20 Things I'm Thankful For This Year

1. The Gathering. I'm thankful for how loved and welcomed I've felt from the moment I walked in the door; for how challenged, encouraged, and inspired I continue to be each week; for the wonderful people I've met and have begun to form relationships with; for how God's presence fills the room during incredible moments of worship; for how passionate the church is about Jesus and about being and making disciples; and for how much they truly love people. What God is doing in and through this church is real, powerful, and beautiful. I'm so honored and excited to be a part of it, and I'm beyond thankful to have found this church home.
   
   
2. My family. I'm thankful for my brother; for the incredible person he's turning out to be, for the ways I see God working in and through his life, for his musical talents, for our meaningful conversations, for his wit and sarcasm, and for his humility and his quiet confidence. I'm thankful for my sister; for her passion for life, for her advice, for her (often blunt) honesty, for her bold and quirky personality, for her incredible friendship, and for the unlimited amount of laughs that conversations and time spent with her provide. I'm thankful for my mom; for how she loves and cares for people with her whole heart, for her passion for God, for how I can talk to her about anything, for her gentle and genuine spirit, and for all of the ways that she is such an incredible role model. I'm thankful for my dad; for his encouragements, for how he has helped me and provided for me during this season (and all throughout my life), for his forgiveness, for his love of all things sports and Jayhawks, and for his unique sense of humor.
   
                        
   
3. All of the ways God has used this difficult season to grow and challenge me in my faith, as a person, and in my relationship with Him. I truly believe that this is and has been a season of preparation, even though I can't see or understand the full picture of that yet. I'm continuously amazed by how I can feel God working and sense His hand in all of it.
   
   
4. The entire team at Prairie Health and Wellness. Since my first appointment there, Dr. Jeff Davis and Dr. Kristen Marvin have made me feel seen, valued, heard, and encouraged. Even in the difficult moments, I've never once doubted their commitment to finding the root cause of my health problems. If you live in the Wichita area and are looking or a doctor who will truly care about you as a patient and a person, I couldn't recommend them more highly. I honestly don't know where I'd be without them.
   
   
5. Random acts of kindness. Whether I'm on the giving end, the receiving end, or a witness, it warms my heart when people are kind to one another for no reason other than to genuinely pass on a little more love and happiness. I've seen how much even the smallest of things can have an impact on someone's day. We need more of that in the world.
   
   
6. God's unconditional, everlasting, indescribable love and grace, of which I am so undeserving.
   
   
7. Nature. There's just something about going for a walk on a cool, breezy day that can instantly relax my mind and brighten my mood. I'd give about anything for a stroll on Sunset Beach in Cape Town right now, but the arboretum in town does pretty well too. :)
   
   
   
   
   
8. Hillsong music. If you haven't listened to Hillsong Worship's new "Let There Be Light" album yet, you need to. It'll lift your spirit and refresh your soul. I've had it on repeat for the last month, and I still can't get enough. I've found there's almost no better way to start off my day than with a little yoga, Hillsong music, and time with Jesus. I look forward to the day I'll be able to visit my Hillsong South Africa family and sing those songs with them in church.
   
   
9. The freelance writing and editing opportunities I've had during this season. Not being able to work a "normal" job during this time hasn't always been easy. Each freelance project has been an answer to prayer in more ways than one. I'm so thankful for the people I've worked with and for how I've been able to play a part in helping them share their stories.
   
   
10. Freedom and safety. I'm thankful that I get to choose how to live my life; that I can freely express my opinions and values; that I have easy access to education, health care, and everything that I want or need to survive; and that I can go to sleep at night feeling safe in my own home. I'm thankful for those who work and sacrifice to make that possible. It can be easy for me to start taking all of that for granted and to forget that so many people around the world are fighting daily for those things.
    
    
11. Genuine, Christ-centered friendships. I've realized this year, more than ever before, how having people in your life you can trust, count on, be accountable to, pray with, grow together with, laugh with, and be your full self with can make all the difference in the world.
    
    
12. Books that can sweep you up into an incredible story, that provide an escape from reality for a little while, that challenge you to think outside of the box, that teach valuable lessons, and that inspire. A few great ones I've read recently are "Midnight Jesus," "The Same Kind of Different As Me," and "Rooted."
    
    
13. That God has a plan and purpose for my life. For some reason, in the midst of all my mess, He wants to have a relationship with me and use me to further His kingdom. The weight and significance of that is overwhelming and incredible.
    
    
14. Photographs. I could spend hours looking through boxes of old pictures. Some of my favorite memories are stored in photographs and, as cheesy as it may sound, I'm thankful for the ability we have to capture those moments and keep them alive.
    
    
15. Netflix. Yes. Truly. There are moments that I have been so thankful for Netflix this year. Haha. On days where my body is just too tired to do much of anything, sometimes there's nothing I look forward to more than binge watching a few episodes of one of my favorite shows.
    
    
16. 86 Cold Press. If you haven't been to this wonderful little juice and smoothie bar in downtown Wichita, wait no longer. I have found no better cure for when my stomach is upset than their Root Down juice. It's like magic. Check them out next time you're in the area!
    
                    
    
    
17. Summit Church. I've been following along with their "The Whole Story" sermon series and reading plan since the beginning of the year. It's incredible how God has used some of JD's words to speak to me at just the right time. Two of his books, "Gospel" and "Jesus Continued" have also been an integral part of my faith journey.
    
    
18. Technology.  Although it can also drive me crazy at times, I'm thankful for how easy technology makes it to communicate. Many of my closest friends live across the country or halfway around the world, and I can't imagine not being able to maintain and build those friendships through Skype dates, iMessages, phone calls, and random voice notes.
    
    
19. How God sometimes answers prayers in the most beautiful, unexpected, and miraculous of ways.
    
    
20. Every person who has been praying for me, encouraging me, and supporting me throughout this season. Some of you have sacrificed and compromised a lot to walk with me on this journey. Some of you have been by my side each and every day, including the most frustrating and challenging ones. Some of you have been my prayer warriors. Some of you have been there to talk to me when I was feeling lost and confused. Some of you have dealt with me on days I've been a little more grumpy and unpleasant than I'd like to admit. Sometimes it has been the smallest things, like an unexpected hug or an encouraging text at just the right time, that have gotten me through difficult moments. For all those things and more, thank you. I know I don't say that enough. All of it has meant so much to me, and I appreciate it more than you know. I'm truly thankful for each and every one of you.