Living in Thankfulness

Sometimes we tend to take for granted the blessings that we have in our day to day lives. This past week was Thanksgiving and helped me reflect a little more on that. On the 25th (the day before Thanksgiving,) I invited Tyler over to watch this documentary with me. It's called "Living on One Dollar." These boys go to live in Guatemala for around 8 months and live on one dollar a day. It's interesting trying to get a perspective on what these people living in poverty have to go through every day of their lives.

Everyday, we've taken for granted wonderful blessings such as: health, food, water, shelter, and where has that gotten us? Instead of being thankful for what we have, we end up complaining for what we don't have. Yet the people in poverty have all of the right to be sad and depressed and complaining, but since they have little, they expect little. But since we have much, we expect much.

Going into this Christmas season, I challenge you all not to take what you learned from Thanksgiving and forget it, but actually apply it to your lives. What are you truly thankful for in your life? If it's somebody you know, tell them! If it's an item, try to live a day without it like the boys in Guatemala did.

Trials Turn Into Blessings

Hey guys! I can't believe I've had this blog up and running for 3 years now! My anniversary of my first post will be on the 9th, but I felt inspired to give this special post a little early.

Life is hard no matter what you do. We all go through trials, regardless of whether or not we are doing the right things. Even good people get punished. However, trials can turn into blessings later in life. I've learned this lesson time and time again in my life and want to pass on this message.

Bad things happen to good people, but that doesn't mean that God loves you any less. If anything these trials that turn out to be blessings are a way of God keeping you on the right path.

If it weren't for these trials, I would be a lot less grateful for the life that I've been given.
I've come so far and there's no way that I'd be willing to stop now based on the trials and lessons I've learned because of them. I'm grateful for the trials that I've overcome and wouldn't give them up for anything.

I challenge you all to make a list of all the trials that you've overcome that turned out to be blessings for your future.

Here's mine in Trial --> Blessing Form

Parent's Divorce --> Closer Relationship with Dad
Sister's Cancer --> Quality Time with Dad and Brother with Scriptures, Testimony
Loss of Best Friends --> They Don't Drag Me Down a Wrong Path
Dumped --> Room For A Better And New Man In My Life
Car Accidents --> Greater Appreciation For Life