Published Nov. 24, 2009

Paul's Epistle...
"Thoughts of Thanks - #1"

Wow. Last week I sent out an e-mail asking for a very concise statement of what you're especially thankful for this Thanksgiving. I was overwhelmed, to say the least. Within 48 hours of my e-mail, I received 368 thoughtful responses. Thank you! And they're still pouring in.

I promised to share some with you, and that's exactly what I'll do – although I've expanded it to this week and next week as well – and I still will only be able to give you a small sampling of the responses I've received, all of which I have read and thoroughly appreciated.

Here's today's selection, in no particular order:

• "The greatest thing I can be thankful for is knowing Jesus as my personal Savior. He is the one who gives me the life I have and without him I would not have anything to be thankful for." – Mary Ashworth
• "For the usual (salvation, family, Christian friends, health, etc.) but [also] for prayer. Isn't it wonderful that we can speak to our heavenly Father any time and anywhere and know that He hears and cares and will answer according to His will!" – Betty Hammons, LA
• "I found out last year at this time I had cancer. Even though my type has no cure and I am one in three million, God has been good. I truly know the Lord is in charge and even though this was a shock to us it was not to him. To God be the glory." – Bruce S.
• "I'm thankful for my pastor that still stands up for God's way and preaches the Gospel, not changing for the world's political correctness!" – L. W., Indianapolis, IN
• "My husband was placed on the heart transplant list and we are waiting for that special gift; due to our hardship situation, our mortgage company reduced our house payment by almost $1,000! What a blessing!" – J. H.
• "This will be my first Thanksgiving without my Mom who passed away in August, so I am very thankful that I have a heavenly Father who prepared a special place for her and that I haven't lost her; we're only separated for a very short while." – Nancy R., Greensboro, NC
• "I'm thankful that God is in control when it seems our country is going downhill at a fast rate of speed." – Darryl D.
• "I am thankful for Southern Gospel music. Because of Who the music is about, it has been a great source of hope and encouragement since by 20-month old son passed away suddenly in December 2004." – Tammy D.
• "I'm so grateful my daughter, Gracie, age five, gave her heart to the Lord in August of this year, while I was teaching about the Mercy Seat in children's church. Also, God has supplied all our needs." – Crystal C.
• "As I write this, my five-year old grandaughters (two of six - cousins) are on my living room floor, laughing, playing and wrestling, of course with Grandma fussing at them for being so noisy. Thank you Jesus!" – Robert Bogle
• "I am most thankful for Christian friends that step up to the plate when things are touch. On September 11th, I fell and broke my pelvic bone. I had to have surgery and could not put weight on that leg for 12 weeks. My Sunday School class stepped in and brought us a meal every other day for six weeks. What a blessing that was." – Marie
• "I'm most thankful for (1) my wonderful Savior and friend, Jesus, who willingly became the ultimate sacrifice for my sins. I'm thankful I can look forward to eternity in Heaven with Him. (2) My wonderful, loving, joyful, peaceful, understanding, gentle and faithful husband of 47 years! He's the best friend on this earth!" – Esther Mast
• "I'm thankful for answers to prayers I've been praying for over 20 years. This year both my oldest daughter and my son married wonderful Christian spouses. Thank you Lord!" – Doug Apple, Tallahassee, FL
• "[After open-heart surgery May 21st,] I'm thankful I'm back in the pulpit preaching the precious Word of God... [And] the one thing I added to the ‘top 100 things I've done in my life' [was] to open the Pennsylvania House session in prayer March 12. What a privilege and honor that was. Amidst some controversy, I open and closed the prayer in Jesus' wonderful, marvelous, precious name." – Don Hagen

We even had a few from artists whose names you'll know:

• "(1) This year and every year I'm thankful for common-sense parents who modeled it before me. (2) I'm thankful this year that I've become more and more aware of the most glorious patience and grace of God that refuses to let me get tooooo down on myself. I'm realizing He really does know ‘what's next'." – Ann Downing
• "Paul, my 82-year old dad, a retired minister of the Gospel, currently resides in a nursing home. He is very frail and in the last stages of dementia. However, I am so thankful that, contrary to the diagnosis of the disease, as of yesterday, my dad still knows who I am and will reach out his arms to hug me, and whispers, ‘I love you!' What a blessing!" – Sylvia Green (Bradys)
• "God has really used our ministry in a mighty way this year, so I guess my first thoughts of thankfulness lean to being a called servant of God. I'm thankful for my family, of course. Without their support I couldn't do what I do. I'm also thankful that we got to go to El Salvadore this year with Compassion International. It totally changed our lives and our ministry." – Rod Treme (Paul's Journey)
• "I am especially thankful for my singing and traveling partner, Vonnie. It is a true gift from God to be able to sing with your spouse and to encourage the ‘spares and pairs' in our concerts. We both had a pretty rocky road until the Lord merged our paths. Now we have each other to lean on, and to pray with! I am a blessed, thankful guy!" – Woody Wright

More next week! In the interim (if you're in the States), have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. And no matter where you are, remember always to have a thankful heart.

- Paul

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