30 Days of Thanks- Day 1

November is when a lot of people do "30 Days of Thanks" since Thanksgiving is on the 4th Thursday of each November. While it may seem cliche to do this, I think it is a good practice for people. Taking one day out of each  year to be thankful is not enough in my opinion (and technically, we should be thankful every day of the year) but this year I've decided to practice being intentionally thankful. So each day in November, I will post something I am thankful for. It is not listed in rank or any special order, it will just be what happens what comes to mind that day!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Now I don't know about you, but this is definitely a reminder that I need. It is way too easy to get caught up in the small details of life that I forget to be grateful for what I have and experience!

November 1- Today, I am thankful for my education and the ability to go to school. On exam days and days when assignments are due, this is the first thing I forget. I forget to be grateful to have the opportunity to learn. Not only just to go to school, but that I am provided with means, through scholarships and two jobs, that help me fund school. I need to remember that education is a privilege, not a right, when there are others who would and do give up everything they have just to have a basic education. Here I am, not just getting a basic education, but being blessed with the specific knowledge and expertise of professors and staff who dedicate their lives to teaching others and helping others in their calling and ministry.

I am extremely grateful to go to school at a place where everyone is family. Each person who works there, staff and faculty, is invested in the lives and ministry of each student. We are not just a number on a page, or another person passing through getting a degree. We are all called and each one of us has our story. Each person's story is worth telling and Campbell Divinity is a place where each person is valued for their story and what God's story is in his or her life. Our story is not complete, and Campbell is just one stop on our journey in life, but Campbell Divinity prepares us for our next step in life, and they walk this journey with you. As Christians, we are part of a community of believers, and you won't find a much more supportive community than Campbell Divinity School!

So in the midst of exams and papers, I am reminded that professors care more than just about what grade we get or what assignments we have finished. They care about our ministry and preparing us to be the best ministers we can be and fulfilling our calling from God. Some of my classmates have become my closest friends and source of encouragement, laughter, and a push when I need it!

Though I may not know exactly where the path in front of me goes, I know that those who have walked the path before me are guiding me, those who are walking beside me are supporting me, and those who are behind me are encouraging me.

Friends!