With Thanksgiving around the corner, I feel the spirit of gratitude in the air and have been thinking about all of the small things I am so grateful to the Lord for doing in my life. I know many stories you will read this week will revolve around the topic of thankfulness. So I hope this article does not just become a part of the noise but rather encourages you to really stop and be thankful.

This past Sunday, at church, our pastor talked about how truly challenging it is to have a continual attitude of gratitude. He spoke of the opposite of gratitude being greed and how 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 gives a beautiful description on how to combat greed...

“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Now it's easy to see these words on a page and think to ourselves, "Yep! Sounds good." But how often do we really strive to do these things? It's a true challenge to really live this way day in and day out. However, this is God's will for us! During this wonderful Thanksgiving season, I want to "rejoice always". My mom would always say, "Look for the God moments, because they are everywhere." This is so true. In everything, The Lord is with you. So yes, in that obstacle you are not particularly thankful for...God is there. Thank him for strengthening you through this challenge. It is tough to rejoice in times of pain, but oh how the Lord can use those moments to grow you!

And not only is He there in the valleys, but the peaks as well. For instance, The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful community here in Milledgeville! I am so grateful to have a campus full of so many smiling faces. I am thankful for spontaneous worship nights and fun weekend adventures with friends I would not know had I not come to school here. How incredible is it that the people changing your life for the better throughout your days in college were strategically placed in your life by the loving hands of the Lord? Just sit and think about that for a moment. Those little things you and your friends connect on, whether it be a favorite tv show or favorite dinner dish, God allowed for those similarities to bring you together! So don't underestimate the power of being able to recite the whole script of Aquamarine with someone! That bond is truly special!

So in all of this rambling, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Take some time to thank The Lord for what He has done for you. He is working in each of our lives in so many ways and it is so beautiful to see how His plan is coming together!