Peace, Perspectives, Prayer, Words of Endurance

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
PSALM 118:29 (NLT)



Do you remember that wonderful praise song “Give Thanks”? It brings back such wonderful memories for me. It was August 10th, 1989 a Thursday afternoon and I was standing on the mound in Candlestick Park getting ready to pitch against the Cincinnati Reds. As I stood there all I could hear were the words of a song I was singing on my way into the ballpark that day. That song was “Give Thanks”! I can’t begin to express to all of you how special that moment was and continues to be to this day.



You see, about ten months prior to that I had been diagnosed with cancer in my left pitching arm and told, “outside of a miracle I would never pitch again”. Now as I stood there waiting for the umpire to say “Play Ball”, those wonderful words consumed my heart and mind.



“Give Thanks”
by Don Moen

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”
Give thanks
We give thanks to You oh Lord
We give thanks



To this day, some 24 years later I still get overwhelmed when I think of this song and that moment in my life. Since then there have been many special moments when I’ve sung that song and felt so thankful for all God has done in my life through His Son, Jesus Christ!



That’s why I write this to you. Jan and I want you all to know how thankful we are for you! So many of you along the way have prayed for us, and continue to do so. So many of you have come alongside of us and encouraged us through some of the most difficult of times and continue to do so! So many of you have supported Endurance over the years and still do so! You all continue to be a constant reminder to us of God’s great love and faithfulness for us all through His Son, Jesus Christ!



As we near Thanksgiving let this be a reminder to be thankful for everything that we experience in life because God uses it all to draw us closer to His heart and through it all we will learn to trust Him more and more with all of life!!



Sing out your thanks to the Lord
PSALM 147:7 (NLT)



HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AND MAY I SUGGEST IF YOU’RE UP TO IT YOU JUST MIGHT WANT TO SING “GIVE THANKS” AROUND THE TABLE!



Trusting Him on the journey!
Dave & Jan Dravecky