Gratitude

I have the best church! It's called Epic, because it is epic. Our mission is to serve, and our pastor wears flip flops! What more could you ask for? Free bagels and donuts? We do that too! haha!

Well yesterday, (lead pastor) Kent preached on gratitude. He shared the story of Luke 17, where Jesus came into a city on the border of Samaria and Galilee and there were 10 lepers who asked to be healed. He told them to show themselves to the priest (which you only did if you were healed) and on their way, they were healed. Only 1 of the 10 came back to thank Jesus. "17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?"19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

At first glance, you think, man, those other 9 are ungrateful because they did not thank Jesus publicly. But, do you think they were ungrateful? The Bible says nothing about what they did the rest of their life, but I'm pretty sure if you think about what they experienced, you would agree that they were GRATEFUL! They got their life back, their jobs, their families, their health. But they didn't say thank you to Jesus.

Kent challenged the church to express our gratitude in a physical way. "Say what needs to be said, and do what needs to be done." It is easy to forget to say thank you, especially to someone who is a part of your everyday life. When you forget, you come off as ungrateful, or worse, entitled. We don't want that. That is not who we are, or what we are feeling. So my challenge to you is to BE grateful, SAY grateful, and DO grateful. It's much easier to say "thank you" than it is to say "I'm sorry".

In that vein, I want to say some thank yous:
Mom - thank you for your heart and your ears. You've taught me to love unconditionally and you listen to me even when you've heard it a thousand times (and disagree). You've taught me to live for today and say what needs to be said, because we might not have tomorrow. Thank you.
Dad - you've taught me to plan, think ahead and be self-sufficient. This has turned me into an adventurer who travels to foreign lands and is able to stand on my own two feet, all by myself. Thank you.
James - you've taught me to listen, to not always be the boss and let others have opinions and maybe even be right once in a while. You've also taught me to be vulnerable and let others in even when it's hard. Thank you.
Kristen - you've taught me love and kindness. You teach me the necessity of kind words and unbridled passion for life and faith. You've also taught me what the unconditional love of a best friend looks like. Thank you.
Aunt Judi - you've taught me to love books and to believe in myself. You have a way of looking at life that is clear, and positive and you get me even when I feel like no one else does. Thank you.
Uncle Jerry - you've taught me to see things in myself that I didn't see before, and because of you, I believe in myself. Thank you.
Grandparents - you've taught me that unconditional love conquers all and that money is just paper. You've all risen out of sober circumstances to become incredible examples or life, love and strength. I strive to have a story like yours. Thank you.
Stephanie - you teach me joy! You bring so much happiness into every moment and I am so thankful for your infectious positivity. Thank you.
Sarah - you've taught me accountability and to stand strong in my faith and beliefs. You challenge me to the person God has planned and remind me that I am strong. Thank you.
Jami - you taught me the power of positive thinking. To overcome the negative by accentuating the positive. You taught me that I am a triathlete. Thank you.
Eastern Girls - you've taught me that friendship grows and molds to your life. No matter how near or far, friendship can stand the test of time and will be there when you need it most. Thank you.
Colleagues - you've taught me to believe in my talents and to depend on others who have gone before me. It's not all about forging a new path, sometimes, the paved path is the best. Thank you.

There are so many more people that I could thank individually, but I think my word count is running low. I hope this encourages (and inspires) you to do the same. Reach out to those who have impacted your life and say thank you. They may brush you off because they don't like to be the center of attention, but believe me, it will mean the world to them.

Look for a Chicago update in 1 week!!