Day 250 of Giving Thanks

I am going to go back to November 3^rd, 2009, and if someone would have told me that in 250 days, my life would be completely different than it was at that time I would not have believed it would have changed in the way it has; and here’s how I compare (these are just a few):

Before	After
I was very uncomfortable praying, would struggle, even alone	I pray all the time, and love praying with others – Colossians 1:10-14
Could never be quiet, always had to have something on or someone with me	I love being still and alone with God – Psalm 37:7
I loved God	I am passionate about God, and KNOW who God is
For years I have been unhappy with how I looked	I can accept who I am as He perfects me – Psalm 139:14
Shared my faith once in a while, when comfortable	Getting very comfortable sharing my testimony all the time
I complained all the time; I was afraid,  doubtful and felt it was everyone else’s time	I am so grateful for where I am and how I got here – Joshua 1:9
I worried all the time; and made my circumstances worse	I learned how to give everything to God
Felt like the world was against me – so many things went wrong	I am on target with God’s plan
Plagued with depression, illness and exhaustion – couldn’t understand “why me”	I am encouraged every day, that everything I experience is to make me strong – because there are great things for me to accomplish

Today I am grateful for many things, but I am mostly grateful for God’s words, the gift of understanding, the desires of my heart, the amazing life I have now and the people He has used during this time to reel me in. This morning I was blessed with the following – Psalm 37.

¹  Do not fret because of evil men 
       or be envious of those who do wrong;

 ² for like the grass they will soon wither, 
       like green plants they will soon die away.

 ³ Trust in the LORD and do good; 
       dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

 ⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD 
       and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD; 
       trust in him and he will do this:

 ⁶ He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, 
       the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

 ⁷ Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; 
       do not fret when men succeed in their ways, 
       when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 ⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; 
       do not fret—it leads only to evil.

 ⁹ For evil men will be cut off, 
       but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

 ¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked will be no more; 
       though you look for them, they will not be found.

 ¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land 
       and enjoy great peace.

 ¹² The wicked plot against the righteous 
       and gnash their teeth at them;

 ¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked, 
       for he knows their day is coming.

 ¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword 
       and bend the bow 
       to bring down the poor and needy, 
       to slay those whose ways are upright.

 ¹⁵ But their swords will pierce their own hearts, 
       and their bows will be broken.

 ¹⁶ Better the little that the righteous have 
       than the wealth of many wicked;

 ¹⁷ for the power of the wicked will be broken, 
       but the LORD upholds the righteous.

 ¹⁸ The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, 
       and their inheritance will endure forever.

 ¹⁹ In times of disaster they will not wither; 
       in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

 ²⁰ But the wicked will perish: 
       The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, 
       they will vanish—vanish like smoke.

 ²¹ The wicked borrow and do not repay, 
       but the righteous give generously;

 ²² those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, 
       but those he curses will be cut off.

 ²³ If the LORD delights in a man's way, 
       he makes his steps firm;

 ²⁴ though he stumble, he will not fall, 
       for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

 ²⁵ I was young and now I am old, 
       yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken 
       or their children begging bread.

 ²⁶ They are always generous and lend freely; 
       their children will be blessed.

 ²⁷ Turn from evil and do good; 
       then you will dwell in the land forever.

 ²⁸ For the LORD loves the just 
       and will not forsake his faithful ones. 
       They will be protected forever, 
       but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

 ²⁹ the righteous will inherit the land 
       and dwell in it forever.

 ³⁰ The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, 
       and his tongue speaks what is just.

 ³¹ The law of his God is in his heart; 
       his feet do not slip.

 ³² The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, 
       seeking their very lives;

 ³³ but the LORD will not leave them in their power 
       or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

 ³⁴ Wait for the LORD 
       and keep his way. 
       He will exalt you to inherit the land; 
       when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

 ³⁵ I have seen a wicked and ruthless man 
       flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

 ³⁶ but he soon passed away and was no more; 
       though I looked for him, he could not be found.

 ³⁷ Consider the blameless, observe the upright; 
       there is a future ^[b] for the man of peace.

 ³⁸ But all sinners will be destroyed; 
       the future ^[c] of the wicked will be cut off.

 ³⁹ The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; 
       he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

 ⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and delivers them; 
       he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, 
       because they take refuge in him.