Hey everybody, it's Scott and Deb before Thanksgiving
hits full swing We just wanted to share a short
message with you, you know something just kind
of simple and heartfelt for the week Yeah, we
thought it would be appropriate to do a Thanksgiving
episode and then next week you can watch for
our full episode Mid -week as we drop the new
season five I'm excited about season five. Season
five, you know, it's going to be fun, Deb. It's
all about receiving Jesus in real life, not just
believing in Him at a distance, but really about
letting His grace and power just kind of settle
into the parts of us that actually need healing
and strength. There will be a few changes around
format. We intend for them to be much shorter
And we're excited about this. Yeah, we're gonna
talk about Identity who we are and whose we are
giving us a little more grace Change that can
last not just a temporary change and the Savior's
power to lift us in the middle of our mess Realistically
when none of us live a perfect life. There will
be more stories. We'll get more raw than we already
have been probably. Scriptures. I don't think
that's possible. Honest conversations and a whole
lot of hope. Whole lot of hope. But you know
what else we're going to do? We're going to keep
it practical. Every episode we're going to give
you something that you can carry into your week
to help you feel closer and draw closer and receive
better the Savior in your life. Yeah, but today
we kind of want to just focus on gratitude. It's
the season Not the everything is perfect kind,
but the kind that helps you see God's hand even
when life feels complicated and hard And messy
so baby. I got a question for you. Okay was something
you're grateful for this year Oh gosh, you know
what? I was just thinking about that earlier
today because it is the season of gratitude and
Honestly, I am really grateful for relationships
We've had some shifts in our family dynamic that
has bonded some relationships a little tighter
a little And it's been it's been painful in the
past but it has been I've seen God do his handiwork
and you know, we had a son that was kind of a
strange for a little bit and he's come home and
it's it's not like he was a wayward son he just
opted out for a little bit but to have him come
back and then our other kids that are showing
up more present I just I family is everything
to me and I'm just really grateful and I know
literally I know it's because of the hope and
I just, I gave it to Jesus. I said, I know you
know what this feels like. I have hope and every
time I would think about us all gathering together
and being under the same roof and having peace
and harmony, I felt peace and I knew God was
in charge. And I'm so grateful for that. I'm
also grateful for this. this season, we're having
kind of a warm fall, and I'm really enjoying
the sunshine. The sunshine is really present
every single day. I drive to work. In fact, I
was talking to my son, Bowen, on my way to work
the other morning, and he says, how's your morning?
I says, I am just enjoying this sunshine. And
he said, is this shining over there? I said it
actually it is but by the time I got to work
it was nice and cloudy So I was back in the cloud,
but I do get those little glimpses of sunshine
and sunshine makes my soul happy. Oh I love that
You're always looking for all the beauty in life
and in other people. I love that Deb. Thanks.
I love hearing all of that Okay, now it's your
turn. What are you thankful for this year? Well,
kind of the same thing, not kind of. I'm grateful
for the miracles that we've been able to experience
in our little family, certainly. One of the things
I'm thankful for the most this year is Heavenly
Father has allowed me to receive a calmer heart.
Around the round outcomes around outcomes around
my family You know the whole thing that you mentioned
with one of our sons and yeah, you know, I just
have just a piece because I know that You know
what you talked about it You said that you know,
we're gonna talk about identity who we are and
whose we are and I've had some really cool experiences
with our oldest son He knows who he is and it's
been really cool for me to see that and all of
that. I'm grateful for my 27 years of sobriety.
I'm thankful because without that I would have
none of this. The thing that I'm thankful for
the most though is Jesus Christ. I'm just thankful
that all of the effects of the fall of Adam and
Eve that are alive and well in my life and I've
got plenty of them. I know that through Christ's
atonement that those things can be taken care
of, right? Yeah, healed. It's interesting because
there's a lot of... shirts and rings and bracelets
and things like everywhere that I'm a Jesus lover
and I love, you know, it's all about, it means
something to me today. Before I thought it was
kind of blasphemy kind of thing and today I'm
like, yeah, I kind of did. Well that's kind of
the culture that we were raised in. And it's
interesting because now it's like I would wear
a shirt that says I Heart Jesus because I'm grateful
for him too. So wherever you find yourself this
week, with family, without family, traveling,
having a quiet day, having a lonely day. We hope
you'll just take a moment to notice something
good that God has placed into your life. It takes
that pause to just kind of find the stillness
and go. Where is God in my life today? Where
is He in the details? I had an appointment to
go into my eye doctor today, and when I went
in, I met Melody, the office manager who's there,
and I said, happy Thanksgiving. Do you love Thanksgiving?
And she was so excited. So excited for Thanksgiving.
I, too, am excited like that for Thanksgiving.
But, you know, not everybody feels that way,
babe. It's exciting and fun for some of us. I
also have been in contact with a few of us who
are struggling and are feeling the weight of
loneliness and depression and the magnifying
glass of what is perceived to where everything
else is wrong in my life. So even if it feels
heavy, gratitude isn't pretending. Right? We
can still find gratitude. Gratitude is actually
sometimes noticing that God hasn't even, God
just hasn't walked away from me. you know, or
sometimes it's just naming one blessing sincerely,
right? Just finding one thing, because I think
it would be difficult for any of us to not be
able to identify one thing that we've been blessed
with and to give thanks for that. And so, you
know, again, it's where we put our focus this
year for Thanksgiving. I'm focusing, I'm choosing
to put my focus on the gifts that I have so much
gratitude for. for from my Heavenly Father. Yeah
it is the season of gratitude I am grateful.
We hope your Thanksgiving is peaceful and meaningful
and full of gratitude this year. And we'd love
for you to join us next week watch for the brand
new episode season five we'll be dropping that
midweek next week enjoy the holiday be kind to
each other and remember you're not alone. And
we love you. We do indeed. We'll see y 'all soon.