Thanksgiving 2020

Today is our Thanksgiving celebration at the church. After meetings practices for dance, band rehearsals, multimedia editing and decorating the church, we're finally able to celebrate this day with Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is about God's goodness and faithfulness. It's all about Him.

Foods were prepared as well as the venue. There were just 25 people who attended but nevertheless it was a blissful event. There were testimonies as to how people has been blessed this year even when there is an ongoing pandemic.

Even with faces covered with face masks and people separated by distance the feeling of warmth and comfort filled the church. It was indeed a blessed year even with all the things that each of us has experienced. It was a nice time to have a grateful heart and know that no matter what happens we are always blessed.

This year has been a tough year for all of us. Some of us has lost our jobs, while some of us were able to find a new means for living. One of my churchmates had a physical store for shoes. The other one learned how to bake cakes and cupcakes who now has lots of orders coming in. Our pastors were also able to sell korean food online.

There is indeed a way when there seems to be no way. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Lord has sustained each of us. Our guest speaker pastor was our pastor's mentor. He spoke to us about the life of Job. Job lost everything in a blink of an eye. His children died, his wife loathed him and left him, his friends mocked and abandoned him, his servants died, his wealth was taken away and his farm animals has died as well. Job was left with nothing but God. His faith to God never faltered. The Lord has allowed him to be tested by Satan and Satan was never able to outsmart God. God trusts Job enough and has watched over him throughout the whole duration of his tests. Job was able to triumph and was rewarded more than what he lost. God has given him what he deserves for being faithful to God despite all the circumstances he face. He never questioned God, instead he come to God even more.

"It's a miracle that we are still alive until now." This was the words of the pastor that has left me with deep impression. I am so much blessed for staying healthy and not starving even if I don't have source of income. The Lord allowed my family to stay safe both physically and mentally.

"What are you thankful for to God this year?" This was the question answered by the testifiers. This year might have been tough but God is faithful enough to sustain each of us.

I don't know what has gotten into me but I just cried the whole praise and worship time. Even when it was just the time of prayer before formally starting the service, I was already crying.

These song lyrics were the line up of our church music team. I can't properly sing because I was crying. Each lyric got me. I was able to reflect on how my whole 2020 went. I came to realize how blessed and merry 2020 went for me but I was too stressed out to even notice.

Joy, unspeakable joy

An overflowing well

No tongue can tell

Joy, unspeakable joy

Rises in my soul

Never lets me go

***It's not the circumstance that makes us happy. It's the fact that God is there during the ups and downs of my life and I was unable to recognize it because I was too zoned out with what I'm going through.

Christ is born

Christ is born

Christ is born for you

***Jesus was born to die on the cross for my sins. He has done so much for me to have such a blessed and blissful life. His love is unfathomable.

We give you all the glory

We give you all the glory

We give you all the glory Christ the Lord

***God deserves all the glory. His goodness is not based on who I am, it's based on his mercy. His presence surrounds me at all times and I feel it even better when I'm going through something difficult in life. During those times that I cry in secret, He was there to wipe away my tears and give me comfort. During those times when I feel like no one understands me, He wraps me in a warm embrace where I feel a lot safer.

There's so many things to be thankful for to God, but what I'm most thankful to God this year is the painful moment and my down moments. Just like how God has allowed Job to be tested, He also allowed me to be tested and He's right beside me.

This times that I felt like I'm a failure and I'm never worthy of His love, He constantly remind me through His word that He died for me and my life is more important than how I see it. He cares for me, even when I feel like no one cares. He loves me for who I am and His love for me never changes. No matter how many times I messed up or has disappointed God, He's still there always willing to accept me with open arms.

He knows all my pain and all my tears are kept by Him in a jar. He always reassures me that He's not year done with my life. I'm still a work in progress.

As I'm writing this I was silently crying in my room. But the difference is it's no longer a cry of pain and agony, but a cry of gratefulness that God always got my back at all times.

I want to ask you the same question before I end this article.

"What are you thankful for to God this year?"

Comment down your answers. I'll be very glad to read it out.

Love_16

December 20, 2020

Sunday

17:12