tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post3036958042758867123..comments2024-03-10T10:40:32.319-07:00Comments on Pyromaniacs: Giving hard thanksPhil Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00649092052031518426noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-85121646445335098992008-11-29T20:31:00.000-08:002008-11-29T20:31:00.000-08:00I've been trying for two days to properly articula...I've been trying for two days to properly articulate and offer thanks to God for an estrangement with a family member that is still very present, rather than in the past. It makes holidays extremely painful, rather than joyful. But I am profoundly thankful that in the midst of this trial God has taught me that:<BR/><BR/>Only His words and His Spirit can change a heart. If it happens, soli Deo gloria.<BR/><BR/>I truly do desire to obey Jesus out of ever increasing love for Him. And that means that I will confess and repent of <I>any</I> sin, even one against someone who will refuse to offer mercy and forgiveness.<BR/><BR/>This means I really, truly am His child, with His Spirit working in me. Only He could give me a heart that wants to pursue her as I was pursued, forgive her as I have been forgiven, wait for her as He waited for me. (I <I>want</I> to do these things, although I often fail. But even the wanting is such a miracle of grace.)<BR/><BR/>It's like you said, Dan. I could have learned all these things in a book. In fact, they were all there for me to see, but my fleshly eyes wouldn't see them. Now, however, I fight every day to see them more and more clearly, so that I can have the blessing of future lessons learned, without the overshadowing of regret.Rachael Starkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10781158372237369417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-88647918304586800832008-11-29T20:25:00.000-08:002008-11-29T20:25:00.000-08:00Dan,Your post prompted me to do something I have b...Dan,<BR/>Your post prompted me to do something I have been planning to do for some time. I have made mention here and there that I am unable to eat gluten. How that came about is a long, painful story which I have related <A HREF="http://glutenfreesleuth.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-story.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>. In the midst of that pain, I have had to cling to our Lord and the truths of His Word. I have never lost faith in Him, because my faith is a gift from Him and He is holding me fast.<BR/><BR/>It is not easy to be thankful for pain, but blessings have come. God has taught me that it really is possible to have peace when it makes no sense.Becky Schellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17770865501944518003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-46521002279048020072008-11-29T20:04:00.000-08:002008-11-29T20:04:00.000-08:00Dan - thanx for the post! Frank Turk said "that i...<B>Dan</B> - thanx for the post! <BR/><B>Frank Turk said</B> "that it really is either retail or church" How profound this is this time of year!<BR/><BR/>I myself would like to thank God most of all for not giving up on me... I fail him and He still love me - He is AWESOME!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01901310053734817082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-46390187602450297312008-11-29T16:36:00.000-08:002008-11-29T16:36:00.000-08:00Michelle: My wonderful husband will be deployed in...<I>Michelle: My wonderful husband will be deployed in a few weeks.</I><BR/><BR/>Michelle, please extend my sincere thanks and appreciation for his service to our country. And thank you for <B>your</B> sacrifice, as well. May God richly bless and keep you and him both!Sharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14534421623031122881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-60925059346669139972008-11-29T13:03:00.000-08:002008-11-29T13:03:00.000-08:00My wonderful husband will be deployed in a few wee...My wonderful husband will be deployed in a few weeks. Most people who hear say, "I'm so sorry." What they don't always understand is that there is something far bigger than the physical reality of being without my husband (and dealing with children who will miss their daddy). <BR/><BR/>Thanking God for difficult circumstances is made possible when we exercise faith in the person of God and the eternal weight of glory that we do not always see. I sincerely look forward with thanksgiving to see what God will do, because of who He is. My father-in-law recently shared this passage with me, and it's been one I've been thinking about often:<BR/><BR/>Although the fig tree shall not blossom, <BR/>neither shall fruit be in the vines; <BR/>the labour of the olive shall fail, <BR/>and the fields shall yield no meat; <BR/>the flock shall be cut off from the fold, <BR/>and there shall be no herd in the stalls:<BR/><BR/>Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.<BR/><BR/>The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12978614148747902881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-88404570750042290482008-11-29T10:47:00.000-08:002008-11-29T10:47:00.000-08:00It's such a deep blessing that God said to be than...It's such a deep blessing that God said to be thankful -IN- all things rather than -FOR- them.~Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01819856178499938127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-86093277212964217152008-11-29T10:44:00.000-08:002008-11-29T10:44:00.000-08:00I'm not going to pretend that I am able to give th...I'm not going to pretend that I am able to give thanks FOR the tough things, but I am more than able to give thanks for what God did through and with them. <BR/><BR/>I've gained an appreciation for 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 which says in the NASB "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."<BR/><BR/>I can thank God that he has made me a comfort to those who've experienced death, (just came from another memorial an hour or so ago) relational heartbreak, suicide, loss of home and all possessions, sexual abuse, physical beatings at home and by strangers for various reasons, lives given to sexual promiscuity of depraved levels, drug abuse, homelessness and more.<BR/><BR/>In fact I can remember crying to God several times years ago that I didn't want to be able to help anybody else. <BR/><BR/>He then helped me to understand that He would help me through all these things and because of that make me able to extend His help to people around me who wouldn't think anybody could have ever experienced what they did and not only survived but been restored.<BR/><BR/>I'm not gonna lie to you, while I have met people who profess thanks for the terrible pains in their past <B>I</B> am <I>NOT</I> thankful that those things happened to me. They really, deeply, truly hurt. Maybe one day I'll reach that maturity but I'm just not there. However, I am from the bottom of my heart grateful that God used all those horrible things in my life to bring help and encouragement to more people than I can count in the years since.~Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01819856178499938127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-16017192410689899612008-11-29T10:20:00.000-08:002008-11-29T10:20:00.000-08:00I am super-blessed and encouraged by all the testi...I am super-blessed and encouraged by all the testimonies here of God's love, grace, sovereignty (my personal favorite!), and care for His own.<BR/><BR/>My own personal thanks? It is for God's infinite grace to me, a sinner who deserves no less than an eternity in hell. Why did He love me so much to send His Son to die in my place? It's something I'll never understand until I can ask Him face to Face!<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://music53.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow"> A Musician by Grace</A>Sharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14534421623031122881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-80379548434584369202008-11-29T09:45:00.001-08:002008-11-29T09:45:00.001-08:00This is my first blog here but I have been followi...This is my first blog here but I have been following for about 2 weeks, so I am thankful to have found this site blog. God has truly worked a work in this man, who was once a lost, lonely, junky, thief, lier, ect. I am amazed at the metamorphisis from death to life that has been given to me. So this thanksgiving is absolutly glorious for God is truly restoring all that the enemy has stolen.jeffzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09457657255089436999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-48180025502015607252008-11-29T09:45:00.000-08:002008-11-29T09:45:00.000-08:00I wrote this on November 24, but just noticed your...I wrote this on November 24, but just noticed your very timely post...<BR/><BR/>"Today is a very special day for our family.<BR/><BR/>Seven years ago (November 24, 2001) , at 6 AM to be precise, my wife and I stood together watching our home of 25 years consumed in flames and smoke, destroying almost everything. We watched as firefighters worked valiantly for what seemed like hours to save our home, at great personal risk to their lives and health, but with little effect. And a few hours later, we stood quietly “alone” trying to figure out what the next step would be.<BR/><BR/>But we were never really “alone”. Our loving, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, majestic, sovereign God stood with us at all times. And we had almost a palpable sense of His presence through it all.<BR/><BR/>By God’s grace…<BR/><BR/>I was “running late” for a prayer meeting, and had let the dogs out. So I was still at home to be with my wife as the fire started and began to rage. <BR/>My wife “happened” to get up early to take a decongestant. Otherwise she would have been asleep and alone if I had left “on time”. <BR/>Our son was away at The Master's College. Geoff’s bedroom was directly above the 4-alarm fire. <BR/>My wife called 911 on her cell phone because we had no landlines because of the fire. <BR/>We were able to give the Battalion Chief of the local fire department a Gideon New Testament as a gesture of appreciation for his service to our family. And we later gave each firefighter a Testament as we stood before them and gave them thanks for their selfless service that day. <BR/>And so, so many other divine, merciful providences are evident as we look back in wonderment and praise at that very eventful morning. <BR/>That afternoon, as we stood there in smoky clothes, our Pastor (who was fighting cancer at the time) went to a local department store to buy us some clothes so we could be in church the next day. We no longer qualified to sit in the “fragrance free zone” of our local church…so we sat front and center!