Thankful in the New Year

At the New Year is a good time to look back at the last year, evaluating how we did, thanking the Lord for what He did.

Psalm 103
Of David.
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

It’s interesting hearing what the Congolese thank the Lord for. They thank Him they are still alive. They are grateful for their health. They praise God that their country didn’t have a war this year. Just a different level of seeing things than the average American.

Being here also leads me to see things a bit differently. I too am so thankful for my health. I praise God I haven’t had malaria! I’m grateful for personal safety and that I don’t feel threatened. I’m happy I come from a country where sexual activity at a young age is discouraged rather than encouraged. I’m glad my family doesn’t put pressure on me to get married and have babies. I feel blessed to have received so much good Christian teaching and biblical instruction. I thank the Lord that the food I eat doesn’t make me sick. I’m full of joy at the thought of all the people I know, both here and at home. So much to be thankful for.

This year I have learned to live in Congo. I got to study Lingala. I found a new church home with a pastor I love and young girls to minister to. My sister had a healthy and delightful baby whose name I picked out! I joined a Congolese music group. I made it through hard times with the help of the Lord. I got to go to Switzerland on vacation and taste the amazing grace of the Lord towards me.

I hope you too can look back over the last year and just breathe a happy sigh of gratitude for all that the Lord has done. Forget not all his benefits!