought we would have a home at the end of the fast, but it didn't happen. Then we prayed and Paul felt God had said by February 14, but then that didn't happen. And so each month that goes by, we are like, "God. What's up? Why do we not have our own home yet?" And we have no answer. So we fall back on the proverbial it's just not time yet. It's all in God's time. That's true, it is all in His time, but He promised us a home and it's so very hard to not have our own space.

So I open up my Bible to find something to share and I open back up to Exodus 14:10-16. I should be able to quote it now, I have read through this passage so much this year. It was encouraging in verse 14 when it says, "The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." Yes! Fight and prevail like only You can, Jesus. But then in this moment I am not seeing that verse jump off the page. Right now I know Holy Spirit wants me to see something else on this page.

You may remember I shared Exodus 14:15 where the children cried out and so Moses cried out to God on their behalf and He said to Moses, (paraphrased) "Why are you crying to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to GO FORWARD!" And that was encouraging to me. I felt like moving forward included a new house and that was so exciting to me. I was really uplifted by this passage! It was so good. And yet as I read through these verses again tonight, that verse is not highlighted either. So I think okay, what are You trying to tell me God? What am I missing in this passage because You keep bringing it to my attention? So here we are.

In verse 10 the children of Israel saw Pharaoh draw near and they saw the Egyptians marching behind him. It scared them! A lot! And they cried out unto the LORD. I wonder what they said. Did they ask for His protection? Did they just scream in desperation? Because the next verse they cave. They were like, "Why kill us here in the wilderness when we could have died in Egypt?" In verse 12 they are so discouraged and feel so defeated they tell Moses, "We asked you to leave us alone and let us be slaves in Egypt. It was better in Egypt with the torture and poor treatment than to die here in the wilderness." Wow! The religious Bridgett could be so judgmental here. Right? The ones who think they have it all figured out could be so arrogant and proclaim, "The nerve! Listen to the way they spoke to Moses and after all he did to free them from bondage." But broken and wounded Bridgett sees it different.

I am not so different. I am upset that I had to leave my beautiful ocean and my home that I loved and friends I cared about. I miss my church and the hugs and the smiles. I miss teaching the kids and I miss the closeness of being with my husband and our kids. But Alabama was hard. It was hard and it was sad sometimes. We missed our family and friends in Indiana. I missed the fall season. I missed the familiar. I missed knowing where I was going without a GPS all of the time. But I accepted the move didn't I? I'm not so sure now. I moved here but I keep thinking back to Alabama and my home. My bedroom. My bookshelf. My craft cabinet. My kitchen. My pantry. My bathroom. I miss the provision God gave me. Is my heart grieving for the provision when I have the Provider? God forgive me!

I am afraid. Moses tells the scared children of Israel not to fear. I need to remember that God is in control. He promised us a beautiful home and I am going to believe He is a Promise Keeper. He is a Way Maker. It is so hard in the waiting. When the days turn to weeks and the weeks into months, it gets harder and harder to believe the promise is coming, but God is not a man that He should lie. He is going to keep His promise to us. And I need to stop letting fear bring me down. I have to let go of the past. I need to thank Him for the provision He gave us and remember He has always made a way for us and He will do it again. In His perfect time.

Please pray for me this weekend. As you sit in your favorite chair, open your own refrigerator, cook your favorite meal, organize your closet, or relax in your own bed, please say a prayer for me and my family. Please pray that we will hold on to hope and not let go. Pray that we will have the strength to see it through and that God will not delay the promise much longer!

If you are going through something, too, please drop me a comment or email me and let me know. I will pray for you too. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Blessed Mourning | Thankful Thursday

Jesus said in Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." What an incredible statement. When you have lost nothing, and nothing has been taken from you recently, it sounds so beautiful and encouraging. It seems like it is a wonderful promise that maybe when someone you love dies it won't hurt as bad. But that is not the promise. Maybe it makes us think that we, as believers, get a pass on the grieving process, but that simply is not true. It is not what Jesus is saying at all.

Jesus said the people that grieve, no matter what that loss looks like, regardless of what the object is, be it a loved one, a beloved pet, a job, an opportunity, finances, physical health, mental health, it could be anything at all, --those people are blessed. Blessed?? It sure doesn't feel like I'm blessed when I lose something or someone. But if we just stop at Blessed are they that mourn and we don't read the rest of the sentence we miss the whole point. It sounds kind of cruel almost to bless someone because they are grieving. Why are we blessed? Why did Jesus call us blessed when we mourn?

