Happy Thanksgiving! (And Guest Post by Lauren Murphee)

Psalm 136

1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁴ to him who alone does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁵ to him who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁶ to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁷ to him who made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁸ the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁹ the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁰ to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹² with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁴ and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁵ but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁶ to him who led his people through the wilderness,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁷ to him who struck down great kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁸ and killed mighty kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁹ Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁰ and Og, king of Bashan,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²¹ and gave their land as a heritage,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²² a heritage to Israel his servant,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

²³ It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁴ and rescued us from our foes,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁵ he who gives food to all flesh,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

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The day this picture was taken, I was visiting my friends in Vancouver, Canada, where I had just moved from, and was now living in Seattle to start treatment with a new Lyme disease doctor – the same reason I had moved to Canada a year prior. Searching for relief. Searching for healing.

I had been battling depression a lot that year, though you wouldn’t know it. I was fed up with pain that would not relent, having no idea what to do for treatment, and full of unanswered questions. I felt like I couldn’t take any more hits.

Though this picture does not show it, my life felt in shambles.

And yet. As I spent the afternoon rollerblading with my friend, joy fell into the pit of my stomach and reminded me of the song God put in my heart many years ago. A song that says Jesus is holding my hand in every circumstance, every season, every tragedy. He’s been good when I’ve been able to walk, and He’s been even better when I’ve barely been able to walk one step.

That’s the good stuff. Not the fluffy Christianity we’ve been taught, but the raw, real redemptive love that gets ahold of us when we least expect it.

This is not a post to say, “go find some joy in your circumstances” or “find the strength to get out of bed” when you can’t. It’s a testament that God has continually done miracles in and through my pain that would’ve never happened had I not gone through trials. Only His grace is what has enabled me to still have joy.

Here I am six years later, still fumbling my way to the seat of mercy. Still getting out and doing silly things because it’s life-giving and counteractive to a disease that sucks the life out of you. Still finding things to celebrate because LIFE IS WORTH CELEBRATING.

There are still unanswered prayers. Still tears over this sickness. Still sadness over misunderstandings and lost relationships due to Lyme. But there is also joy. Unexplainable joy. And not only that – there is restoration over what’s been lost, stolen, and broken.

It’s good to know that grief & joy can be friends.

“Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.” Psalm 34:5 NLT

Connect with Lauren: https://linktr.ee/LaurenMurphree1

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