It’s November. The thankful month. It’s everywhere you turn. Social media. Church. School. Work. What are you thankful for?
I promise not to post a month full of I’m thankfuls…but today, I truly am thankful.
I’m thankful for before.
Before I’m a wife and a mother and a daughter and a sister and a friend. Before I’m a VEA or a pastor or a teacher or a counselor. Before I’m a soccer mom and a football mom and a band mom and a cook and a laundress and a housekeeper.
Before anything else, I am His and He is mine.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Say it with me, “I am His and He is mine.”
There is so much peace in that for me. That means no matter what I walk through, no matter what life throws at me, He is with me.
When the storms are raging, He is my fortress that cannot be shaken. When the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming, He smiles and laughs with me. When I’m waiting and waiting for this or that, He’s holding my hand and waiting with me.
And bringing peace. Always peace.
Oh, there are other befores that I’m thankful for.
Before there ever was a problem, He already had an answer. Jesus is the Lamb slain BEFORE the world was even formed.
He knew me and planned out a wonderful life for me before I was even born.
His love and mercy and favor go before me and cover behind me and hem me in.
Before there was day and night or darkness and light, He was already there. Then He spoke and released His power and created everything I see…and revealed Himself.
Before I ever had kids or knew how truly tired one could be, He gave someone the idea to pour hot water over tea leaves. I am REALLY thankful for this one. (I mean, what’s not to love about a warm, soothing, caffeinated beverage in the morning.) 🙂
But my favorite before is that I am His and He is mine.
To be honest…sometimes it’s easy to let this before get way down the list behind wife and mother and cook and chauffer and, and, and…(it’s actually surprising how easy it is to let it slip unconsciously down the list.)
But keeping this before where it belongs, being conscious of I am His and He is mine first and foremost, being aware that I abide in Him and He abides in me, drinking in of His presence and His Word always, makes me a better wife and mother and, and, and…
I am His and He is mine.
What is your favorite before? What is your thankful today?