Count Your Many Blessings

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters

Happy Thanksgiving! I know it is just Monday, but I wanted to express my thanks to you for being a faithful Freedom Fighter Blog follower. I also want to thank our faithful Freedom Fighter Bloggers for the faithfulness in writing.

When was the last time you took time to count your blessings? We often sing the hymn Blessed Assurance written by the blind hymn-writer, Fanny Crosby. In the midst of her disability, she wrote over 8000 hymns and gospel songs.

The phrase “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good” appears 44 times in the Bible. The topic of thanksgiving is addressed 102 times in the Old Testament and 72 times in the New Testament.

One of my heroes is Pastor Robert Alderman from Roanoke, Virginia. I love this man and I am so thankful for him. I have learned so much from him over the years, but one major thing is to be thankful for everything.

When he would preach at America’s Keswick, he would start every message thanking the Lord, and then go through a list of things he was thankful for naming people in the audience or about America’s Keswick.

I remember thinking to myself, but he probably just does this at America’s Keswick. Then we visited his church and he not only expressed thanks at the beginning of his message, did it at the end.

I observed him thanking the waitresses in the restaurant. I heard him thank that guy pumping gas at the gas station.

Two of my leadership mentors have been Zig Ziglar and Pat Williams (General Manager of the Orlando Magic). They have modeled and written about being men and women who are thankful first of all to the Lord and then to express thanks everywhere they go.

I love to thank the men and women pumping gas.
I love to thank men and women in the military who come into a store or restaurant.
I love to thank people who serve in Guest Services at hotels.
I remember using the restroom at our local ball field and observing the diligence of the man cleaning the restrooms. I went over and thanked him for doing a great job and I think was ready to pass out. 😊
When I encounter someone who smiles, I thank them for making a difference for their beautiful smile.

When was the last time you thanked your Pastor for serving each week? Your worship leader? The church secretary? The custodian?

When I have stood in a long line and witnessed how rude people in line who are providing a service, I often will thank them for their service despite the ignorance of people.

Thanksgiving isn’t a one-day holiday on the November calendar. For the believer, it should be an everyday event. Yes, the most important person to thank is the Lord. But don’t neglect to be thankful to people whom God brings across your path. And don’t forget to give thanks to your family as well – they get to put up with you!!!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Anchored to the Rock,

Bill Welte, President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Send Bill an email at: bwelte@americaskeswick.org

 

Written by Dr. Bill Welte: Bill has been the President & CEO of America’s Keswick for 26+ years, living and breathing Keswick’s message of Victory every day. He has an empowering gift with people leaving each one with an impressionable sense of God’s love, grace, and truth. He hosts & leads various Keswick events, as well as speaking at numerous churches in the tri-state area. He now lives off-campus with his childhood sweetheart of 40+ years, Jan. They have four married kids and 12 amazing grandkids. In his personal time, he loves to read and weekly writes for Keswick’s Freedom Fighter blogs.

---

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29