Thankful

Thankful is a word that describes me, my life and ministry, every day. As I considered what to write, I thought about all the people God has brought into my life and ministry who have made a huge difference for Jesus. I began to think of the names, Terry, Pat, Loretta, Murdo, Ted, Clarence, Carlene, Allen, Don, Karen, and Bob. You may know some of these people, but you probably do not know many of them. As I look back over my life, I realize that God has used some people who are not thought to be important in the world. They were not important in the world, but they have been very important in my life. These people (and many others) affected many of the major decisions of my life. Why am I telling you this today? I am thankful for these people because I don’t think any of them thought they were very important. They were just being faithful to God when God used them in my life. They were not planning to change the world, but God used them to change my life. Today, you don’t know whom you will meet along your normal walk. But, God does know whom you will meet, and He will be sure to put people along your path that He plans for you to influence for Him. The key is being ready to walk with God every day, so that when you meet people, you can do things that will help to change their lives. We cannot change anyone with our wisdom. That is why it is so important that we spend time in the Word of God every day, to know the thoughts that God has for us. If we are going to make a difference in the life of someone, we need God to make a difference in us first. God can do amazing things with common, ordinary people like us. I am thankful for the many common and ordinary people who have made a difference in my life. As I think about being thankful for others, I want to be sure that I live in such a way that someone will be thankful for having met and known me. I want to live like Jesus today and every day to influence others for Christ.