10. That I have a job

9. That we have food and clothing

8. That we have a roof over our head

7. That I can see, hear, taste, touch and smell

6. For the people in my missional community that I co-shepherd. We've been at it for about a year and God has moved and brought and married and grown people in our midst. And I have seen Acts 2:42-47 come alive before my eyes. I love them and they are a blessing.

5. For the men and women at New City church that I co-shepherd with. Only God can take sinners and unite them in Jesus in order to build his church.

4. For the men who lead and shepherd me at New City. I am thankful for humble men who love Jesus and challenge me in word and deed.

3. For friends, specifically guys that have walked with me over the years through different chapters of life. That I have seen change and have watched me change. And through thick and thin, because of the gospel, we are closer than brothers.

2. For Kimberly. We just celebrated four years of marriage. I love her. Her beauty and intelligence are unrivaled. She is my teammate in this journey and I can't think of anyone else so different, yet so fit to help me. Her companionship is a gift and a challenge that drives me constantly back to my need for Jesus in order to love her. Nothing else in this world will show you the depth of your sin like marriage.

1. For Jesus. He is the same today, yesterday and forever. He is my Creator, my Savior, my righteousness, my exceeding joy. He laid aside His eternal glory in order to become a human. He grew in his mother's womb, grew as a child into a teenager, grew from a teenager into man. He lived life as a human and in all of it, he didn't sin, not once. He claimed to be God and proved it by raising people from the dead and forgiving people of their sin. He lived the life I couldn't live and died the death that I deserve. He freely gives me the perfection I need to be welcomed into the arms of God. He freely took all the sin and guilt that I had, have and will have upon Himself on a bloody cross. He subjected himself under God's wrath and fury and completely satisfied it when He died. He rose from the dead, proving that he is who says he is and ascended back to God and lives to intercede for everyone who believes and follows Him. He now actively works in my life to give me strength to obey Him and to not sin. He uses pain and suffering to discipline and change me and freely gives me good things to enjoy. He is coming back to bring me safely into His presence where I will live forever in a new body, on a new earth in fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. Along with that, he will also inflict vengeance on those who do not turn from a life of sin and believe Him.

What are you thankful for? To whom are you thankful?