Lots of people talk about how Thanksgiving is awesome but we should be thankful everyday instead of just one day or one month a year. They are totally right. But I'm still going to spend this post on this day telling you what I'm thankful for and why...not everything I'm thankful for, 'cause that would take forever, but just one or two...maybe six.
In the past, on Thanksgiving, birthdays, and a few other times a year I've expressed my appreciation for my family, the immediate ones and the extended, they are all pretty awesome, but this year there is something new in my life that I just have to talk about.
The thing I'm thankful for this thanksgiving, the thing I'm thankful for everyday...is my community group (CG). See that's why it's six, cause it's me and six other amazing young women who love God and love me and love each other.
About six months ago, almost to the day, I got an email that said my CG co-leader was Bailey. I didn't know who the other leader was or who all was in my group, but I knew it would be amazing. My parents and I had been praying about this group for months, and I knew God was going to do great things through it. A few hours later I received a group message, and our journey started. Over the following weeks we started getting to know one another. We met up for coffees and lunches, we sat at the Porch together weekly and spent a couple of weekends tucked away focused on strengthening our relationships with one another and with God.
We were seven individuals: Me, Bailey, Elise, Jiin, Lanning, Mayra, and Gentry. But we have one God and one love, and we made one awesome family. None of us have the same story, but there is just enough overlap that we can in some way understand each other. God took all our differences and similarities, all our flaws and talents, and He showed us how to love each other in all of it. He's teaching us how to use all the facets of our stories, His stories to work for His Kingdom.
We are by no means perfect individuals and as such neither is our group. We too often find ourselves distracted by boys or pretty clothes instead of focused on Him. We sometimes hurt one another through word or action. But even these things He is using to teach us lessons. Lessons in holding one another accountable, lessons in conflict resolution and reconciliation.
I'm thankful for each one of these girls every day. I'm thankful for bonds that already exist and the ones that are forming even deeper still. I'm thankful for people who accept me as the sinner I am and spur me on to a closer walk with Christ. I'm great-full that God blessed me with these Beautiful Souls. And I'm honored that I get the chance to return the love of Christ to them.
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