The promise is not that we will never hurt, or that we won't ever have hard times. Jesus told us in the Gospels that in this world we would have trouble. In John 16:33, in the red letters, Jesus again speaking says, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The reason we are blessed when we mourn is because we have Hope, the Blessed Hope. We have Jesus and He has given us a promise from His own mouth in Matthew that promises we SHALL be comforted. We will be consoled. We will be cared for in the lowest moments, in the lowest valleys. Jesus told us a couple chapters back in John 14:16-18 "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

Now do you see where the mourners are blessed with Comfort? Jesus is coming to each and every one of us that serve Him and He through the Holy Spirit comforts us. He is the Comforter! That is why we can face the uncertainty of tomorrow and all fear can be gone because Jesus lives. He lives inside each of His children and He is comforting those that mourn.

This Thankful Thursday I am thankful for my cousin, Tim. I am thankful that I knew him and that he loved me and cared for me and gave me some wonderful memories. He nicknamed me, "Bridgett the Midget" when I was a little kid. I understand the term "midget" is not politically correct but he just called me that because I was a short kid and it rhymed. It was just in jest. I am thankful for the privilege to be able to hold his hand and pray over him and I know God moved on Tim's behalf. I am thankful for the power of prayer and for what God can do. I am thankful that Jesus is alive and that means we have HOPE because Tim placed his faith in God. He received his license to minister and preached last Sunday. Now he is Home. Everything he lived for in these last days of his life... the message he shared with his whole heart... he gets to see the fruit of his labor as he now is in the presence of the Lord. the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

It may seem strange that on this Thankful Thursday I am grateful for this topic, but I am thankful that I do not mourn like the world who is without hope. I have the blessed assurance that Tim is in a far better place than I am. He is with God and he has no more cancer, no more sickness, no more pain, no more suffering, no more swelling, no more torment. He saw through a glass darkly but now face to face. It just encourages me to draw nearer to God. Lord, help us all be ready when You call our name. We must labor while we have the chance, friends. Work now while you can. We are not promised tomorrow and one day it will be over. Our fighting and striving for the good fight we are battling in this life will be over and we will have Jesus welcome us in to His paradise. What a day that will be!

I am 42 years old and most of my family has died now, the majority of them through some type of cancer. It has swept through our family swiftly and there are very few of us left, many are not in good health that remain. I do not take my days on earth lightly. If I could have one wish, one desire, one goal it would be to reach the whole world for Jesus Christ. It would be that I would tell everyone about the goodness of God. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. He is loving and kind and quick to forgive. Jesus already paid for your salvation. It is free. It is yours just by putting your trust in Him. Have you done that? If you have, I am so thankful! Let's help encourage one another, pray for and uplift each other on our journey we have left. If you haven't, please don't wait. You never know when time is up. Please do not put off making the best decision you could ever make. Ask Jesus to be your Savior. Tell Him that you believe Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for your sins. Confess with your mouth that you believe Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and now is alive forevermore. If you ask Him to forgive you of your sins and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you are saved. It is that easy! It is that free! But don't stop there.

Find a church that is teaching from the Holy Bible and get yourself a Bible. Tell me if you need a Bible and I will make sure you have one. Read it every single day. Pray and ask Holy Spirit to help you understand what it means. It is spiritually discerned so that means you cannot read it like a regular book. You need Him to give you wisdom and knowledge to help you understand it. Surround yourself with other believers and if you have the opportunity to get baptized in Jesus' name then do that! Give your life to Jesus and you will soon see that your life changes. You will make better choices and you may have to change who you spend time with. You will lose your desire for the things you once craved in this world but you will get a hunger and a thirst for His righteousness and the Bible says you will be filled! You will never regret making Jesus the Lord of your life. You will never be the same.

I am thankful Jesus saved me with His merciful grace. He loves me and He has never given up on me. I would have given up on me by now but Jesus never does. He loves us all so much He gave His life for us. Do not wait another minute to ask Him into your heart.

I pray something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Happy Birthday Paul | Bible Study

Today my family and I celebrate and honor (my husband), (their father) Paul on his birthday! I have had the privilege to celebrate 20 times with this amazing man. Known by many as a gentle giant (6’ 4”), allow me to share who my husband really is.

Paul is a wonderful man. He goes out of his way to help others. If there is a need, he is quick to jump in. He is compassionate, favors the underdog, and always quick to encourage someone who feels down.

Paul is a loving father and devoted husband. He prays and then has faith to wait on God to work things out. He leads our family as God leads him. He teaches us the Scriptures and shows us how to rely on God.

