Even a broken heart can draw us closer to the hope we have in the Lord.   ~~~   On this day of thanksgiving, it may sound crazy, but I am thankful today for my broken heart. How is that possible? I’ll give you a few reasons why. Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. This is our first Thanksgiving without my Dad. For those of you who have lost parents you know the depth of emotion that brings. We’re still in the ‘firsts’ phase, you know all the firsts you walk through without your loved one being there. While we gather, our hearts are still very much broken and tender with grief, yet our hearts are also FULL of thankfulness. The Lord has been so sweetly close to our broken hearts since the day my dad took his last breath. We’ve seen and tasted the goodness of God in SO many ways. The blessings that have come through it are honestly too much to count. God’s love and grace has not only sustained us and carried us, it has saved us. I am thankful for my broken heart because I feel the closeness of the Lord. Ecclesiastes 7:2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. The very last thing any of my family wanted to walk through this summer was what we walked through with my Dad. My summer plans did not originally include planning a funeral, but God was with us. Through every single step and every single detail of planning his celebration of life, our focus was on the RACE He ran for Jesus! The more we gathered pictures and stories and heard from countless lives he impacted, our grief was met over and over with gladness for what God did through my Dad’s life. On the day of the service, while yes it was a house of mourning, there was WAY more worship and celebration happening in that place! We shared Jesus. My Dad lived his life for Jesus and for anyone who was there on that day that didn’t know Jesus, it was good for them to be there to consider the condition of their heart. I am thankful for the house of mourning because it reminded me beyond a shadow of a doubt that my Dad is with Jesus and one day I will see him again. Titus 2:13 …while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, This little verse is one that has become near and dear to me. It’s toward the end of Titus chapter 2 where Paul is giving specific instruction for living a godly life so others see the gospel lived out through us. We aren’t saved by good works, but we are saved FOR good works that shine bright the love of Jesus. As we live obediently and faithfully, we are watching and waiting for the blessed hope we hold dear every single day, the triumphant return of Jesus Christ. This verse keeps my eyes to the skies. And with my Dad now in heaven with Jesus, it encourages me to keep running my race and not to grow weary while doing good each and every day, because one day, Jesus, my blessed hope, is coming again and for that I am thankful! If your heart is broken this Thanksgiving, give it to Jesus. He will be near, you will be blessed in your mourning and you will live each day forward with HOPE as you wait for Jesus’ return. That’s the truth. And because I know it’s true from experience, I am thankful. Have a blessed Thanksgiving. I’m Lori Cline.