Thankful....

I could write a longgggggggggggggggggggggg entry about the things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday. There are just so many and I truly could burst into tears at the thought of each one of them. Oh how blessed I am! But there is one this this season that has really stuck out for me. Oh I've known it for a long time but for some reason, it has really meant a lot to me this year.
I am beyond thankful for Jesus.
I'm not sure if I'm just in a season in my relationship with Him where our relationship is very real. Or if I depend on Him so much right now that I am seeing Him in everything. But I am. I am so thankful that this life is not it. Life brings me so much joy right now, the fact that what is to come is a million times better boggles my mind.
As a mom I also see so much of the devil too. The evil that is in this world that that in itself is enough to drive a mother out of her mind. But the reality that Jesus is here, and is in control bring such peace to me. He has already won! There is no uncertainty there is no anxiety when it comes to the end. And that my friends is worth the world to me.
This was part of our sermon last week but it has stuck with me everyday since I heard it. My whole life I have been "picked" on for being naive. Christians are pigeon holed as being naive, in denial, not living in reality, etc etc. If you have true joy, peace with the things this life brings you, by many, you are considered these things.
Our paster was called a year ago to the hospital because a couple in the church went in to deliver their baby, and ended up delivering a stillborn baby. He came by to pray with the family and show support. He said that it was overwhelming being in that room with a sweet family holding their deceased baby. As he prayed for them there were cries and sobs as one could expect. But then, one of the aunts started singing "How great is our God" and the entire room sang the song. When he left, the nurses outside were listening to everything. And you could tell on their faces that they were very confused and had the "they are in denial" look. But you see, these people were not in denial. They were heartbroken, they were hurt but they had hope. Hope that surpasses our normal understanding of the word. They knew the end. They knew that God was in control and that it was not over.
There was a study done and one group was told that they were going to be shocked every 2 minutes for an hour. The other group was told they would be shocked but not when or what to expect. Their vitals were recorded. The first group, even though they were shocked an upward of 20 times in that hour, they were pretty relaxed. The second group however had major anxiety, worry, stress, etc. The difference was the first group knew what to expect the second group had no idea what was going to happen. Just knowing, just having that knowledge allowed the first group to spend that next hour much better off.
I am beyond thankful that Jesus, in Gods infinite mercy, gave His life for us. So that we would know the end. So that we could live this life with a peace and joy that surpasses our understanding. He has won and we are His!!!