One morning, in a reflective mood, I washed and cut into a beautiful Gala apple. I thanked God for creating apples and then tried to think about and thank him for all the people and miraculous things that had happened for that apple to be planted, to be nurtured and to grow. I thanked him for the people who harvested my apple and prayed they had decent living conditions and wages. Also for the people who packed it, transported it, unloaded it, and put it out in the produce aisle to offer to me.
I think one thing COVID is teaching me is to TRY not to take things for granted. I try to look for at least one thing everyday that is truly miraculous and makes me smile and say hey to God.
I am grateful for this saying I read: Don’t let others gaslight your shine out of you. This past several months have been about finding my real Julie. I have spent so many years in my ministry, working for Christians conforming to a version of what is acceptable, and even in my own family dimming myself because I was just too bright for them... too much. I don’t want to live that way. My husband asked me “where is the woman I married who laughed and was full of joy and was adventurous?” And I had to think, every time I was told I laughed too loud, or lived too big, or wanted to do too much that person just went away.
I am grateful for these past few months that I have spent my time discovering who I am, who I want to be and what I want to do in my life. Its been a blessing but its also scary.
I am thankful that I have a beautiful 17 year old daughter. She left the house in a car that doesn't belong to her, without a drivers license and quit high school. I haven't seen her since the day of Yom Kippur. I am grateful that God promises to hold her in the palm of His hand, that He knew her before she was born and that He will never leave her nor forsake her. I am thankful that I won't say what I am not thankful for, because this is the season of mystery and thankfulness. I am thankful that God gave me a beautiful 17 year old daughter and she's still alive.
My daughter is in an abusive relationship that is tearing her apart. We have done everything to support her getting out multiple times. We had a 5 month break where I rejoiced in the peace and seeing her come back to life. But here we are again and I don’t know how to function watching her spiral. I am broken for her. And there’s nothing I can do but keep loving her but it’s destroying me too. Please pray for an end to this cycle. She’s in counseling and on meds and has a support system but even her friends are exhausted. I want to take a break but don’t know how to do that and be there for her. She still lives with us but is 18. Trying to be thankful she still talks to us and is keeping our relationship but if the pattern holds we will be the enemy at some point when her girlfriend turns her. Our church of 20 years felt it would be better for us if we worshiped somewhere else. I have been crushed on every side it seems. But I’ll be looking for something to be thankful for because I found your honesty to be balm for my soul. Thanks Nadia.
Praying over you. Praying Shalom over your Home. Praying for your daughter. Praying that YOU have the support that you need to navigate life with an 18yo daughter - it can be heartbreaking, treacherous territory.
I am grateful for my socially distanced road trip (weird but effective) that took me to my dear 9 month old grandson Noah (because of COVID we haven't met since he was a few weeks old). It took us about 5 seconds to become each others' person. Joy.
Grateful for Pastor Nadia who reassured me that my humanness is okay by showing hers. Thank you, Nadia, for your weekly prayers that meet me where I live.
Yo, God! So, remember that time three years ago when I decided it'd be a good idea to take a road trip alone with 20 days of sobriety, and I lost my debit card six states away from home in a town where I knew absolutely nobody with half a tank of gas left? And remember how as I sat sobbing in the car wondering what I was going to do, you planted the idea that Uncle Jon - who I hadn't talked to in YEARS - might have a suggestion. And even though I didn't even know if I had the right number for him, or if he would want to talk to me at all since I'd pretty well destroyed my relationship with my whole family, I called him up and he answered on the second ring and came to my rescue with unconditional love and an ever calming spirit. Well, thank you for devising a way to humble me enough to reach out to my family. The past three years have been amazing getting to know each other again.
And, then, God, remember how a year ago when I got ALL the way to the final round of interviews for my dream job as a flight attendant, but didn't get the job? I was so devastated. But you put another job - albeit a tech based office job that would put me at a desk 8 hours a day - right in my path within 48 hours of that rejection. It wasn't what I wanted, but had it not been for you looking out for me in ways I couldn't possibly have known about - I could have been just starting out a job as a flight attendant at the onset of a global pandemic instead of working safely from home with solid job security.
God, these are just two examples of the ways you work in my life without me even knowing that you're there. I know that you are here working within me today, planting seeds in the night that I won't be able to see until some time passes and the sun rises. Please, God, let me have the same kind of faith in you and your presence in my life right now, in this moment through the fear and the pain, as I do in hindsight when I can see the results of your long-term projects in my life.
