If you are like me, your life is filled with many challenges and trials. They absorb our attention, occupy our mind, and often overcome our emotions. The very nature of life here on earth is trial and trouble. That’s the tragic impact of sin on our existence in this world. As I get older they seem to increase with each passing year. So many things in life do not turn out the way we anticipated or hoped they would. It’s easy to lose our perspective. Yet, perspective is what we need most of all. One of my life secrets is regularly reviewing my tangible reasons for Thanksgiving. I set before me things I have to be thankful for, and they sustain me, and give me joy and encouragement.
Here, then, are some of my reasons for Thanksgiving this holiday 2025!
I have the Lord and the Lord has me. I love this verse: “I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth.” What an indescribable treasure we have in God. What an incredible privilege to know, every moment I live here on earth, I am walking in the very presence of God, who loves me, and He doesn’t miss a single detail of my life. He’s got it all figured out. He hears and answers every prayer.
One day in the not too distant future I will put off this body of suffering once and for all. I will be free of all trouble, pain, sorrow, sickness, disappointment, injustice, and lies. All of that will be replaced with unending joy, peace, vitality, health, perfection, breathtaking beauty, perfect truth, and justice—living in a brand new everlasting body, and a brand new heaven, and a brand new earth. There will be no problems whatsoever, for all eternity. Never a drop of sin or unrighteousness to contend with.
I can see and I can hear, still! “Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the Lord.” What a blessing to be able to see, to take in the beauty of God’s creation, and to see with my own eyes those I love. To hear the birds on my deck sing, or watch the little squirrels come to my deck door window and get their daily peanuts. To see the eagles soar above our yard. To see and hear my grandchildren and their delightful little selves.
The other day I shared with my wife, that $600 trailer that our family of 5 lived in for 4 years in the early 80’s, today with inflation would be an $1800 trailer! Can you imagine, who would live in that today? Yet, here we are all those years later in a home I didn’t imagine, the Lord has given us to live in. In August of 2018, a group of friends, out of their extreme generosity and immense kindness, repainted, remodeled, and refurbished the entire inside of our little home. They did all the work, provided all the materials, and went out and found all the unique furnishings and arranged them in our home, and gave it all as a gift to us. We walk around every day enveloped in their kindness, and God’s love to us through them. Every day, in prayer with my wife, I thank God for all of it!
I get to work from my own home office. I don’t have to get out in traffic, drive through tons of snow, or deal with fools on the road. I am so thankful to God for this wonderful blessing.
I have been amazed at how God has cared for us in such a very personal way in our older years. I had no idea the kind of health care and dental care we would have access to now through our Medicare Advantage plan. My wife’s doctor’s office was just built less than a mile from our house. A new Trader Joe’s was recently built a mile behind our house. My wife was able to join the Y and Lifetime Fitness at no charge through the SilverSneakers program.
Each week my wife receives wonderful chiropractic care from Dr. Eric. He has been a godsend.
A few years ago, the government sent out rebate checks for their Covid shutdown. I wish, of course, they had never shut anything down, but just as they sent them out, my AC unit went kaput. We had just enough from that rebate to have a new AC installed. We are extremely grateful for cool air when we need it. We lived most of our adult lives without AC, so this is a huge blessing.
I love our simple, uncomplicated life these days. It has been such a blessing. I am grateful for the solitude of my work, the eternal purpose of my ministry, and the joy of helping others.
I am so grateful for hands to write with, hands to serve with, and hands that obey what my mind commands them to do. What a blessing to have hands that still work.
I’m so grateful for a wife who truly loves the Lord, who loves me, has stood by me, believed in me, defended me, supported me, and genuinely followed my leadership for the last 49 years.
I thank God for his daily provision for our needs, as it has been truly miraculous. As miraculous as the daily manna from heaven God sent for his people in the desert, those 40 years. I am reminded of it every day.
I am so grateful for the Wisdom of God and the things he has shown to me. It’s an extraordinary treasure.
I am exceedingly grateful for the unique way of life God has given to my wife and I. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Have a blessed and meaningful Thanksgiving. I encourage each of you in the midst of all your own challenges and trials, take some time, renew your perspective, and find your reasons for Thanksgiving this year. I am so grateful for each and every one of you!
Here is a photo from our home and some of what those friends did for us. I thought you’d enjoy seeing it.
Bless the Lord O my soul, and forget none of His benefits. He fills my life with good things! Psalm 103
