Thankfulness

Written by Laurie Howell

 As I think back to one of the most wonderful times of my life I begin to sense the smells and hear the sounds of a beautiful country where children run barefoot and people walk freely through the countryside.  I smell the red dirt coming from the paths that lead to the grass huts and I hear the children laughing as they walk from place to place and play games in the rugged streets.  This land that I grew to love during my college days is the land of Kenya, East Africa.

I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to spend my days in such a welcoming place and for allowing me to see Him become alive to those who have never heard the name of Jesus.  There are many things I could tell you about my experiences there but the one word that the Lord brings to mind is thankfulness.  You see as time has gone by and over twelve years have come and gone since I stepped foot on African soil I have begun to lose sight of what God has given us and the many blessings he bestows on us each day.

What prompted the reminiscing of the months I spent in Kenya this week was having our hot water heater go out last Thursday morning.  As I was taking a very cold bath and shivering through it I remembered how many times I took a cold shower during my stay in Africa.

As I thought of the people there and how many of them have never even had a hot bath I became disgusted with my heart and my frustration.  Although these students that I had the opportunity to teach lacked so much of the everyday things that we take for granted, they still had smiles on their faces and a love for God like I had never seen before.

I had the experience of serving under a missionary of 25 years to Kenya, Jill Branyon.  She taught me to be thankful for all that was given and to trust in the Lord with all of my heart.  It was under her mentorship that I learned the meaning of discipleship and giving myself to others so that they may know the love of Christ.

After all of these years she is still my mentor and friend.  I praise God that she always shares the truth with me and does not allow me to become complacent in my walk. I pray that we will all stop and look around us and take in the blessings we have and thank God for all that he does for us.

I am grateful for the loss of hot water in my house this week because it has brought me back to where I was when I returned from Kenya so long ago….so very thankful for what I have.

  “In everything give thanks

 for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

 1 Thessalonians 5:19 NASB

 Laurie LeAnne Howell: I am a mother of a sweet two-year old baby girl, Brenlee Kate, and we have one little one on the way. I enjoy spending time with my daughter and being a stay at home mom.

  I have been married to my husband, Micah Howell, for nine years.  He is a youth pastor and we love sharing our lives with the students at First Baptist Church of Nederland, Texas.  I had the opportunity to serve overseas in Kenya with the International Mission Board on three different occasions.  It was on one of those trips where I fell in love with a young college student who loved to preach the name of Jesus who I am married to today.

 I have been able to see many children who have been abused and neglected adopted into forever families who love and support them.  I worked for a foster placing and adoption agency for six years before starting our little family.  Thanks be to God who loves us and gives us the chance to glorify Him in all that we do.

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