Have you ever prayed and pleaded with God over a personal matter and still had the answer be no? Have you ever laid your heart bare and thought surely God will have mercy on me? Yet, what if God’s mercy didn’t look exactly like the manuscript you sent up to Him? What if God’s mercy came through hardship, as your tears fall to the ground? Our faithful and just Creator looking beyond our desires and reaching our needs.

My body is tired from a long day, I have a slight headache, and some crazy hair. Yet, as I sit here, I fully comprehend why God called the man blessed who has kids. It is not the temporary discomforts that affect anything in a large scale; your body will have good and bad days. So as I sit here with my youngest on my lap, I am extremely thankful. I am thankful for the impromptu dance parties, the silly jokes, the brilliant way that children’s minds work, the sweet cards, the time they want to spend with me, and their pure faith. The list could going on endlessly. How do you show your appreciation to the ones who mean so much? How do you bless your children and express your thankfulness?