every monday, i like to link up with ember grey for her grateful heart monday link-up. we post about things that we're grateful for that day, and it's an awesome way to start off your week. since my birthday was on sunday, i took yesterday to offer a giveaway to all of you lovely readers, so this week, it's grateful heart tuesday!
typically, i write up a little list of things i'm grateful for. i like finding gratitude in the everyday, in a cup of coffee or a parking space. but this week, i just feel like my heart is brimming.
i got to spend this past weekend at the beach with my church's youth ministry. after being on staff with them for over two years and now going into my third year of being a small group leader, this ministry is particularly dear to my heart. we took close to 300 6th-12th graders to new jersey for a weekend of fun and of meeting with jesus. i'm going to be honest, i wasn't looking forward to it on friday. i was already tired from a busy week, fighting a cold, and just wanted sleep, which i was not going to get.
but friends, jesus is good. i'm firmly convinced that he allows us to get to the places where we feel most useless so that he can use us for his glory. walls were broken down this year at that beach. kids met jesus; kids were baptized; kids worshipped and prayed and were prayed for. his presence was just so sweet, ya know? it was the kind of sweet that i just wanted to sit in for forever.
so that's just one thing i'm grateful for this week. i'm grateful for the opportunity to lead a small group and pour into the girls that i get to lead. i'm grateful for all that they teach me. i'm grateful for the freedom to worship my god and for a community that is seeking after him wholeheartedly.
oh, and i'm grateful for other things, like birthdays and being 25 (which just feels different than 24), and for ice cream and for trips to boston (tomorrow!) and for accountability partners (looking at you, leeenda!), and for big suitcases that make packing easier, and for a great team at work, and for fall (because it's here!).
but today? today, i'm the most grateful for jesus. because he is so, so good.
so stop by the grateful heart link-up …i encourage you to go check it out, read some of the other posts, and consider participating! if posting on a monday doesn't suit your blogging schedule, good news! the link-up is open all week long!
what are you grateful for today?
wonderful testimony and what a fantastic weekend :) He is so GOOD & TRUE!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an amazing trip! God is so so good :)
ReplyDeleteI have read it! It's such a good book...I love Ann!!
ReplyDelete:) This is so awesome. PRAISE!!! Sounds like such an amazing weekend. I'll be saying a prayer for those kids as they head back to school (and back into "the real world") this week. Have so much fun in Boston!! :)
ReplyDeletei read that book too! and that's one of the reasons i've started practicing gratitude.
ReplyDeletehappy (belated) birthday! :) sounds like such a great trip. i feel like that always happens to me.. right before something amazing happens.. i feel tired and lazy or something bad happens that makes me not want to go.. but in hindsight it always ends up being good. haha or even church on sundays.. every saturday night i just want to watch an extra episode of something on netflix. :P
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