A few weeks after arriving in the country, things changed. I came to join my husband and my mother-in-law, who was also living in the house. I was looking forward to a fantastic married life. All my dreams and aspirations were going to be fulfilled as I entered the most important phase of my life. I had prepared for this day, this new phase. I had plans to live heaven-on-earth with my beau! Not knowing the enemy had a different agenda for me.

For a long time, I struggled with the stigma and many other challenges associated with the divorce. The external pressure was one thing, but even more devastating was the internal warfare taking place.

Did God still love me? Had the stain of the divorce diminished His love for me? And if God does not love me the way He once did, will I ever regain my confidence as a woman? How will I fulfill my purpose in life when I'm operating at a deficit with God's love?

One word that sums everything is GRACE. I don’t deserve it all, but I have it all. I'm a wife, a mom, a sister, a friend, I can’t mention it all, but I know as long as I live, I will always give Him thanks. No, life is not perfect, but through God's grace, life is peaceful!

To crown it all, when I am done serving Him here on earth, I will go back home and give Him my gratitude for the rest of eternity!

Giving thanks highlights God’s goodness and faithfulness in our lives. Thanksgiving shifts our focus from difficult and challenging situations in life to the sovereignty and faithfulness of God in all things. Our hearts are rekindled with the flame of faith. As a result, effective and fervent prayer emerges from our faith in God and not our fears in life.

was actually supposed to work that night, but I called off for this impromptu assignment. It was this year's Mother’s Day week, and the women ministry at a friend's church needed a speaker on the subject of depression.

Unfortunately, their original speaker called out at the last minute, and the organizers couldn't find a substitute, so I had to step in.

The problem is, I am a registered nurse by profession with an interest in functional nutrition but not an expert in mental health.

he silver bullet in my marriage was learning to affirm and appreciate my wife. Appreciation and affirmation literally saved my home!

Initially, I would just say "Thank you," or "Thank you for everything," or "Thank you for all you do."

But my wife immediately and always responded, "For what?"

In my mind, saying "thank you for everything" was all inclusive enough to be meaningful. But for Liz, there was nothing like "all inclusive" or "general" thank you.

Truly, if we attribute our lives to God, if we credit the air we breath, the peace we have, the joy we experience from our loved ones to God, we will make time to be at the feet of Jesus.

There is nothing wrong with thanking God while driving, cooking or shopping. We can thank God everywhere anytime. But that should not be our primary mode of expressing Gratitude. Our lives are busy and at times chaotic, but that cannot deprive us of a rich quality time with God alone!

10 lepers were miraculously healed by Jesus, but only one returned to say, "Thank you."

The other nine appreciated the healing, they were grateful, they even knew the healing came from Jesus, yet they fell short in the physical expression of their gratitude.

Thanksgiving is a physical expression of an inner gratitude!

Everyone is grateful, but very few actually say, "Thank you!"

Everyone acknowledges the gift and even the Giver. But very few remember to say, "Thank you!"

In addition to thanking God with all our hearts, the psalmist instructs us not to forget "all His benefits."

All His benefits!

This is where making a conscious effort to write the elements of God’s favor comes in. As a result, this journey of Thanksgiving will be incomplete without a notebook or the note pad in your smartphone. Write as much and as often as you can. As you do this you draw nearer to God and you position yourself firmly in His presence!

I had served in my local church since the age of 13 in so many different capacities. I tithed as much as I could although some weeks were hard. I had gone through the salvation process at least 3-4 times just to make sure it took. Most importantly I had eliminated a lot of what I considered , “The Big Sins" in my life and I was a work in progress with the rest.

After getting married I was highly committed to God and the things of God - my life was full of God’s work. I was in church at least 2-3 times a week, calling members, serving, praying, preaching, doing what I knew pleased God. So I thought.