Thankful for today 5.10.13

I have been amazed over the past few weeks how God has answered so many specific prayers that I have prayed. I am so thankful that God answers prayers! So today my 5 things I'm thankful for are truly answered prayers!

1)  Since I have moved to Fort Worth I have prayed for community. I have had seasons of really sweet community and fellowship but none like this current season. The Lord has blessed me recently with really sweet friendships that have been such an answer to this prayer! Every Monday I get the opportunity to spend my {extended} lunch break with one of these sweet friends. We have spent the last 4 months studying Gods word together and digging into each others lives. We spend our Mondays laughing and crying and learning more about God. It's become my favorite time of most every week!

2)  Children! It's been so sweet how the Lord has brought sweet little children into my life whom I just love and adore. I have loved spending time with my friends children and watching them grow. I think that's one of the greatest parts of living in community. I love holding the little bits and hearing them coo, my heart melts hearing these little ones call my name, and I just love rejoicing with my friends as they are expecting! I have struggled with the idea that I may never have a family of my own but The Lord has been so sweet to give me put these sweet children in my life in which my heart overflows for!

3) Being able to {really truly} rejoice with a sweet  friend as she got engaged. My dear friend Kati got engaged to an amazing man 2 weeks ago. My eyes filled with tears and my heart overflowed with joy when I heard the words "I'm getting married" come out of her mouth. It has been so sweet to walk with her and pray with her in this journey as she has prayed for her husband and I will be honored to stand up on July 7th in support of this marriage!

4) For how God has drawn me back to Him. These past few years have been hard! I don't think I realized how hard they were until now. I am realizing now how far I had drifted from the God I loved. It's been so sweet to be drawn back into His presence!

5) Ever since I spent 18 months at Heartlight my heart has been burdened to walk alongside people who are struggling. I have wanted to love people in the midst of the hardness of life and I have wanted to enter into the lives of those who are hurting and love them well. That was the motivation for getting my Social Work degrees and what drew me to working at MCOT. When I was given the opportunity to move into administration I really struggled with leaving direct care. I am in constant awe of how God is using the gifts He has given me and the desires He has laid on my heart to walk alongside my staff in hard times. I love that in my position I can really support my staff in a sweet way and that I can provide them with love and support. The people I work with really have become like family to me. I mourn when they mourn and I rejoice when they rejoice. I L-O-V-E how God knew this job would be the answer to my prayers I began praying almost 10 years ago!