THANKSGIVING
by Kathy Pegram

 

Recently, Steve and I were talking about all the things we had been through. It seems like that ever since 2001 we have faced one thing after the next. Yet through it all God has sustained us and He has blessed us beyond words.

Just to show you a small example of what has happened, look at this. In one year alone, Steve under went four surgeries, his grandmother passed away, Steve had to preach her funeral, we went through the strangest spell of revivals being canceled – having eight revivals lost in only four weeks, and my dad had a stroke. All of that was just one year!

Since then, until now, it has been one thing after the next. Steve has been diagnosed with 57 different health problems, spent seven-years in a wheelchair and using a walker, plus a variety of other issues. Even now as I type this, over the past year I myself have been through the ringer. In the past seven months I have had to be put to sleep for four different procedures, saw eight specialists, and had my gall bladder removed.

Like I said, that is only small sampling of the things we have been through, if I told you everything we'd be here all day. But, like Paul Harvey used to say, now for the rest of the story...

After all that happened in one year's time, we saw God do amazing things. Even though we miss his grandmother, she is no longer suffering. She is no longer in pain but rather she is rejoicing in heaven. She is cheering us on to the day we meet her there. God replaced all the canceled revivals with the ones He wanted us to have and they were awesome. Why were they awesome? Because we where God wanted us to be. Although my dad is now gone to be with the Lord too, I can't help but smile at the amazement of the nurses at the hospital when they saw my Dad walk down the hall with a walker after his stroke that year. They were saying, "I can't believe he is already up and moving around." "That is unbelievable!" With God all things are possible!

Now, I can truly say I am thankful I'm a Christian and that I serve a God who never lets me down. Although we have had a lot of troubles, trials and tests – I can say I love God more today than I ever have. Even in the darkest times He always speaks to me, either through His Word or through people. Through the years there have been precious saints of God who have spoken into my life words of encouragement and life that have encouraged me to keep on keeping on. That's a loving God, who knows you have reached the point that you just can't take anymore and says, “Here let me show you My love. Let Me encourage and strengthen you in a way that you will have to know it's Me speaking to you.” Even my love for Steve can't compare to the love I have for God.

“Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, and make known His deeds among the people.” Psalm 16: 8

 

Love & Prayers,
Kathy