<BR/><BR/>Believe me when I say there was no place we wanted to be more than at church worshipping our God.<BR/><BR/>The Lord put the following passage on my heart as we worshipped about 24 hours after losing our home…from Habakkuk 3.<BR/><BR/>17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,<BR/>nor fruit be on the vines,<BR/>the produce of the olive fail<BR/>and the fields yield no food,<BR/>the flock be cut off from the fold<BR/>and there be no herd in the stalls,<BR/>18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;<BR/>I will take joy in the God of my salvation.<BR/><BR/>Later, we saw our church family support us in many loving ways.<BR/><BR/>Over 50 church members came by the following Saturday as we began the long and painful process of inventorying the losses and attempting to salvage what we could…and they came back the next two Saturdays to help out as well. <BR/>Our Associate Pastor found my wife’s wedding ring in the midst of the charred remains of the bedroom. <BR/>We knew we had loving people praying for us…and that meant more than can possibly be described. <BR/>I could so easily continue to extol our Sovereign God for His mercies. His loving hand was upon us at all times and in all ways…and we know it very well.<BR/><BR/>Thanksgiving will never be the same for us. We approach this time of year with a special sense of how deeply grateful we are for the sustaining mercies of our God.<BR/><BR/>To Him be glory and honor now and forevermore."Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06133239150640564873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-46717672554554650792008-11-29T08:16:00.000-08:002008-11-29T08:16:00.000-08:00Though there have been a number of trials and chal...Though there have been a number of trials and challenges that my wife and I have experienced through the years, the one that is on my mind right now is the following:<BR/><BR/>In April of '07, the church that my wife and I had thought was the last church we'd ever go to (i.e., they'd marry our kids off, bury us, etc.) merged with another church to form a new entity. While in many ways that's a better thing to happen than a church split, it <I>feels</I> just like one. Everything changed; the new pastor's philosophies were emerg***-leaning. And though we knew nothing of the emerg*** movement at the time, we knew there was <I>something</I> wrong.<BR/><BR/>Through the six-month ordeal that followed, God raised me up, taught me what His word said, gave me strength to defend His truth, grew my faith immensely, and increased the love I have for Him and His word. It wasn't easy - I <I>wanted</I> to leave immediately and find a better place, but God had to <I>teach</I> me about what that "better place" would look like. <BR/><BR/>You see, I wasn't where I am now... I was unsure of many of my beliefs, not knowing the "why", and oftentimes not even the "what" was consistent. It was only through the experience of seeing what I <I>knew</I> was wrong that God taught me what was right. The easy thing would have been to run away and find another evanjellybean church (plenty of 'em around here), but I am so grateful to God for making me stick around long enough to fight the good fight.<BR/><BR/>In the end, of course, God is (always!) gracious. He led us to a church that is faithful to preach His word. We couldn't be happier where we are now, but we'd never have even looked for it, had we not gone through the pain of last year.<BR/><BR/>On another note, I want to thank the Pyro guys for this blog - your passion for Christ is infectious, and I can only thank God that He continues to lead you in this work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-73293528379179640302008-11-29T07:07:00.000-08:002008-11-29T07:07:00.000-08:00I am still in the process of learning to be thankf...I am still in the process of learning to be thankful in all things. Five years ago, I went through a house fire where we lost almost everything we had. My precious library, family heirlooms including a mini-grandfather clock (I think they called it a kitchen clock) that had been passed down from father to son since at least my great-grandfather's day. It was heartbreaking. <BR/><BR/>But in that process, I began to learn for real that material possessions didn't mean all that much. And as much as I loved the clock, it caused some difficulty within the family over some who wanted it regardless of the tradition. No clock, no dispute. A severe mercy, yet a mercy nonetheless. For that and many other things, I am thankful.Solameaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09869424956571944997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-65224926802377884022008-11-29T06:12:00.000-08:002008-11-29T06:12:00.000-08:00Thanks for the post, and I will offer my thanks to...Thanks for the post, and I will offer my thanks to my faithful God.