02222025 Nature-Based Thanks

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our God who gives us so many reasons to thank Him and so many reminders of His care.

Reminders of God’s greatness are all around us. As I drove to work yesterday morning, I had several reminders within just a few minutes.

I saw the beautiful white clouds against a beautiful blue sky. “You could come in those clouds. Thank You that You are coming back for me and that You will continue to work out Your eternal plan.”

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

I saw a flock of geese sitting in an open patch on the frozen wetland. “You take care of all the birds. Thank You for caring for me and taking care of me even more.”

“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26).

I felt the bitter cold. “You make the cold, which is hard for us to bear. Thank You that Your power and control is greater than anything that man can do. Thank You that You are strong enough to take care of Your own and also to take care of the scoundrels.”

“He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?” (Psalm 147:17). “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision” (Psalm 2:4).

I saw the piles of remaining snow. “Thank You for the snow, which reminds me that You wash all my sins away and make me as white as snow.”

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

God wants parents to remind their children of His truth and to teach them in all situations. Just like the best parent that He is, God also diligently reminds and teaches us of His truth – when we sit in our house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up. All we have to do is open our eyes and keep our thoughts turned toward Him.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA