THANKFUL IN ALL THINGS

As I sit down tonight to reflect on the past year I am amazed how many emotions come to mind. Joy, happiness, fulfillment, love, disbelief, anger, fear, and sorrow are just a few feelings that run through my brain. I feel this year has brought every conceivable emotion on the spectrum from good to bad. Not only had there been many emotions, but emotions that could change on a dime. Needless to say it has been a very hard year for my family. It is difficult for me to believe we are now into 2012. This past year has been somewhat of a blur to me. I have decided that maybe that is a good thing. I think it is one way God protects us from being so overwhelmed with life.


Over the last few weeks we have celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas. A time where we reflect on the past year and the things and people we are grateful for. In the Bible it says we are to be thankful in all things. Scripture tells us, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18). As easy as that sounds on paper I have found it to be extremely hard at times. God isn’t saying to be thankful that something awful has happened. He knows we are human, we get hurt, and we lose hope, and suffer grief. No, rather he wants us to give thanks in the face of it. Not just when things are going our way. I am reminded that we are to recognize the blessings in our life each day. Not just on the good days. Thankfulness is not a once a year “holiday”. I believe we need to daily cultivate a heart of thanksgiving. We are to give thanks in all things, not some things, not the great and wonderful things, but in everything.

On Thanksgiving Day I awoke and right away the devil started whispering in my ear reasons I should not be thankful. “What do you have to be thankful for- your little girl is gone”. It would have been easy to give in to those thoughts. But I prayed about it and God started reminding me all of the blessings he pours out on my family daily. Yes, we did lose our precious Emma-Grace this year, but there are so many things to be thankful for. I wanted to list just a few things that I am personally grateful for.

1. I am thankful that even though I am a sinner, God loves me no matter what and he sent His son to die for my sins.

2. I am thankful for a family that loves the Lord. All of my children have made professions of faith.

3. I am thankful that God brought a beautiful little girl name Fuyan Dang (Emma-Grace) into our lives and gave us 2 ½ years with her.

4. I am thankful that little girl taught our family so much about life and love and drew our family closer than ever.

5. I am thankful that Emma-Grace is now with her Heavenly Father and is no longer sick and lying in a hospital bed hooked to machines and IVs.

6. I am thankful God spared us from having to see Emma-Grace in no other way than that little smart, silly, bubbly, lovey girl that she was.

7. I am thankful that God has brought my family through the most difficult year I can imagine. Not only are we together but our bond is stronger than ever.

8. I am thankful for family and friends who have been beside of us each step of the way.

Losing a child is an unbearable burden, an indescribable despair. I admit I have struggled with how to be thankful in the face of that. My sorrow has been deep and wide. It is a sorrow that I have a hard time even putting into words. It would have been easy to just go to bed and not get up. However with God’s grace I HAVE been able to get up. I HAVE been able to return to work. I HAVE been able to take care of my family in their time of sorrow. And I HAVE a hope for tomorrow. ”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. “ (Jeremiah 29:11) And for all of those things I am thankful.

In the midst of my sorrow I have reminded myself to do a peculiar thing. I have tried even on the worst of days to find something to be thankful for. I am thankful Emma-Grace was placed with our family and that we had 2 1/2 precious years with her. I would have done anything if it would have prevented the illness she had to endure prior to her passing. However I know that Emma-Grace’s illness served a purpose for God’s kingdom. I understand that here on earth I will never totally comprehend how God works some times. But I have seen a mighty work done through a little girl who many people did not even know until 8 months ago. I am thankful that the nurses and doctors that took care of her felt God’s presence in our room. Although some of them maybe didn’t understand it, they expressed what peace and love they experienced around us, that we were “different” somehow. Those same people fell in love with a little girl that they never even met awake. I am thankful that because of Emma-Grace’s illness many people were drawn to the throne of God, many who had not been there in a long time. I am grateful that my own children (Christopher and Allyson) accepted the love of Jesus into their hearts during this past year. Overall I am thankful that God was glorified in the midst of our sorrow.

Perhaps this past year you are one of the millions who have lost their job, maybe your house is in foreclosure, maybe you are struggling to make ends meet, or perhaps you have lost one dear to your heart. This may be a season of grief and loss for you, but please know that you have a hope that does not disappoint. For you have a Father who understands you. God himself lost his child and I imagine his heart also grieved. That child prior to his death became flesh and felt many of the same emotions we feel while he was here on earth. He felt pain and sorrow and even cried when His friend Lazarus died. I think that is one reason he understands our hearts so well. He became man so he could know how we feel when we are hurt or sorrowful. He comforts the brokenhearted. He promises to never leave you or forsake you. His love is extravagant toward you. His love never fails. The Bible says your sadness may last for a time, but joy will come, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5). Oh what we have to be thankful for. Such a great God! Such a great love! Such a wonderful Savior!

If only for a short time, I am thankful for the time God gave me with my little Emmie before she went to Jesus. In the face of my pain, with God’s grace I have been able to give thanks. And I praise God for that!