Thanksgiving for March and April.
I come back to my God and Father to give Him special thanks publicly, for all of the prayers that I have seen answers to over the last 2 months.
As always, I also give Him thanks for the so-much-more that I have received in life, even without consciously praying and for all the blessings I have received and not even acknowledged.
For answered prayer in March:
For inspiring my preparations for a birthday party – what to bake and who to invite.
For a wonderful party and 15 beautiful guests and all their love, greetings and gifts.
For recent words of encouragement from S, Ch, E, and C.
For your inspiration to do the collage of Open Doors in Sunday School for the last 2 weeks and that many children were involved in it and blessed by it.
For keeping AV safe and restoring her to her family.
For the privilege of being able to bless a family.
For an afternoon out with R and L.
For an afternoon with W and the opportunity for blessed conversation.
That R’s surgery was successful and he’s home again.
For instructing me to leave that money out and showing me that I had heard You.
For the privilege of leading this group in the EH school and for all You did in all of us this weekend – especially with J and L.
That C says wants to be a Christian and opportunity to talk about it. ❤
For ministering more to Suzie.
That S’s wallet was found, handed in and restored to him.
For healing S’s tooth infection and giving him the help he needed.
For teaching me that You hear and answer our prayers – though not always in the way we expect!
For the blessed fellowship evening with EH leaders.
For blessing C as a man of truth.
For allowing me opportunities to recognise and repent.
For our growing Sunday School and a great Easter lesson You gave me.
For opportunities to connect with E, D, W, R and E this month.
For a new haircut that I like!
For helping to sort a new passport and then inspiring me to book a trip to Romania.
For helping me to confirm another trip with S later in the year.
For some lovely times at home and out and about with the children.
For inspiring me and giving me courage to speak out at the Good Friday service.
For a wonderful Easter Triduum shared with S and a blessed family celebration of the Risen Lord.
For all You did on the cross for us and for the resurrection life You give to us.
For answered prayer in April:
For the children’s sleepover being more restful.
For a 4th amazing EH weekend and how You ministered so perfectly to each one of us.
For a poem a day inspiration – both to do it and to persevere.
For a successful first round of floor tiles and then for being able to borrow a grinder and to clean all the remaining tiles and then to lay and grout them all while S was away.
For the week with S in London and for all the work we accomplished there together and that there is now light at the end of this tunnel.
That I got the grass cut and house prepared before all the guests came.
For a special weekend with D, R, R, D & C, C and E all at mine and for love and fun.
That I was able to see a recording of J’s funeral, which was blessed and that he is finally at rest, in full health and with You in paradise.
That the bike finally got serviced and fixed.
For all the lessons You teach me – especially the one that the gospel is so simple – that You do not count our sins against us. Make your peace with God! Romans 5 and 2 Corinthians 5:16ff.*1
For showing me my judgments to repent of and break and releasing freedom into my friendships.
For 2 lovely walk & talk afternoons – with C and with M.
For precious birthday times with E, C and C and a brief connection with S.
For those who helped me with the checking in and organising the trip.
For D kindly driving me to the station at 4:45am.
For a safe trip to Romania and for a glorious week of sunshine.
For success with the smart-phone to do what I needed it for.
For all the new people I met in the Mission and the old ones I reconnected with and for all of the great work they do with You.
For S and her hospitality, planning and friendship.
For being able to be there for the children’s Easter programs in the 3 areas – for all the families and the seeds of love being sown there.
For the opportunity to intercede with L for D.
For all You taught me through the NaPoWriMo challenge.
*2 Corinthians 5:16
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.