“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ”—1 Corinthians 15:57 (NLT)

What grounds me? Is it gratitude or fear and worry? I don’t take for granted that all I have received from God is a gift. I have done nothing to deserve it. I know the life I led before I accepted Christ. I have shared how I battle with fear, worry, and those what if scenarios. God makes no mistakes and it is part of how I am wired. It is what keeps me in constant communion with God. 

In fact, that spirit of fear, is why I sit here today and type this. This time of the year I seem to get a bit sentimental looking back on my faith journey. Wednesday will be 26 years since my first husband’s death. We were on a trip in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Some of our group wanted to go snorkeling. On the boat ride to the beach, the waters were really rough. I had already decided I was not going to snorkel. When we all got out of the boat, my husband and 6 others walked to the other side of the beach to see if the water was any smoother.

There was no way I was moving from my spot on the beach. I was a nervous Nelly from the boat ride. That spirit of fear is what kept me from having any desire to walk to that other side of the beach with my husband. I thank God for my anxiety on that day. You see, had I been one of those five swept into the ocean by that riptide, neither me nor my daughter would be here today. 

I have no doubt that my husband went to be with Jesus, but had I died along with him, I can’t say the same for me. Not only was my life (and my unborn daughter) spared, but more importantly my soul was saved. Looking back, what I have seen as a curse all these years, is what saved me, both physically and spiritually. God can even use our sins to save us. 

My heart still hurts when I think about what happened on June 16, 1995.. Gratitude doesn’t fill my heart from the pain of that day. My gratitude comes from God giving me a second chance to find Him. My first husband’s death brought me to my knees. It opened my eyes to all I still had to be thankful for in my life. 

It took death for me to find Jesus. My eyes and heart were opened to the fact that no matter what happens to me in my life, I always have Him. There are things out of my control and no amount of worry is going to change the outcome. God has a plan. My test has become my testimony. I would have preferred to not have gone through that suffering to have a sermon, but unfortunately for some of us drastic measures must happen for God to get our full attention. 

Here I am 26 years later still sharing my story to give others hope. Thankfulness helps keep life in perspective. I know life is precious. I Thank God every morning for giving me another day to live for Him. Of course, I am human and there are many days I can let worry consume me, but I know I have come a long way since 1995. Praise Jesus, that even if my faith waivers, He never does. 

God comforts, guides and protects us. He led me to a place of hope. These are all reasons to praise Him. Praising God is what paves the way for us to be grounded in gratitude and brings awareness to God’s presence in our lives.

Dear Lord, 

Thank You that through Christ I have victory! No matter what happens in life, You never leave me. Nothing can separate me from you. Give me the strength to stay grounded in gratitude and not succumb to fear or worry. I praise You for being a God of never-ending chances. You care for every single lost soul. If there is someone reading this that is struggling with how they are wired, I ask they be reminded of Psalm 139, “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” (NLT) It is in the name of Jesus that I pray these things. Amen.

June Memory Verse

I need this reminder in 2 Corinthians, so continue to work on imprinting it on my heart.

“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” –2 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT) 

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