7 Things I'm Thankful for from the Past Year

We have much to be thankful for this year. Here are 7 things I am thankful for this year:

1. I'm thankful for family. I am so grateful for my heritage and the privilege of having a beautiful wife and daughters to share life with.
2. I'm thankful for a good ending to our season of ministry on Long Island. I was able to secure my successor for the church so that the students would not be without a pastor.
3. I'm thankful that God provided a new ministry context for us in California. Being part of a team, a family-friendly, grace-filled church that is all about reaching people with God's love is an exciting thing to be a part of.
4. I'm thankful for the cross-country journey that our family was able to experience together. 9 days seeing some of the incredibly beautiful landscape of the United States, and more importantly, seeing several family members and friends along the way was a great joy.
5. I'm thankful for God's grace and provision. Beginning a new job, finding a new home, learning a new culture (both geographically and church), the girls beginning at new schools, etc. was challenging and stretching, but we are thankful that God strengthened us and has faithfully supplied for our needs.
6. I'm thankful for friends. Moving caused us to see how dear our friends in New York are to us. It has also been neat meeting new people and making new friends here. Just today I was appreciating the fact that we have such wonderful friends all around the world from all walks of life. 
7. I'm thankful that I was able to go on a missions trip with my daughters. A few weeks ago we were able to join a team from our church and venture to Ensenada, Baja, Mexico to build a home for a family - one of five our church built that weekend. How special to be serving the Lord with my own children.