Thank you for sharing. Your testimony brought me much needed joy. You reminded me of the tactile/tangible beauty of God’s goodness. That God is not just an idea but a God for all our senses. As it says in psalms(? I think), ‘Taste and see the Lord is good’. Thanks again and thanks be to God.
I am so very thankful to have a job after not working for a year, a boss that lets my creativity to run wild and who respects me and makes me feel wanted. I’m thankful for a few wonderful friends who love me for me. Even the messy parts. I’m thankful for a warm house and food in the fridge. I’m thankful for my little Shih Tzu Chanel that makes life better by giving me the most unconditional love. And Nadia I’m thankful for you. I don’t want to sound corny or cliche by saying that but I am. Your wonderful and your words have changed my life. Thank you.
I am grateful to have gone back to work after a long break to care for my mental health. That in spite of all of my fears we made it through and I made it back to an amazing team. Thankful.
One morning, in a reflective mood, I washed and cut into a beautiful Gala apple. I thanked God for creating apples and then tried to think about and thank him for all the people and miraculous things that had happened for that apple to be planted, to be nurtured and to grow. I thanked him for the people who harvested my apple and prayed they had decent living conditions and wages. Also for the people who packed it, transported it, unloaded it, and put it out in the produce aisle to offer to me.
I think one thing COVID is teaching me is to TRY not to take things for granted. I try to look for at least one thing everyday that is truly miraculous and makes me smile and say hey to God.
I am grateful for this saying I read: Don’t let others gaslight your shine out of you. This past several months have been about finding my real Julie. I have spent so many years in my ministry, working for Christians conforming to a version of what is acceptable, and even in my own family dimming myself because I was just too bright for them... too much. I don’t want to live that way. My husband asked me “where is the woman I married who laughed and was full of joy and was adventurous?” And I had to think, every time I was told I laughed too loud, or lived too big, or wanted to do too much that person just went away.
I am grateful for these past few months that I have spent my time discovering who I am, who I want to be and what I want to do in my life. Its been a blessing but its also scary.
Wishing you joy and adventure on your voyage of discovery.
p.s. i’m learning to use the word “too” as a warning for judgment to come. And to embrace those parts of me that are “too” much for others
I am grateful for my new leg (prosthesis). Learning to walk again.
Awesome thanksgiving with you!
I am thankful that I have a beautiful 17 year old daughter. She left the house in a car that doesn't belong to her, without a drivers license and quit high school. I haven't seen her since the day of Yom Kippur. I am grateful that God promises to hold her in the palm of His hand, that He knew her before she was born and that He will never leave her nor forsake her. I am thankful that I won't say what I am not thankful for, because this is the season of mystery and thankfulness. I am thankful that God gave me a beautiful 17 year old daughter and she's still alive.
I join my prayers for your daughter with yours. God is faithful.
My daughter is in an abusive relationship that is tearing her apart. We have done everything to support her getting out multiple times. We had a 5 month break where I rejoiced in the peace and seeing her come back to life. But here we are again and I don’t know how to function watching her spiral. I am broken for her. And there’s nothing I can do but keep loving her but it’s destroying me too. Please pray for an end to this cycle. She’s in counseling and on meds and has a support system but even her friends are exhausted. I want to take a break but don’t know how to do that and be there for her. She still lives with us but is 18. Trying to be thankful she still talks to us and is keeping our relationship but if the pattern holds we will be the enemy at some point when her girlfriend turns her. Our church of 20 years felt it would be better for us if we worshiped somewhere else. I have been crushed on every side it seems. But I’ll be looking for something to be thankful for because I found your honesty to be balm for my soul. Thanks Nadia.
Prayers, holding space for you, and for her, praying for strength and wisdom will prevail.
I pray with you.
I am so sorry for your pain coming from so many directions. Prayers coming your way. Hang in there.
My heart breaks for you. I'm so sorry.
Praying over you. Praying Shalom over your Home. Praying for your daughter. Praying that YOU have the support that you need to navigate life with an 18yo daughter - it can be heartbreaking, treacherous territory.
I am grateful for my socially distanced road trip (weird but effective) that took me to my dear 9 month old grandson Noah (because of COVID we haven't met since he was a few weeks old). It took us about 5 seconds to become each others' person. Joy.
