“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.” (50:14)

“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me.” (50:23)

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (51:17)

“I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.” (52:9)

He doesn’t need any material thing from me, only gratitude.  I’ve gotta say, I’m thankful for that. 

Today, as I travel back to the US, I feel pretty spent. I don’t have anything more to give. But I love my Lord, and my weary heart desires to be drawn into a worshipful presence of God. So as I settle in for an overnight in Istanbul’s Ataturk airport, I’m going to make a list of all I’m thankful for:

• The family and friends I’m coming home to
• My YWAM base releasing me these 3 months to explore a future work in Europe
• The Syrian family I was welcomed into
• The Apostolic Church which made me feel so welcomed and wanted
• Clean drinking water
• A really great apartment to live in the whole time
• My team of prayer warriors
• Answered prayers
• Gyros and gelato
• Syrian food
• The NGOs and UN who are working so hard to house, feed and relocate the refugees
• All the countries who are opening their boarders for my tired friends.
• God’s glorious mercy and grace.
• Salvation achieved by Jesus on my behalf
• An aptly timed season in the Psalms.
• The sweet Nigerian ladies stuck in the transit terminal with me, keeping me company
• My supporters
• Montavilla
• Card games 
• The small amount of Arabic I learned that allows me to eavesdrop on conversations no one would suspect I could understand 
• The testament to God’s power and faithfulness, demonstrated in the fact Istanbul still exists even though it’s been in the middle of most everything throughout history 
• The fact God isn’t intimidated by our questions or small views and opinions of Him
• That He is altogether different than I am: never afraid, tired, rude or wrong
• He created many nations and cultures, and His image can be found in them all
• God forgave David for his sin with Bathsheba (what 51 references) and He forgives me and can forgive anyone 
• He is with me, no matter where I am

What are you thankful for today?

-Bethany