<BR/><BR/>This past January my third son, Corban, was stillborn. When we were told that Corban would die (and yes this was a name we choose for him long before we knew what was coming) we were of course devastated. But our God gave us two weeks with him before he was still born, and the miracles God has given us in our medical technologies allowed us to see he via ultrasound weekly. I remember talking with our doctor the day Corban died and describing the last two weeks as God's grace given to us.<BR/><BR/>It was the first time in my life as a disciple of my Lord Jesus Christ that I think I have begun to understand what it means that, "my grace is sufficient for you...".<BR/><BR/>I thank my God for my other 2 children, and also for the 23 weeks we were able to care for and love Corban. I also thank God for the promise that I will one day know my son who I do not know now.<BR/><BR/>May God be praised.Malcolmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07918606205148898719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-43407150189454821252008-11-28T20:30:00.000-08:002008-11-28T20:30:00.000-08:00I'm thankful for God wrecking my marriage because ...I'm thankful for God wrecking my marriage because bringing me to that complete pit of despair is what caused me to finally turn to him in true repentance.<BR/><BR/>But now that I'm saved, I just want my marriage (and my wife) healed by Jesus, too. :(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-72038943974868001332008-11-28T11:01:00.000-08:002008-11-28T11:01:00.000-08:00It has been a rough year for my entire family (par...It has been a rough year for my entire family (parents and siblings), and this has given cause for all of us to reflect on how good God is through all of this. Death, cancer, broken hearts and unemployment - this has been our 2008. <BR/><BR/>Personally I found my life turned completely upside down. Things that were very, very dear to me were taken away. These were things that I had specifically thanked God for giving to me, and He chose to take them away.<BR/><BR/>The truth is that I needed it. It put my focus back on Him. He has been faithful to me and has always provided more than sufficiently. I am thankful that God understands what I truly need so much better than I do.<BR/><BR/>It is hard to be thankful in the midst of the trial, but when we look back, we see the hand of God clearly in our lives, and I am thankful that God loves us enough to teach us through the hard times.Angiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05653642755796812958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-49495253188712423672008-11-28T10:19:00.000-08:002008-11-28T10:19:00.000-08:00Good post, it caused me to ponder the wonder and g...Good post, it caused me to ponder the wonder and goodness of God. A few years ago the bottom of my life dropped out from under me and I lost everthing that was dear to me (except my treasure) and today I can look back with thanksgiving. He knows what He is doing. "Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how unscrutable his ways!"John Goodellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14643303176136738305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-15822984859214764682008-11-28T07:41:00.000-08:002008-11-28T07:41:00.000-08:00adding to my previous comment:I am thankful for th...adding to my previous comment:<BR/><BR/>I am thankful for the pain I feel when others reject the truth, I could care less if they accept or reject me, but when they reject the truth that can save them, it then produces all kinds of breaking up in me of mental and physical and spiritual painful side affects, and I know God is teaching me something through that. Or working out His purposes through it.Penn Tomassettihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04426113620189406498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-62796974366298956722008-11-28T07:32:00.000-08:002008-11-28T07:32:00.000-08:00I was giving thanks yesterday (while my jaw was a ...I was giving thanks yesterday (while my jaw was a little tense), for all the difficult things in my life, not having any idea you posted on this.<BR/><BR/>Shows how gracious God is to teach me these things.<BR/><BR/>I'm thankful for the bitter pain of rejection. It never seems to end, but it will one day and joy will be all that's left.Penn Tomassettihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04426113620189406498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-44674192655217919722008-11-28T05:25:00.000-08:002008-11-28T05:25:00.000-08:00As odd as it sounds, I actually felt very close to...As odd as it sounds, I actually felt very close to God during the difficult months I was repenting of addictions (alcohol and eating disorder) because I was clinging to His Hand in utter dependence. I remember just constantly praying for strength, being immersed in the Word and letting it convict and encourage me, and believing that I was forgiven every time I stumbled and repented again. <BR/><BR/>He completely delivered me and for that I'm grateful, but the journey itself strengthened my relationship with God immeasurably and taught me what surrender meant. While I wouldn't wish that kind of bondage on anyone, I came to realize that repentance is truly a gift and the verse in Romans about His kindness leading us there isn't just words.Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15411152395819469453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-66973697532730081252008-11-27T22:54:00.000-08:002008-11-27T22:54:00.000-08:00DJP is so sneaky, he has everyone who reads these ...DJP is so sneaky, he has everyone who reads these comments praising God along with the writers! It's as if he thinks that glorifying God might be mankind's purpose or something...Chris Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09852172543604796279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-74960061250414480802008-11-27T22:52:00.000-08:002008-11-27T22:52:00.000-08:00The day after tomorrow will mark the second annive...The day after tomorrow will mark the second anniversary of our 17-year old son's sudden death from asthma. Humanly, it is hard to think in terms of benefits from an experience like that. But I am thankful for all the things God has taught me in the past two years. He has taught me more about his love and providence than I could have ever learned otherwise. His Word is so comforting. He's allowed me to see other people's pain and not be afraid to reach out. I have a wonderful relationship with the young man who was with my son when he died. Our family is much closer and appreciates each other so much more. We don't take a single day for granted. When I found out my son was gone I couldn't imagine being happy again. But today, even though I still grieve my loss, I am more thankful than I ever could have been without going through such a hard situation.Kim K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03046650994911007027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-53516678572288840502008-11-27T19:25:00.000-08:002008-11-27T19:25:00.000-08:00I'm very thankful to God for the terrible times th...I'm very thankful to God for the terrible times that I went through as I child and teenager--horribly ostracized. If I hadn't experienced that I probably would have never understood the grace of God.<BR/><BR/>I have a close friend that used to cut herself as a teenager. After becoming a Christian she was terribly embarrassed by her scars. Then one day she had a bad kitchen fire that burned arms. When her wounds healed she discovered that her cutting scars were all gone. She like to say that God purified her by fire. I know that she finds it a very symbolic of God's grace to remove the internal scars of our sin.abbabbabbababhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10156122782044996523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-91684605396696050892008-11-27T19:05:00.000-08:002008-11-27T19:05:00.000-08:00Off-topic but I frankly couldn't care less because...Off-topic but I frankly couldn't care less because this is way overdue: Thank YOU, Frank, Phil, and Dan for your thoughtful and inspired words from God's Word. As silly as I can be sometimes, I just wanted to let each and every one of you know that I am thankful for what you do here to edify the body of Christ. And I know it IS hard for you to do this so consistently...as trials last month proved it. But I soak in every word you put out there. We *are* watching your walk from a distance, and know the "pressure is on". And Christ shines through every post you make (except for those wretched cat posts ;-) ).<BR/><BR/>Thank you, gentlemen.Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05267525662313103148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-38874826793576992522008-11-27T19:00:00.000-08:002008-11-27T19:00:00.000-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05267525662313103148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-70781884423207422612008-11-27T18:56:00.000-08:002008-11-27T18:56:00.000-08:00I'm thankful that:God rescued and saved me from He...I'm thankful that:<BR/><BR/>God rescued and saved me from Hell, which I absolutely deserve, from a Savior who absolutely didn't<BR/><BR/>God uses a wretch like me to preach the Gospel;<BR/><BR/>God provides for me each day;<BR/><BR/>God gives me strength, life and breath...<BR/><BR/>All through the easy times. And then...<BR/><BR/>About a decade ago I found myself out of a job. After nearly a year of temporary jobs, I was down to my last $5. Driving back to my apartment, I remember exactly where I was, what lane I was driving in, and holding it up to God and saying to the effect of "Lord, this is my last $5. It's yours, and I am trusting You to provide me, as You have promised."<BR/><BR/>No, a million dollars didn't crash land through my roof. But soon thereafter, I got a stable, very good job that I'm still at and enjoy, and am most grateful to God for. When you have nobody left to trust but God, that's when you realize that trusting God through our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient. And I learned that in a big way over 10 years ago.<BR/><BR/>Thank you, Jesus.Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05267525662313103148noreply@blogger.com