Paul may seem like the perfect man from the way I describe him. He is human; and he has flaws but I choose to look beyond that to the many strengths he has. He helps at church with parking cars and does so with as much enthusiasm and excitement as he had when teaching youth. We have been in youth ministry and Kids’ Min. for two decades!!! He has served as greeter, even though he is shy. He has been an usher and collected the offering. He has been in security for more than one church. He has helped me teach little bitty kids up through teenagers and he always has a soft spot for kids and babies! 

Please help me celebrate this wonderful man of God. Wish him a happy birthday!!! I hope it begins and ends with blessings and joy!

The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, to "Rejoice evermore." It says, "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, Happy is he." Proverbs 16:20 "When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Proverbs 16:7 "I have found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go." Song of Solomon 3:4

God blessed me so much with a wonderful man to do life with. He is my very best friend. He is my leader, the priest of our household, and the one my soul loves. Thank You Jesus for giving him to me! Happy birthday Paul! I love you big ole stinkin’ bunches!

~Bridgett.... (Your Blue)

Happy Thanksgiving | Thankful Thursday

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.

Friends, my heart is FULL of gratitude this Thanksgiving. Imagine Thanksgiving 2020 in the midst of a Pandemic, God is still moving, He is still working, and He is still blessing. He is still GOOD! 

This Thanksgiving looks so different for me and my family. God has given me new perspective on those who are alone during the holidays. My heart has always gone out to those who have no one to celebrate with. This year I get to see firsthand how lonely and hard it really is, and even in my situation I am not totally alone.

My children are in Indiana, celebrating Thanksgiving with their grandparents, and visiting family and friends. My heart is full of gratitude that they were given this opportunity. I'm thankful for my family who is still with us this year and I am thankful for all the memories I have of those who are not. Since our children are in Indiana, Paul and I planned to spend Thanksgiving with my mother and my aunt in Florida. I am very grateful to still have my mother and it's not as far to their home in Florida than it was to my mother's home in Indiana. I am also extremely thankful that I am able to celebrate with my husband, Paul. It's our 20th Thanksgiving together.

I was exposed to Covid at my new job. Four days later I developed symptoms like Covid and two days ago I lost my sense of smell and taste. I am unable to get tested but I have self-quarantined and thus I am not able to go visit my family because I don't want to spread this to anyone else. My husband stays in another room and thankfully there is a bathroom here in our bedroom, so I don't venture out of this room much. It is lonely and honestly it feels more lonely when Paul is home from work, because we talk from down the hall or sometimes he calls me on the phone! But I am not wallowing in self-pity. I am not the only one affected by this crazy illness and many are far worse than I am. I am very blessed and thankful for all the things I do have.

Today we unexpectedly got an early paycheck. That was such a blessing! Paul went to get us a nice lunch since we did not buy anything for a Thanksgiving feast as we planned to be out of town. I am thankful for the workers at Golden Corral who provided a delicious - I'm guessing - meal for my husband and I. We ate in different rooms but I am grateful for a hot meal and a big cup of sweet tea!

So even though I am banished to my bedroom and it's not the same traditions we have had in the past, I am so thankful for a home, a meal, and the love of those who care about me and are praying for me. (Please ignore the way I look. Real life people! LOL)

PHILIPPIANS 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

EPHESIANS 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

COLOSSIANS 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

PSALMS 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

PSALMS 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

No, this Thanksgiving may not be like we imagined it to be, or wanted it to be, or even prayed it would be. There may be empty chairs around the table from relatives who are no longer with us, those who cannot come because of sickness or shelter-in-place regulations, maybe distance has kept others away, and maybe it is relationship-strain, or whatever the case may be. Please know I am praying for those who are lonely and isolated and feel forgotten or abandoned or ignored. I am praying for God to cover you all with His grace and mercy and love and remind you that you are loved and never forgotten!

To the ones reading this and you may be in a house full of people or a crowded gathering but still feel alone. You may have a beautiful home, a delicious meal, and all the appearances of good things but something is still missing. Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? If He isn't, please accept His free gift of salvation today. Material possessions and experiences can never replace the emptiness we feel when we are separated from God. He is a good, good Father. Regardless of how your earthly father has treated you, God is a wonderful, loving, kind, and generous Father. He adores you and sent His only Son Jesus to die for your sins. What a great time to open your heart to the love of the Father!

I am rejoicing in spite of the situation this year. God woke me up and gave me JOY and it's down in my soul bubbling up. I know this too shall pass and things will change again in the future but if we cling to the unchanging hand of God, we can experience Thanksgiving every day of the year! So from my children: Kadesia and Javan in Indiana...

...and from Paul and me in Alabama...

...we wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens