Today, as many of you did, I gathered around the table with loved ones. We said a prayer of thanksgiving for so many more blessings than I can begin to count.
One of the biggest blessings for which I'm am grateful is Harper's continued good health.
My husband and I pray daily for her good health.
Our parents pray daily for her good health.
Her aunts and uncles and cousins pray daily for her to remain healthy.
Numerous friends, our youth group, and students pray regularly as well.
This list of people makes sense to me.
I have grown to expect these prayers. I covet these prayers and rely fully on these prayers. These are the prayers that carried my new mother's heart through the first few months of Harper's life when we didn't know what to expect with her diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis. These are the prayers that comforted us once we came to grips with the journey we had before us as new parents. These are the prayers that went up in place of my prayers when I was too tired and weak to pray. These prayers mean the world to me.
These prayers carry me through.
What blows my mind is the number of prayers that go up on Harper's behalf from people I've never met. We were told today that there are numerous individual ladies, ladies' Bible classes, families, and prayer groups that keep on their prayer lists. Every time they prayer, they personally mention Harper to our Father in Heaven. They, like my family and I, pray daily for Harper's health. These are people who fall in the "friend-of-a-friend" category. What a blessing!
Today I'm especially thankful for these prayers.
All around us, people are grasping for a sense of belonging. The world is in a constant state of turmoil. Because of the grasp that Satan has on the people of this world, we hear story after story of people hurting people. We see images violence and hate plastered all over our television and computer screens.
Individuals lash out at their fellow citizens because of sin.
At a time in our world when there is so much to fear, God provides his children with so much for which to be grateful. God provides a sense of belonging. God provides a sense of purpose to His children. As Christians, we are connected to our brothers and sisters in other countries because of His love for us. We have the privilege of praying for complete strangers because someone we know loves them enough to share the need. God gives us this.
Today, I said a prayer of thanksgiving.
I am thankful for a Father who provides us with this sense of belonging.
I am thankful for the prayers of the Saints.
Today, I am thankful for the prayers of Strangers.
Psalm 69:30 - "I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving."
For what are you thankful today?
How can I pray for you or your family?
Comment below. I would love to pass this blessing forward by praying for you or someone whom you love.
