Thankfulness: Family

Family is a gift from God, even when it's tough. They make us who we are, and we should be thankful for them, even when it's difficult.

Thankfulness: Family

This week's devotions are written by my son, Bryant Forshee, Lead Student Pastor for Cross Church, Springdale, AR campus.

- Pastor Danny

"For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well."

(Psalm 139:13-14, CSB)

With last week being Thanksgiving, I hope you spent it with family and friends. I hope you spent it eating a lot of food and taking a great nap. As for our family, we spent our Thanksgiving with many family members from Kyndall's side of the family. We had grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and some family friends all gathered! This one was special for Kyndall and me because this was our first Thanksgiving as a family of four! On November 1, we welcomed Miller Daniel Forshee into the world. He has been such a blessing to our lives, and it was so fun watching our family love on Miller and our 1-year-old Tabor!

Family is a gift from God! For those with good family relationships, it is easy to look back at last week and be thankful for your memories with loved ones around the table. If you fall into this category, thank God for the great memories of last week and the blessing that God gave you and the family that you have. When was the last time you thanked God for your siblings? Your aunts and uncles? Your grandparents? Your great-grandparents? Your cousins? Take some time now to thank God for creating you and placing you in your mother's womb allowing you to have your family!

Some people do not have good family relationships, though. They have quite the opposite; some cannot stand their family, have a negative view of family, or family is hard to talk about. If this is more along the lines of your circumstance, can I challenge you to be thankful for them anyway? Without them, you would not be on this earth. Without them and God's work in your own heart, you may not have learned as much about patience, forgiveness, and unconditional love. If you thought about it enough and prayed to God about it, you would see that there are some things you can thank God for about your family, even if it is difficult. Don't miss out on this opportunity to thank Him for placing you in the family that He did.

Today, as you thank God for your family, reach out to a family member and tell them how thankful you are to be in their family. Maybe it's a cousin, a sibling, or a parent; I don't know who the Holy Spirit will put on your heart, but don't miss out on the opportunity to send a family member some encouragement on this lovely Wednesday.