Greetings from Nigeria!
Like many of you, every year I like to take time during Thanksgiving weekend to pause from all of the business of everyday life, before the hectic pace of the Christmas season begins, and make time to remember the many things I am thankful for in my life. However, this is the first holiday season in my life that I have spent on the other side of the world, separated from my family and many friends in the US. In spite of the many differences that has brought into my life, I’ve found that the important things do not change because God loves us all just the same. As usual, I read Psalm 100 this weekend which says in verses 4 & 5 (NIV): “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” I thought I would share with all of you some of the many things I am thankful for this year. I think that you will agree that although the circumstances may change, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, where ever we might find ourselves living. His love and faithfulness to us never changes or ends, and for that we can all be eternally thankful. So, here’s my thanksgiving list for this year (in no particular order).
I am thankful for:
…the many family members and friends in the USA who have supported me all year with prayers, donations, and emails,
…the new friends God has brought into my life in Nigeria,
…my biological family who lets me intrude in their lives and camp out in their homes when ever I return to the US for a short visit,
…protection for my family and friends through accidents, cancer scares, pregnancies, surgeries, emotional stresses, fires, and financial struggles,
…healing from a large kidney stone,
…overall health and strength for each day,
…healthy, happy, growing grandchildren in the US,
…”adopted” grandchildren to play with and love in Nigeria,
…a stable enough democratic system of government that protects my general freedoms and allows me to feel safe where I live,
…the apartment in Jos that I live in that has so many more comforts than 90% of my neighbors,
…enough food to eat 3 meals a day, and snacks if I want them, when many of my neighbors can only afford one meal a day,
…a refrigerator and both an electric and gas stove in my apartment,
…a generator that I can start up to provide electricity for my apartment for part of each day,
…readily available internet access at one of the Faith Alive apartments close enough to be able to keep in touch with family and friends daily,
…the opportunity to join other visitors from the US for meals prepared by “Baba” our wonderful cook, and not having to cook for myself, pick up fast food, or eat alone,
…enough water to take bucket baths everyday,
…bottled or boiled water to drink as much as I want,
…staff persons from Faith Alive who come three times a week to draw water from the well in our courtyard and carry enough buckets up the stairs to my apartment to fill three 55 gallon water barrels,
…Faith Alive staff persons and friends who volunteer to come to my apartment to help me clean and do laundry whenever the work load at FA becomes overwhelming and I need a little help with the day to day tasks of life,
…drivers to take me places whenever I want so that I don’t have to struggle alone with the horrendous traffic congestion, unmarked streets, and lack of traffic regulation or lights,
…neighbors with friendly cats and dogs to pet,
…cute little baby goats to watch playing & wandering the street when I walk to work,
…many Christian churches to worship the Lord in,
…Christian friends to work, and laugh, and pray with both in Nigeria and the US.
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The list could go on & on, and that’s the wonder of it – God loves us so much that he not only has provided salvation for all who will accept this free gift to us, but also so many blessings as part of every day of our lives.
May God be with each one of you in very special ways during this holiday season, and may you experience the grace and peace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ everyday of your lives. Biana