Every year, around the third week of November, this beautiful little holiday known as Thanksgiving comes around.
And every year, I have been so blessed to have an entire day dedicated to family & laughs & colorful table settings & turkey & pie & gratitude.
This year, my momma and I woke up early and sat by our fireplace. We talked about all of the ways God has been moving in our lives this year; all of the blessings that have come our family’s way and all of the absolutely amazing people we get to do life alongside. As tears streamed down my face, I told her just how grateful I am for her wisdom and love and for the ways in which she leads our family. My mom is my best friend, but also my biggest mentor, and the gratitude I have for her is indescribable.
The truth is, though, that I don’t want to have to wait 365 days to celebrate all of life’s goodness. All of the beauty & courage & love & creativity & miracles amidst all of the heartbreak & pain & hurt are things to be celebrated each and every moment of each and every day.
Maybe you had a hard Thanksgiving. Maybe your table was missing someone you love deeply. Maybe your circumstances are tough and your heart is a bit worn and you woke up on Thanksgiving morning thinking “what could I possibly be grateful for today when I feel so much hurt and life is just too hard right now?”
If you found yourself asking that question, I want you to know that you are not alone. We have all been there. We’re human: fragile, imperfect, and wired to feel all the good and all the bad. And we are also wired in such a way that even amidst the hardest of circumstances, gratitude can and will bring us joy.
Psalm 136:1 says “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Maybe, like me, you needed that reminder this Thanksgiving. That you, sweet friend, are so, so loved. Despite all of the hurt you may be feeling or the rejection you may be facing or the lack of affirmation from the people you depend on most, you are so loved. Oh, how I wish I could give you the biggest hug and look you in the eyes and make sure you know that truth. Because even when we’re hurt and people let us down, there is a God who has a plan laid out for our lives that includes so much goodness and so much to be grateful for.
Now, Thanksgiving has passed. But my desire to wake up every morning with a heart centered on Jesus and all of the amazing things that are yet to unfold in my life has continued on. Even when the circumstances get tough, I trust in the fact that God has blessed me with so much and continues to bless each and every person of this world every single day. Goodness and love are abundant, babies are being born (& I don’t know about you, but an adorable baby being born is most definitely something to be celebrated in my book! The baby obsession is real, y’all.), people are being raised out of poverty, broken relationships are being healed, people are falling in love, friends are belly-laughing so hard they could cry, adventures are taking place, and the list just keeps going on.
This year, I’m grateful for Jesus’ love. I’m grateful for friendships new & old. I’m grateful for my momma and my sisters and my family. I’m grateful for the incredible college I get to attend and the new relationships I have formed with such life-giving people. I’m grateful for good books and hot cups of tea. I’m grateful for baby laughs and older couples who still hold hands in the movie theater. I’m grateful for the wise mentors who lead and guide me and my faith. I’m grateful for Sunday mornings spent in church. I’m grateful for car jam sessions and good music that fills up my soul. I’m grateful for dinner dates and long walks and deep conversations about dreams and fears and hopes.
And last, but certainly not least, I’m so grateful that I get to share bits of my heart on this blog with you all.
Always,
Elle
