25 Things I’m Thankful For

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Previously I wrote 25 things I learned, following are top 25 things I’m thankful for since we joined Mercy Ships in no particular order:

  1. I’m thankful for God, who entrusted me with the expansion of his Kingdom.
  2. I’m thankful for Carla, my wife who has followed me to the ends of the earth, when the only reasonable explanation was that God had told me to go.
  3. I’m thankful for my daughters, Cassia, Tamar and Queila who lived onboard a ship for the first 10 years of their lives and think they had a great childhood.
  4. I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness in supplying all we needed.
  5. I’m thankful because God’s power is perfect in our weakness.
  6. I’m thankful for those who supported us in prayer and giving.
  7. I’m thankful because God restored my toe after a 4 ton piece of generator ran over my foot.
  8. I’m thankful for the person who prayed for my toe, when the doctor told that it needed to be amputated after the 4 ton generator ran over my foot.
  9. I’m thankful for the church that gave me expensive safety shoes that saved my toe when the 4 ton generator ran over my foot.
  10. I’m thankful that I can play football (soccer) with my restored toe.
  11. I’m thankful for friends we made in different parts of the world.
  12. I’m thankful for the many coworkers I worked with throughout the years.
  13. I’m thankful for the circumstances that encouraged growth in my life
  14. I’m thankful for the spiritual discipline (quiet time, worship, intercession) I acquired during my Discipleship Training School (DTS), that sustained me in this journey.
  15. I’m thankful for the physical discipline I acquired at the Marine Academy that keeps me physically fit in this journey.
  16. I’m thankful that there is always something new for me to learn in my journey.
  17. I’m thankful that God reveals himself to me in most unexpected ways.
  18. I’m thankful for correction; it keeps me on course.
  19. I’m thankful for forgiveness; it gives me a second chance.
  20. I’m thankful that my work depends on others, keeping me from selfishness.
  21. I’m thankful for community; it gives us the identity of the Kingdom.
  22. I’m thankful for counseling; like breathing it provides opportunity for internal struggles to come out while allowing a fresh perspective to come in.
  23. I’m thankful for rest; it is vital to restore my body, soul and mind.
  24. I’m thankful for celebration (weddings, birthday parties, or just getting together); they bring the perspective that life is not just work
  25. I'm thankful for ice cream; it always brings people together, even when they are not in good standing with each other.

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