All I can do is say Thank You

I woke up this morning with thoughts of going down to the river but when I looked outside all I saw were clouds. I knew the rain wouldn't start falling for a couple more hours but I contemplated going back to bed for a little while longer. Lilo had other plans in mind though and was full of energy upon getting out of bed. I figured that even if I probably wouldn't see a magnificent sunrise today, Lilo would at least get some good exercise. So into the car we went. Pulling into the parking lot I discovered that my thinking had been all wrong and the most glorious display was taking place before my very eyes. I stopped for a moment to take in the scenery and snap a few pictures for my SnapChat friends. We then made our way to the far end of the beach for our morning routine.

The thing about going down to the river at sunrise that I love is that it is so quiet and serene. I use this time, as Lilo runs in and out of the water getting nice and sandy, to pray as I walk. Today, as I slowly made my way and got ready to bring my prayers to God,  I felt the need to stop and be still. I found a large rock to sit on and just stared out at the light reflecting off the water. Lilo, who was already a couple hundred feet further down the beach, turned to see that I had stopped and ran back over to me and sat quietly by my side.

As I sat and began to pray, the only words that I could get to come out of my mouth were "Thank You." I had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude towards God as I realized that He has given me everything that I need. This got me to thinking about how easy it is to focus on our wants and what we think we need from God without recognizing what He has already done. When I stopped to give thanks for all of His blessings first, it made all of the worry and concerns for some of the unknowns that have been placed before me so small. He was gently reminding me that He has never failed me before and He doesn't plan on starting now. To me, there is no greater feeling than the one of unexplainable peace that can come from nobody but the Lord my God himself.

The next time that you are facing a hard time, try to take a moment to look back on all of the ways that God has provided for you or made a way in the past. Hold on to the promise that He is for you and with you always and live your life confident in that truth.

Thank You, Jesus!