A Thankful Heart

Psalm 100 ~ Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

I have a manifold treasure of blessings from my Heavenly Father. So often I take it all for granted and foolishly think I'm somehow deserving of His goodness. Everything I posses, right down to my life and breath, is a direct gift from God. I can't even take credit for anything I do well because God put within me the abilities I have. Without talents, I would have nothing with which to serve Him--I would be unable to bring glory to Him through my life! I am not even worthy of the honor of serving the King of all kings! It passes the capacity of my finite mind that He would pour such riches upon me. We need to praise Him more! He deserves so much more praise than we are able to offer Him.

There's no way I could possibly list all the good things my gracious Lord has given me, but listed below is a very few.

A ~ I am thankful for atonement. There's nothing I could be more thankful for than the salvation of my soul! I think the greatest wonder of Christ's finished work on the cross is atonement. "He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin..." Jesus Christ, holy God in the flesh, paid the price that belonged to me, a worthless sinner! Not only that, but changed my filth into His own spotless righteousness. "...That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." That's atonement: Christ gave up His glory to take upon Himself my own burden of sin, and poured mercy upon me. Glory to God!

B ~ I am thankful for my Bible, the richest treasure I have in my personal possession. The Scriptures are divinely inspired, inerrant, and infallible! By His Word, God guides me in His perfect will, rejoices my heart, satisfies my hungering spirit, teaches me, convicts me of sin, chastens me, shows me who I truly am, humbles me, causes me to grow steadily, and so very much more. God's Word is all I need on my pilgrim pathway! I am also thankful for my Baptist heritage, for the blood that was poured out by our faithful forefathers. Through His Word their doctrine was sound, and they were dauntless in being true. They suffered unimaginable persecution for the cause of Christ. They labored for liberty and today, we in America and other countries are reaping what they sowed for thousands of years, yearning for the day of freedom. We owe so much to them--so much! Praise God for their faithfulness and holy zeal!

C ~ I am thankful for the wondrous realm of God's beauteous creation. His power is displayed in flashes of mighty lightning, His majesty in mountains, His grace in delicate blooms so intricate and diverse, His love in the depths of the ocean... I see Him in all things He designed in His infinite wisdom, and I give Him all the glory for making such wonders for us to enjoy. I'm very thankful, too, for my camera with which to capture scenes of brilliance so that I can repeatedly delight in their beauty.

D ~ I am thankful that I am a daughter to my parents and that I am a sister to my best friends on earth, my two sisters and brother. My parents have been faithful, trusting God through the hardest trials, their faith being tried and purified as gold so precious. I am honored to be a daughter to parents so devoted to the Lord and His will. I am so GLAD God called my family to Alaska. Great things He hath done!

E ~ I am thankful for the Eskimo people to whom God has called my family to give the Gospel, that their eternity may be in Heaven through His saving grace. I am thankful for my everlasting life through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

F ~ I am thankful for fellowship! Living in an isolated village with often a year between "outside contact," fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ is something I have come to appreciate in an abundant measure. I thank the Lord for the dear brethren who encourage and edify us, and who fail not to pray for God's mighty working in our ministry.

G ~ I am thankful for God's presence where I find "fulness of joy" and "pleasures for evermore" (Ps. 16:11). I am amazed that God Almighty considers me and looks upon me with favor! I rejoice that He reveals Himself to me through His Word. I delight in His comforting presence as I seek His face in prayer and commune with Him. My God is real! I am thankful for God's great glory which I now behold in part. O glorious day when I shall full see, my faith made sight!

H ~ I am thankful for my good health. Praise God that I can get out of bed every morning! Days when I feel sick are few, and that is something I don't believe I can appreciate half enough. I thank God that my entire family is healthy and whole. God is good! I am thankful for my home. God has blessed my family richly with His presence, love for each other, true peace and real joy, closeness, safety, and so many other good things. I do not take it for granted! So many homes are in ruin because God has been ignored and His leading, refused. He will bless the home that honors Him and seeks His face.

I ~ Strange though it may sound, I am thankful for indoor plumbing. For a year, in another village, my family lived in a rustic cabin on the banks of the Yukon River. I have so many fond memories of our year in that house, but at the time it was rather uncomfortable. =) The house didn't have running water or indoor plumbing, so we used an outhouse--yes, even at 60 degrees below zero.

J ~ I am thankful for my journey beside my faithful Guide. Where He leads me I will follow!

K ~ I am thankful for knitting and other purposeful, engaging handcrafts I've learned to enjoy. I'm thankful for good, able hands needful for such tasks! I'm thankful for the kitchen, my favorite place to be, where delightful aromas waft and appetizing nourishment is prepared.

L ~ I am thankful for light. We are at the beginning of our three-month "night" of Arctic winter. The perpetual darkness outside can be rather gloomy, but I praise the Lord for His perfect, enduring Light glowing within my soul. I praise Him for the day He first brought me into that Light and out from the darkness of my sin. One glorious day I'll enter a City, to dwell forevermore where God is the Light!

M ~ I am thankful for meat. I LOVE meat and couldn't survive without it. I don't know how vegetarians (old Eskimo word for "bad hunter") do it. Vegetables are not food! Vegetables are what food eats. I'm pro-PETA (that's People for the Eating of Tasty Animals) and I believe every animal has a right--to be on my dinner plate, right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy! Seriously, folks, I'm thankful that God provided the five caribou we needed for this year. He's provided our need for meat every year I can remember! Praise the Lord! And, just for the record, I don't care much for beef. I've eaten mainly moose and caribou for the past ten years of my life so that I just can't stomach it. (chuckle)

N ~ I am thankful for needs supplied. God has been so faithful to my family. We've never gone hungry; we've had food for every meal of my life. We've always lived in a warm, insulated home. We've never worn rags for clothes or shoes with holes in them. We have SO much.

