10 Things I'm Grateful for...

First of all, I'm grateful for more than just these 10 things. These are just the things that are on my mind and heart right now.

1. A God who loves me and accepts me as I am. Hear this: God loves and accepts you too. Stop trying to fix yourself before you come to Him.
2. A God who challenges me to want to become more holy. While God accepts us as we are, His desire is that we would become more like Him. He says, "Be Holy, because I am Holy."
3. A wife who's crazy awesome, hard working and super creative. She's amazing. She gives of her self to me and our kids in ways that are untold. She supports me, carts my kids everywhere and all the while ministers to other woman in unimaginable ways. I'm blessed because of her. 
4. Two sons who make me laugh everyday. They're ridiculous. Sometimes I can't stop laughing. It's tough to discipline your kids while you're laughing. They are literally just like me. It's my fault. 
5. My mother. Even as her 37 year old son, she still chooses to love and support me in every way. 
6. A student ministry that inspires with their hunger for the things of God. I am always so encouraged during our weekly student gatherings. To see them sing and worship, to see them respond to the altar and make commitments to God is humbling. Thanks for letting me be a part of your lives. 
7. The end of the road in the pursuit of my Master's Degree. T-minus 2 classes and 1 paper, it's all downhill from here. 
8. The reading of a book of my choice. Reading and not getting a headache is actually fun. 
9. A book fair that I get to work in my kid's middle school. Connecting with students in that setting is a blast. Seeing my kids and their friends and meeting teachers and faculty is a huge blessing. 
10. My wife's new interest in growing food in our backyard. I tried to drop two peppers from our fridge into the raised bed last night and convince her that she had succeeded. I also tried to pass off a plastic container full of sage as the fruits of her labor. Neither worked. She's super smart. 

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