Gratitude Challenge: Day 12

I have decided to spend the month of November focusing on thankfulness. To help me with this challenge, I signed up to receive a daily prompt from the Day One journal app, encouraging me to write about something I am thankful for. I will, of course, aim to pair the daily journal entry with a photo.

Here is today’s prompt:

What are three reasons I am glad to be alive?

First, I am glad to be alive because life is a precious gift from God! Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (see James 1:17), so I know that this life is a truly gift from God. I am thankful that He formed me, that He breathed His breath of life in me, and that He allowed me to experience this world that He created. He didn’t have to do that, and He doesn’t have to keep waking me up and allowing me to have life, either. But I am thankful for each day He has given.

Second, I am glad to be alive because I have amazing family members and friends to experience this life with. It truly is the little things in life that bring so much joy. I am thankful for every friend and family member that God has placed in my life. What a blessing!

And third, I am thankful to be alive because there is so much for me to do here. The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 that we are saved by grace through faith, that it is not by our works that we are saved, but by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross (see Ephesians 2:8-10). He also goes on to say that we were created for good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul talks about how it would be better for him to no longer be alive in the earth so that he could be in heaven with God. He also points out that it’s better for the Philippians for him to stay alive, so that he can continue in fruitful ministry. He says, “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” I resonate with that sentiment. I look forward to spending eternity with Jesus, but I am thankful to be alive because He’s got work for me to do now.