A Heart Overflowing

This morning, before the busyness truly began—before the oven door opened a dozen times, before the sound of conversation filled the corners of the house, before laughter and life and children and clanging dishes—I sat in silence with a cup of coffee and let gratitude wash over me like sunlight.

Thanksgiving always has a way of slowing me down. It brings me back to the very center of my heart, to the truth that God has provided for me richly—not only in material things but in moments, in people, in lessons I didn’t know I needed and blessings I could never deserve. Today, I feel the weight of His goodness. I feel carried, held, and seen. I feel whole.

And so, in this season of thankfulness, I want to sit with the gifts of my life and honor them one by one. Not as routine acknowledgements, not as a yearly roll call of blessings, but as a true offering of reflection and praise.

Because God has been good to me.
And today, I feel the need to say it out loud.

I Am Thankful for My Husband

The man who stands beside me in all things—quietly, patiently, faithfully. Life is rarely still, and the roads we walk are not always smooth, but he is home to me in ways the world will never fully understand.

He is the steady voice when I feel shaken.
The place my heart rests when I am tired.
My companion in every joy, every trial, every miracle, and every late-night conversation where the two of us solve the world’s problems with nothing but hope and stubbornness.

Marriage is not simply romance and roses—it is partnership. It is endurance. It is grace extended and grace received. I am grateful for the love we share, for the history we’ve built, for the dreams we continue to chase, and for the quiet ways he loves me daily without asking for applause. God used him as a blessing in my life, and I do not take that lightly.

For my husband, I thank God today and every day.

I Am Thankful for My Children

There is no greater joy or greater ache than motherhood. My children have been my teachers, my challengers, my laughter, my prayer requests, and my miracles all at once. They made me softer in the places I needed softening and stronger in the places I once felt weak. They call me to show up—even when I am exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure of myself.

Each of them, uniquely and beautifully, carries a spark that reminds me the world is worth fighting for.

Their existence changed me.
Their presence humbles me.
Their love makes me brave.

I watch them grow—sometimes quickly, sometimes painfully, sometimes with leaps and sometimes with trembles—and I see God’s fingerprints all over their lives. I pray that I am guiding them well. I pray that they know, beyond all doubt, how treasured they are. And I pray that, long after I am gone, they will remember that I tried to lead them with faith, imperfectly but wholeheartedly.

My children are one of my life’s greatest blessings—living proof that God gives exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever ask for.

I Am Thankful for My Friends

The ones who link arms with me through seasons both beautiful and brutal.

Some friends pray with me.
Some laugh with me until we’re breathless.
Some show up with coffee, or casseroles, or a simple I’m here, which has saved me more times than they know.

They know the unvarnished version of me—the one who doubts, who wrestles, who cries in the car, who gets overwhelmed, who fails and tries again. True friendship is not convenience; it is connection. It is an exchange of vulnerability, trust, and love that mirrors the heart of Christ Himself.

I am grateful for every friend who stayed.
For every friend who showed up when life got loud.
For every friend who has been a reflection of God’s goodness to me.

The world is kinder because they are in it.

I Am Thankful for My Church

My faith is the root system of my life. When storms rise, it anchors me. When joy blooms, it becomes my praise. My church—the body of believers I stand beside—is part of that foundation. We worship together, serve together, sometimes struggle together, and we grow in the grace of God together.

There is something holy about knowing you are not walking your faith alone. Something healing about gathering in prayer, shoulder to shoulder, soul to soul. Something powerful about praising the same God with voices different, stories different, wounds different—yet hearts aligned.

The church has been my refuge.
My revival.
My reminder that God is near.

I thank Him for every moment I have spent in His house and for every person He has placed there to sharpen, encourage, and inspire me.

I Am Thankful for My Work and My Calling

Many people work for a paycheck alone, but I have been blessed with purpose. I have the privilege of doing work that touches lives, tells stories, heals wounds, and reaches people in places of darkness where light is needed most. Whether through advocacy, writing, recovery efforts, faith-rooted service, or simple human connection—God has allowed me to stand in spaces where hope is needed.

And hope is holy.

Work is not always easy. The burden is not always light. There are days it stretches me thin, days it breaks my heart, days it reminds me how fragile the world can be. Yet even in those days, especially in those days, I am overwhelmed with gratitude that God chose me to carry this part of His mission.

I do not walk it perfectly, but I walk it willingly.
And that, I believe, is enough.

I Am Thankful for This Life

Not a perfect life—no such thing exists.
But a blessed life—one covered by grace.

God has given me more than I ever imagined. More strength than I thought I had. More love than I knew I deserved. More purpose than I ever expected to carry. He has walked with me through fire and led me into peace. He has been faithful when I was weary and patient when I was stubborn. He has been the steady foundation beneath shaking ground.

So today, with a full heart and open hands, I say:

Thank You, Lord.
For my family.
For my marriage.
For my friendships.
For my church.
For the work You placed before me.
For the breath in my lungs and the path beneath my feet.
For mercy new each morning.
For a life I love deeply.

My cup overflows.

If you are reading this—whether you are celebrating with a room full of people or pausing in quiet solitude—know that I am grateful for you, too. You are part of this journey with me. You walk with me through story, faith, and purpose. Thank you for being here, for supporting my work, for believing in the mission God placed on my heart.

May your Thanksgiving be warm, may your table be full, and may your heart find peace in the goodness that surrounds you.

Happy Thanksgiving, with love and gratitude.

— LaDonna 🕊️