Thankful Thursdays

For the tools He provides.

Wow, what a start to 2020. Don’t know about you, but for my family this year has been quite eventful so far. Brings to mind the fact that adversity, like death (and taxes), is an unavoidable part of life. The struggles, the setbacks, the obstacles, it can all really suck. Life is ups and life is downs, ups and downs. There’s no escaping that. No one is immune.

Thankfully, we have help from an almighty source. Yup, I think right about now is a good time to remind myself, and anyone reading this, that God has equipped each and every one of us with tools to overcome hardships. Here’s what some of those tools look like to me:

Wisdom – the smarts to see that “it is what it is.”
Strength – the heart to confront it.
Courage – the nerve to do what must be done.
Patience – because adversity, as it turns out, is time-consuming.

In case you’re wondering if it’s easy to turn to these tools when troubles come, the answer is a big NO. I find it easier after I’ve had my temper/doubt/fear tantrums. Then I can ease into these gifts. If you’ve employed this method in the past to get through crappy times, you know it works. If you haven’t, go ahead, try it, reach faithfully for God’s tools and experience what you’ll be able to get through. I mean, really, what couldn’t we overcome if we could hear God whispering to us, ‘I am with you’? Well, God’s tools are His whisper. And for that, I am thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
-Matthew 17:20

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
-Philippians 4:12-13

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
-E. Kübler-Ross

Note: By the way, in case you’re not Spanglish-speaking, “si Dios quiere” means God-willing. Mom finished most of her sentences with that phrase. I added it to my sendoff in her honor after her passing].