Thankful Thursday

It's my week to join the fab. Call me a follower, whatevs :) I just find it extremely necessary after the emotional few weeks I've been having

Things I am exceptionally thankful for this week..

1. Weakness. I have an ongoing struggle with accepting weakness/failure/embarrassment, etc. and while studying for Utah it's really been showing. Though I could just quit, I won't. God finds strength in weakness, and I just have to get over the fear and be more faithful.

2. Struggle.

3. My LDS missionaries. Okay, I don't mean to claim ownership over them.. I just say "my" because it makes it easier to distinguish between them and other missionaries. I have so much love for these guys, and they're such genuine people. We had lunch today, which turned into 4 hours of talking about life, Utah, TV shows, In-N-Out vs. Five Guys, iPhone apps, and of course religious differences. What started out as a teacher/student type relationship has easily turned into a friendship that I hope can continue. Talking with them is just easy. They listen to what I have to say, and I listen to what they have to say. They're respectful in their conversations, and I really pray they come to the true Christ.

4. My sister. I can't even believe how grown up she's getting. It honestly scares me, in some ways. I think about where I was my second half of high school, and that she'll be a junior next year and I know she's going to be a lot smarter than I was. We've grown extremely close over the last few months and I'm really excited to see where God takes her now that she's letting Him take over :)

5. My job

6. My best friend, Kasey Maxwell. (No, I'm not doing this because she did it for me last week. Haha) She is honestly one of the most kind-hearted people I know. She is always genuinely happy to see me/talk to me/listen to me, and I think that's rare in people. I miss her lots, and I'm glad I was able to get some Kasey-Tayler time last weekend. We're still the same person... Scary :)

7. Not everything going my way

8. The gift of grace. Studying the Mormon religion has really helped me learn a lot about myself, my relationship with God, and Christianity. I see how unconditionally loving God is, and the grace He gives to us at the cost of the cross. He's given me the most amazing gift imaginable. Why wouldn't I be willing to give up everything in order to gain HIM?

9. Learning to love the right way. I've really been reflecting over 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 lately, and though it is a widely-used, almost overrated few verses in some sense, it's really underrated in others!! It truly is the definition of love, and should serve as an outline of the way we should love.

10. Being able to focus in on goals, and seeing parts of them as realistic.