Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17

你好我的朋友！(Hello, my friend!) I hope you are doing well and getting ready for an awesome Thanksgiving Day next week! Things have been pretty busy here in X-Town lately, but I know we’re all still getting pretty excited for turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie.

Even though things have been a little hectic, one thing I have been pondering lately is how thankful I am for certain things that God has been doing in my life. Maybe that shouldn’t be a big surprise with Thanksgiving right around the corner, but I know it’s not always the case that my heart magically falls into alignment with the spirit of the season. This year, however, I’ve been really struck by the amazing gift of gratitude in our relationship with God. So, just for kicks, I want to share with you what I’m most thankful for this year:

  1. I am so thankful for an incredible group of teammates and leaders here who are supportive, patient, and encouraging; who challenge me; and who constantly point everyone around them to God.
  2. I’m also extremely blessed by the love of all my friends and family in the States. I can’t always see you face to face, but I am reminded of your love and support every day.
  3. Finally, I am thankful for many of the experiences God has brought me through over the past few years. I haven’t always been a happy camper about them, but I’m slowly realizing that His timing is perfect, His grace is more than sufficient to help me in the midst of life’s challenges, and that His ways are beyond my understanding.

Even as we round the corner to face the holiday next week though, I would really appreciate prayer for both my roommate and me. Felicity has been sick in one way or another for about two weeks now, and she’s pretty worn down. Our schedule has also been a little haywire due to her sickness, the coming holidays, and a recent trip to renew our visas. It has put us and our work in a bit of a funk. Overall, I think we could both use some renewed energy and fresh eagerness to share God’s story. Thank you so much for your prayers! They are appreciated more than you know!