Thanksgiving

Have you ever had an experience where you just can't do anything but thank God for how He's kept you from making big mistakes? I had this experience yesterday, and while I'm not going to share why I had this thought (because it has to do with some people I care about very much), it made me realize that living within the boundries God sets for us is ALWAYS the best thing. I tell teenagers this truth all the time trying to protect them from the consequences that come from living outside of His boundries, but it's very seldom that I step back and take a good look at my life and thank Him for the blessings of keeping me safe. That's where I am right now. I've always been a pretty good kid. (I know I'm not a kid anymore, but a girl can dream, can't she?) And I've been pretty good at following rules. But yesterday what I realized was that it was not me following the rules that has kept me fairly consequence free in my life, it's been God in me...leading and guiding me in making decisions that honor Him and lead to life rather than death.  

Not growing up in the church has made me all the more thankful that God pursued my heart when I was 16 years old.  And looking back there are a ton of instances I could point to where I was moments away from making some really big mistakes.  But God is good and if we are willing to consider HIs plan before our own, He will keep us from making those mistakes. And in the end we can look back and be thankful!