Choosing Thankfulness
November 21st, 2011
The ladies of HeartSong
I classify thankfulness in my life as choosing to live with gratitude both proactively and reactively.
The idea of life is an amazing concept – How unique each person, family, experience, talent, language, and location is. Yet despite the differences and the incomparable backgrounds of each individual, God knows it all. He holds it all. He controls it all. For that assured control, I am thankful.
God doesn’t promise a life without struggle, but He said not to be anxious, completely understanding the human tendencies of anxiety. Whether it be grades, relationships with friends, or feelings of inadequacy, I am not supposed to be anxious, but rather rest in Him. What a refreshing and fulfilling response to anxiety. For that command and utterly amazing opportunity, I am thankful.
God is astoundingly creative. Two aspects of His creativity are present in my everyday life and they continue to amaze me. The first is my five senses. When I am lacking the sense of smell from a cold, I lose my sense of taste. When I get a numbing shot, I have to take extra caution to not unintentionally harm that area due to my lack of touch and nerves. When I can’t see, I rely on my hearing and vice versa. I am just amazed at how cool my senses really are and how easily I take them for granted. The second is the sky. Most people focus on sunrises and sunsets when mentioning the beauty of the sky. I agree, but I also like to focus on clouds. The memory card in my cell phone is completely full, mainly of pictures of the sky. I just cannot bring myself to delete them. They are all so different in color, texture, depth, shadow, and vibrancy. God’s SO creative and I can’t believe I am made in His image and given the opportunity to know more about Him! For that incredible creativity and relationship, I am thankful.
I have been blessed with an amazing family. My dad is very hard-working and thorough, but he will put aside what he needs to get done to help someone else. My mom is the most selfless person I’ve ever known. She is SO patient and very sensitive to others’ needs. My brothers and sisters are amazing. I have SO much fun with them. They are hilarious, genuinely loving, and so fun to be around. This will sound typical, but I seriously consider them my friends. They’re like the best of the best. Why I got them, I know not. For my wonderful family, I am thankful.
This year I have the opportunity to be a part of the HeartSong ministry. I know the ministry isn’t based on the enjoyment of those involved, but I have loved it! I love music and the people in the ministry, and I love the purpose of the ministry. I am so excited to continue this year with HeartSong, get to know the people on a more personal level, gain music experience, and most of all, watch God continue His work. For these opportunities, I am thankful.
The fact that Christ’s love for me “surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:16-19) is incredible. It’s unearthly. No matter how many moments I forget Him, He always remembers me. That’s why I am choosing thankfulness.
-Julie Zavodney