Credit where credit is due

So I think back on my life and what I am most thankful for, there are so many things that come to mind. First, I am thankful for a God who loves me, even though I am a sinner, who sent His Son to die on a cross for my sins. That is by far the thing that I am most thankful for. But there is so much more.
I am thankful for my two little girls, the reason I love life so much is mostly due to them, from softball to watching bike rides and rollerblading, to watching movies and reading books, I love every bit of it. I thank God for them every day several times each day, and I also pray that I won't mess up as a parent. I pray that He will make me into the parent that they need me to be and alongside Tara we will raise them to love God as much as we do.
I'm thankful for my calling as a Pastor, I am thankful for the opportunity to reach people for Christ, I am thankful that God placed that desire deep inside my heart. There is nothing that I desire more than to be the best possible pastor and ambassador for Christ. I work hard every day to better myself as a Pastor and as a believer in Christ.
I am thankful for Tara my lovely wife, and for the way God picked out a wonderful wife for me who gets me(most of the time) and loves me through my ups and downs. I thank God every day for her and I pray that I don't do anything to stop the love that grows between us every day.
I'm thankful that I have the desire and the go that I have. NEver is there a down time, a dead time, or a day of nothingness in my life. Each and every day we strive to better ourselves, reach more people and be there for as many people in the community as we possibly can.
I'm also thankful for people like Jordon and Katie Hutson, Amber Lowe, Hali Worthingtong, the Cooksey family and Donnie Gumble. People who have become a major part of my ministry where ever I have been and through their support I have weathered storms and made it through the peaks and through the valleys of ministry, thank you to all of them and many more that I didn't mention.
Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel'" (2 Samuel 7:8).
This thankfulness is something that David was struggling with. God had to remind him that he snatched him out of a field where he was the runt of the family watching sheep all day and night. He snatched him out of there and made him into the great ruler that he became. God was reminding him to put credit where the credit is due.
My credit must go to a God who snatched me up from a hospital where I was put up for adoption. I was placed in the arms of a loving family who raised me to love God, to cherish church, to read my Bible and pray daily. They taught me how to be a dad, how to raise my children, and how to manage life with a godly perspective. On earth I am most thankful for my parents, over all I am most thankful first for God loving me enough to send His Son,secondly for His placing me in the family that He did.
So as this thanksgiving comes, remember why you are who you are, and where you are. Remember that God planned it all out before you were even knit together in your mother's womb. He loves you and you had better be thankful for that!

Thanks for reading and have a great week!