Thanksgiving

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I was in the Celebrate Africa event earlier this evening, and during praise and worship, the worship leader mentioned something along the line to ask us to remember how God has brought us through all these years. I thought it was interesting, because it was right at Nexus 6 years ago on 10 Dec that I began my journey with the Lord. How funny is it that 6 years on and I was standing there in Nexus listening about the mission works currently being done in Africa.

But yet, as we continue to pray and fast for the season, I think it is an apt time for us to give thanks to the Lord, for who He is, for He is good and His love endures forever. 
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” - Exodus 3:14
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever. - Psalm 118:1
If there are nothing else we can give thanks to God for, we give thanks to Him for He is good, His love endures forever. That is the love that dies for us while we are still sinners. We give thanks to God for who He is, not who we think He is, nor who other people conjure Him up to be. And I ask myself, what can I give thanks for for all these years?

Give thanks to Him for the family He has given me. They have provided for me well all these years.

Give thanks to Him for the country I am born in. It has sheltered me well all these years.

Give thanks to Him for the education I have been provided. It has molded me well all these years.

Give thanks to Him for the friends I have made in schools all these years. It has been fun.

Give thanks to Him for my first lifegroup in Hope. They have worked hard and prayed hard for my salvation.

Give thanks to Him for my second lifegroup in Hope, and the first one I led. They have endured a lot of my nonsense and inexperience as a noob LGL. And they have brought much fun in the times we have together.

Give thanks to Him for my third lifegroup in Hope. I lump my time in YG transition, Jan's LG and eventually Weiling's LG together. It was the time when I experience great support in the LG while I searched for job.

Give thanks to Him for my fourth lifegroup in Hope, and the current one I'm leading. You taught me a lot on fellowship. To grow from a LG starting from three to now, it was not easy but the fellowship is worth it.

Give thanks to Him for my sheep all these years. They have too endured a lot of my nonsense.

Give thanks to Him for the CLM of my batch. Those are great fellowship and support. There was always great laughter and encouragement everytime we gather.

Give thanks to Him for the MACHO back in the NUS days. It was great having a bunch of brothers with similar vision for God serving together.

Give thanks to Him for the various matric committees that I have served in. I have learned a lot from these experiences and it refined me as a disciple in all these experience.

Give thanks to Him for the YG Camp 2011 committee and the YG conference committee 2010. Those were great privilege to be planning camps and conferences that had impact on people's lives. I am glad to be able to be part of that.

Give thanks to Him for the usher ministry. Though I am no longer a usher, those years in ushering molded me too. I started off as an usher, it will always be a special ministry in my heart.

Give thanks to Him for the worship ministry. It is in the worship ministry that I discover a passion in worship. Though I find freedom in worship playing guitar for God, I will soon be stepping down from the ministry. Yet those were great times.

And many more.

Brothers and sisters, what can you give thanks to God for today? There is still one thing we can give thanks for if all else fail, that He gave us His one and only Son. That's the reason we celebrate Christmas, isn't it?

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