The other story of the footprints in the sand.

I have read so many great devotionals regarding Thanking God

this time of year.  So many of them make me stop and say

a very heartfelt thanksgiving.

I look back over the years in my life, I see very little of the "lost

and with out Christ" years.  I was led to the Lord by my mother

in our laundry room of our home when I was 6 years old.  I

absolutely knew what I was doing.  I didn't have a list of

horrible things I had done.  I did know I loved Jesus, he loved

me, I knew I was a sinner and under no circumstances did I

 want to miss out on a relationship with Him.

I can remember my fire for the Lord at that young age.

I loved our church and prayed for all those in it.  I wanted

to have jewels in my crown from leading others to the Lord.  I

really wanted my Father in Heaven to be pleased and

proud of me.  I served Him and loved Him with all

my tiny heart.

Then, life seemed to happen.  I think Satan saw my weak

places in the armor I had crafted.  I, at some point became lost

in all that was going on around me.  I began reaching for what

made me feel good, safe, accepted.  I held on to Christianity

with one hand and the other I kept outstretched to the world.

I know with out a shadow of a doubt that the choices I

made on how to deal with life,  how to feel about my

circumstances left a door wide open for Satan to attack.

I became a "lost" Christian.  I began to shut doors in my heart

that at one time Christ had walked freely in and

out of.   Some of my trials were brought on from the

wickedness of sin in the world and some from my uncanny

ability to try to squirm around Gods will to get what I

thought he would want me to have. 

Can you in vision the story of the "footprints in the sand".  How

God carried that man when the man felt God had totally

abandoned him.  Well, that was not me.  Picture this, I am

running in the sand and Gods will is in hot pursuit as I try

to run, screaming " I can do this myself".

At the end of that beach I was utterly left with nothing. 

A broken soul and broken person. 

I am so thankful for Gods grace that I could never explain

or put into words the way He has restored me.  There are

scars that will always be noticeable.  My life, I am sure,

looks quite different than what it possibly could have.  At times

the reality of that leaves me in tears.  That once again

God wipes away.

I have more than I need.  I have a beautiful child.  A husband

who works so hard to keep us well and happy.  But more

important than all these marvelous things.  I have the

knowledge and understanding that when life is hard, when

things aren't what I want them to be, I can curl up with God

and His word.  I can reach for love, joy, peace through the

Father.  I can be renewed and uplifted spiritually by diving

into His word and through fellowship of other believers. 

Even more exciting than even that is that I can uplift and

encourage other Christians and lead unbelievers to Jesus. 

Really, what more could I ask for.

Give thanks this week!   If you find yourself in a dark place,

repent.  If you don't know what is going on and you feel "lost",

cry out to the Lord.  Ask Him to show you His way.  Open some

of those closed doors in your soul.  If you don't know how, ask

Him how.  Guess what?   He will answer.  He will show Himself

to you.  There may be a lot of work to be done.  But guess what?

He'll stand with you, work through others and yourself, He

will restore you. 

Lord I give thanks to you and your undying love!