Last week I wrote about how thankful we should be in spite of life’s troubles, and while I thoroughly believe that, we need to realize the enemy of our soul puts us to the test regularly.  Not more than 24 hours after writing my e-mail, my youngest daughter starting complaining about her chest and back hurting after she had returned home from college.  Since she is slightly lactose intolerant, I thought the milkshake she had had might be the cause.  But the next day she was in terrible pain and couldn’t sleep or get comfortable.  So we scheduled a doctor’s appointment and after some testing we found out that she had gall stones and would have to have her gall bladder removed.  

Life can be a roller coaster ride of mountain top experiences and valley experiences.  For me, I tend to compartmentalize my valley experiences something like this:  

Big Valleys – a wayward child, finding out you have serious illness, losing your job, or the death of friend

Medium Valleys – your car breakdowns, hassles with the insurance company, or having a major report due to upper management on 24 hours notice

Small Valleys – stubbing your toe, forgetting to pay a bill and getting a finance charge, having a customer cancel after driving 2 hours to see them

But as they say before a football game, “the game is won in the trenches”.  We need to do the basics of blocking and tackling in our personal life.  Things like praying, reading the Bible, fellowshipping with others believers, being honest and trustworthy, working hard, having a thankful heart and having integrity.  When you put these things into practice in the game of life, even the big valleys seem a little smaller.  

This Thanksgiving, take some time to focus on the basics.  Be thankful for all that you have and take some time to bless at least one member of your family.  Whether it is a child, a spouse, a parent, or a sibling; find a way to encourage them.  Then when the enemy comes to kill (your joy), steal (your witness) or destroy (your life), remember the One who will stick with you through all those valley experiences.  Only He can give you a life that is more abundant than you can imagine.  Until next week … Walk in Love.

God, I know there are times in my life and the life of my family that circumstances seem to be turning against us.  I realize these are not from You, but from the one who wants to destroy us and who wants us to give up on our life with You.  Help me to keep a positive attitude during these battles knowing that You are in control and You won’t allow these situations to overwhelm us.  Be my strength and protector as I look to You for all my needs in life’s journey.  In Jesus name.  

John 10:10  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

God will not spare a man trouble. But He will help a man be a man in the midst of it. When a man yields to God in difficulty, he turns weakness into strength.  Richard Halverson