I'm grateful for the unshakeable feeling that God is sure about me, even in the days (years) that I'm not so sure about God.
Grateful for Pastor Nadia who reassured me that my humanness is okay by showing hers. Thank you, Nadia, for your weekly prayers that meet me where I live.
Amen
Yo, God! So, remember that time three years ago when I decided it'd be a good idea to take a road trip alone with 20 days of sobriety, and I lost my debit card six states away from home in a town where I knew absolutely nobody with half a tank of gas left? And remember how as I sat sobbing in the car wondering what I was going to do, you planted the idea that Uncle Jon - who I hadn't talked to in YEARS - might have a suggestion. And even though I didn't even know if I had the right number for him, or if he would want to talk to me at all since I'd pretty well destroyed my relationship with my whole family, I called him up and he answered on the second ring and came to my rescue with unconditional love and an ever calming spirit. Well, thank you for devising a way to humble me enough to reach out to my family. The past three years have been amazing getting to know each other again.
And, then, God, remember how a year ago when I got ALL the way to the final round of interviews for my dream job as a flight attendant, but didn't get the job? I was so devastated. But you put another job - albeit a tech based office job that would put me at a desk 8 hours a day - right in my path within 48 hours of that rejection. It wasn't what I wanted, but had it not been for you looking out for me in ways I couldn't possibly have known about - I could have been just starting out a job as a flight attendant at the onset of a global pandemic instead of working safely from home with solid job security.
God, these are just two examples of the ways you work in my life without me even knowing that you're there. I know that you are here working within me today, planting seeds in the night that I won't be able to see until some time passes and the sun rises. Please, God, let me have the same kind of faith in you and your presence in my life right now, in this moment through the fear and the pain, as I do in hindsight when I can see the results of your long-term projects in my life.
Amen.
Thank you for sharing. Your testimony brought me much needed joy. You reminded me of the tactile/tangible beauty of God’s goodness. That God is not just an idea but a God for all our senses. As it says in psalms(? I think), ‘Taste and see the Lord is good’. Thanks again and thanks be to God.
Isn't God amazing? Thank you for sharing your struggle and the ways that God intervenes in your life.
Thank you for the gift of a palate to enjoy wine tasting in Oregon wine country this weekend with my husband.
For 25 years with said spouse, 11 years kinda shitty, the last 14 kinda awesome. You inhabit our marriage now, and said "It is good".
Thank you for Zoloft and Xanax and a family that loves me through my anxiety and depression episodes.
I'm Eternally Grateful. And fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you.
Echo thankful for good science to help us navigate our mental health needs!
Amen to Zoloft and Xanax. Depression is real and I hear you.
This morning I am grateful for fresh coffee, The Corners, and Golden Girls reruns.
COFFEEEEEEE, YEAH. BOY, am I glad somebody figured out how to make COFFEEEEEE!!!!
I am grateful for courageous people speaking truth to power and privilege.
I am grateful for indoor plumbing and central heating.
I am grateful for the mental hospital which is giving my child a safe place to be while battling psychosis.
I am grateful for people showing kindness.
I am grateful for each breath.
I am grateful for fear which reminds me to pray and lean into God.
I am grateful for anger which reminds me to work for change.
I am grateful for happiness which gives me a taste of eternal life.
Thanks be to God!
In this hunker-down time, I am grateful for:
The USPS for soldiering on and carrying letters and cards to and from my friends distant and dug in
WiFi for everything
Grocery stores that pack up my food orders
My little animal kingdom that reminds me of the love and stewardship I am enjoined to give
Nadia’s heart-to-heart prayers that teach me how to talk to God
I am grateful that posts (like yours) remind and reconnect me to gratefulness while acknowledging and validating rage and fear💙🙏🏼
I am so very thankful to have a job after not working for a year, a boss that lets my creativity to run wild and who respects me and makes me feel wanted. I’m thankful for a few wonderful friends who love me for me. Even the messy parts. I’m thankful for a warm house and food in the fridge. I’m thankful for my little Shih Tzu Chanel that makes life better by giving me the most unconditional love. And Nadia I’m thankful for you. I don’t want to sound corny or cliche by saying that but I am. Your wonderful and your words have changed my life. Thank you.
I am grateful to have gone back to work after a long break to care for my mental health. That in spite of all of my fears we made it through and I made it back to an amazing team. Thankful.