Over the past few years, I’ve gotten used to the ways God chooses to speak to me. Usually, it’s through something I read, a thought that pops into my head, a song that gets stuck, or something someone says. But yesterday, God got sneaky and found another way to communicate with me. And this one blew my mind because it was so completely unexpected!
You know by now that when something gets stuck in my head, I write a blog about it. I’ve written quite a few blogs about songs that refuse to leave my head, so it shouldn’t surprise you that this blog involves a song, too. However, this one didn’t get stuck in my head. At least not yet, although I fully expect that to change soon!
The October campaign for the Matthew 28:19 Project was The Gospel Doesn’t Stop Here. God worked in so many ways throughout that campaign that I’m still a little flabbergasted. He allowed me to reach far more people than I ever dreamed possible. The blog with the same title reached people in numbers I never imagined. This little blog and Facebook page are helping spread the Gospel to all corners of the world. That is AWESOME! I’m so excited about what God is doing, and I can’t wait to see what He has in store for this month.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I started thinking about all the things I’m thankful for. I was also trying to figure out how to carry October’s The Gospel Doesn’t Stop Here campaign into November with a new theme centered on giving thanks. I tossed several ideas around. Some were okay, while others left me feeling a little “meh.”
There I was, driving down I-540 in Raleigh, thinking about how to tie everything together, when a song shuffled onto my playlist. I have a gazillion Southern Gospel songs on my playlist, so the odds of this particular song playing while I was driving were pretty slim. It wasn’t even one of my favorite songs, and I’m not sure I’ve ever heard it before. If I have, it certainly wasn’t one that stuck with me. So, the odds of this song being the answer I was looking for seemed slim to none.
So, what song was it, you ask? What song did God put in front of me at the very moment I was trying to figure out how to connect the Gospel with giving thanks?
Grateful for the Gospel by Brian Free and Assurance.
God sure is sneaky! Here I am, trying to piece everything together, and He basically says, “Hey, Tina, I’ve got the perfect song, the perfect title, and I’m going to tie this all together with a shiny bow!” And He did! As soon as I heard it, everything fell into place. So, instead of writing a blog about something that got stuck in my head, I’m writing one about something that shuffled onto my car playlist. How awesome is that? I told you God chooses the coolest ways to talk to me!
I love this! I thought about it all day yesterday. I can’t believe God chose to speak to me through one of my favorite things in this universe: Southern Gospel music! And through one of my favorite groups! The only other thing that would have made my day complete was if He had chosen to speak to me through my favorite redhead, but I’m not complaining. I really do love Brian Free and Assurance! I’ve seen them perform at the National Quartet Convention a few times, and I even had the opportunity to see them at a church concert just a few miles from my home recently.
It isn’t surprising that God spoke to me through a song. He does that all the time, and I almost always have a song running through my head. What surprised me was that it wasn’t a song that had been stuck in my head. It was a song I hadn’t even thought about before. Honestly, I must have heard it somewhere along the way because I had saved it to my playlist at some point. But I prefer to think that God magically tucked it away in my playlist and shuffled it onto my radio just as I was trying to figure out how to connect being thankful with sharing the Gospel.
As I thought about the beauty of God speaking to me through a song, I started thinking about all the things I’m grateful for.
I’m grateful for Jesus saving me all those years ago. I’m grateful that God never gave up on me. I’m grateful that He placed me and my family in North Carolina. I’m grateful for my work family. They really are family to me, and I love working for my firm. My office is my home away from home. I’m blessed to work with people who have so much fun together, who are close, and who always have each other’s backs. I’m grateful that they are receptive to the Gospel and are taking little Jesus and running with it. I’m grateful for all the laughs, the long talks, and the friendships we’ve built. They truly are my friends.
I’m grateful for my church family. They are my second family, and my church is another home away from home. My church has helped me grow so much as a woman, a person, a Christian, and a follower of Christ. I’m involved in things I never dreamed I would be involved in, and I’m serving in ways I never thought possible. I’m truly grateful for everyone in our church, especially those who kept believing in me even when I struggled to believe in myself. We really are doing some amazing things there! I’ve made some wonderful friends, and I love spending time with them.
I’m grateful for my Sunday school class because that’s where the Matthew 28:19 Project was born. This blog came to life because my teacher asked us to do something. I’m thankful for the long talks, the laughs, the prayers, and the way we support one another. I live for Sunday mornings now, and I can’t wait to tell everyone how God pieced this month’s campaign together with one simple song and a car radio!
I’m grateful for the talents God has given me. I’m especially grateful He didn’t take them away during the years I lived in the world. Instead, He allowed me to develop those talents, and now I’m doing many of the same things I learned years ago, only this time I’m using them for the Lord. And those talents are taking me to some exciting places! I can’t wait to see where God takes me next.
I’m grateful for my family because I truly have the best family in the world. We are so blessed. We love each other, and we always have each other’s backs. I can’t imagine my life without them. I’m thankful God placed me in this family because so much of who I am reflects the people who have loved me along the way. I can’t imagine going through life without my sister and my parents.
I’m grateful that God created animals because Minnie, my black-and-white tuxedo cat, has been such a blessing to us these past few months. She’s funny, mischievous, loving, and has brought so much joy into our home. Losing Charlotte so suddenly and unexpectedly was heartbreaking, but Minnie has helped make that loss a little easier to bear. I’m thankful for the joy and comfort God can bring through even the smallest members of our family.
I’m grateful that you took time out of your busy day to read this blog. I hope my writing has blessed you in some small way, and I hope it encourages you to share Jesus with someone today.
And, most of all, I’m grateful for the Gospel! I’m grateful that someone shared it with someone, who shared it with someone, who shared it with my mom, who shared it with me. And now, I’m sharing it with you! Think about that for a moment. The message of Jesus Christ has traveled through generations of faithful people who simply took the time to tell someone else about Him. And now we get to be part of that story!
I’m grateful for God’s grace, His mercy, and His unfailing love. I’m grateful that He never stops loving me, no matter how far I stray or how busy life gets. His love is the one constant I can always count on. Everything else in this world may change or fade away, but God will still be there. I’m grateful for my salvation and for the assurance that the old stinky Devil can’t take it away! I’m grateful that Jesus loved me enough to die on the cross for me. And in a world filled with chaos, envy, deceit, nastiness, and betrayal, I can still smile and have peace because my hope is firmly planted in Jesus Christ.
As I thought about how blessed I am and how much I have to be thankful for, this verse came to mind: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
As we move into November, it’s a good time to slow down and reflect. We often get caught up in life’s busyness, focusing on what we don’t have, what hasn’t gone our way, or what we wish were different. But even in the middle of life’s challenges, there is always a reason to give thanks. God has been good to us in more ways than we sometimes realize.
And that’s exactly why I’m Grateful for the Gospel.
You see, Thanksgiving isn’t just about counting our blessings. It’s about remembering God, who makes every blessing possible. And no blessing compares to the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. We have a Savior who loved us enough to give His life for us, a God whose grace never runs out, and a promise of eternal life that nothing in this world can take away.
So, as you count your blessings this November, don’t stop with the things you can see, touch, or hold. Remember the greatest gift you’ve ever been given. If someone hasn’t heard that good news, share it with them. Someone once took the time to share the Gospel with you. Now you have the opportunity to pass it along.
Be thankful, stay encouraged, and never stop sharing the Gospel. No matter how much we have to be grateful for, Jesus Christ is the greatest reason of all to give thanks!
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