O ~ I am thankful for open doors. There have been times in the ministry when every door seemed to be closed; we didn't know what to do. God has been ever faithful to open the door of His perfect will to us at the right time.

P ~ I am thankful for God's mighty, wonder-working power. Nothing is impossible with God!

Q ~ I am thankful for quietness when my Lord seems so much nearer to me.

R ~ I am thankful for rest--both rest for my body and perfect rest for my soul in His abiding presence.

S ~ I am thankful for satisfaction. He's all that my hungering spirit needs, and more! His store of goodness is limitless. I'm only beginning to find out His great and loving heart. Praise God!

T ~ I am thankful for the Treasure of my heart, the Fairest of ten thousand and the Lover of my soul.

U ~ I am thankful for unlimited grace. He keeps pouring out more!

V - I am thankful for victory in Jesus! He triumphed over death, hell, and sin for me! So often I fail and give into this sinful flesh. Why is it I always try to overcome in my own strength? When I simply surrender and obey Him, He gives to me all the strength I need. I've heard it said that "God gives us all the strength we need, but He doesn't give us more than we need, else we proud critters would take the credit ourselves." Amen! Isn't that the truth of it?

W ~ I am thankful for warmth. I'm so grateful for a well-insulated house that stays warm at -60 degrees with a powerful windchill. I'm glad for lots of layers of thick clothing to bundle up in when I go outdoors.

X ~ I am thankful for all eXtra good things which I am not permited to list, due to limited time and space!

Y ~ I am thankful for yummy food at every meal that my family is blessed with. It's enough that we don't go hungry, but that our food is delicious, besides--wow!

Z ~ I am thankful for the six zucchini my family received a few months ago within two totes full of free fresh produce. We hadn't tasted zucchini in four years! We enjoyed the delicious green squashes (and the rest of the abunance of fruits and vegetables) immensely. Boy, we just savored every healthy bite! (And boy, it was a LOT of food!) We are extremely grateful to Bible Baptist Church of Fairbanks, Alaska who blessed us (absolutely spoiled us, is more like it) by thinking of our family and shipping the produce up to us. Words can't express my own heartfelt appreciation! Fresh fruits and vegetables on the Arctic missionfield is a miracle. =)

Psalms 92:1 ~ It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

Psalms 107:21-22 ~ Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

Psalms 105:1 ~ O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

Psalms 68:19 ~ Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Journey to the Edge of the Sky

Book written by Bro. Les Zerbe

Join a veteran missionary pilot on his thrilling, dangerous, awe-inspiring--sometimes hilarious--adventures, both in the air and on land! Bro. Zerbe is an experienced bush pilot, having flown in the jungles of Africa and the wilderness of Alaska throughout his life. In this book, Bro. Zerbe tells of his childhood in Africa as a "little white black boy" (his parents were missionaries). Bro. Zerbe's discriptive writing will take you right to the scene of action: Close calls in the air during mighty storms; take-offs in the jungle, just skimming the treetops; triumphant moose hunts; near grizzly bear attacks; a snake in a pickle jar while traveling the Al-Can Highway (that's a good one =D); a roadside breakfast of deer steak before church; the entertaining tales go on endlessly. This book will keep you at the edge of your seat and have you chuckling, too.

Sarah's Folly

Book written by Kathy Farinella

The main goal of this book is to reveal the lies of Islam. The history of the Muslim religion is presented in length. The deception of this hopeless faith is presented in great detail. The glorious Truth of salvation, God's free gift through the blood of His holy Son, shines forth.

Sarah's husband, a marine and of Iraqi descent, suddenly disappears. Coming home from work one day, she finds him gone--without a note, without a trace. Driven by her love for her husband, Sarah desperately seeks for any lead to find him, searching in every possible way. After months in quest, almost devoid of hope, Sarah finally has reason to believe the military has deported her husband to Iraq. With some difficulty, Sarah's job with the press grants her access to Israel, neighbor to this country stirring with trouble.

Along the way, Sarah has opportunity to share the Gospel with a co-worker, one who is very critical of Sarah's faith in God. The plan of salvation is clearly presented in this book.

Never stopping to consider consequences, Sarah impetuously grabs every lead she's given, desiring to be nearer to finding her husband. Her actions affect many people for worse, including herself, and a missionary work in this turbulent country is nearly destroyed. Twice in true peril caused by her thoughtlessness, Sarah is both times delivered from harm.

In the end, her husband's secret military mission is realized--a mission which was nearly destroyed because of Sarah's exploits. At first not knowing the truth, Sarah believes the worst: that her husband is a traitor, aiding the enemy. The victory won at last, Sarah and her husband are safely reunited, and the verity and valour of her husband's undertakings are made known.

For years Sarah's husband had felt the Lord's call to take the Gospel to his own people in Iraq, but Sarah's will was not submitted to God's. While in the country, Sarah's heart is burdened for the lost souls deceived by the false faith of Islam. She finally surrenders her heart and life to the Lord, trusting and obeying His will to take the Gospel to the people of Iraq.

This is a touching, thrilling story of a young woman and her pursuits: for her husband, but more deeply for her God.