Somehow the calendar has flipped enough pages that Thanksgiving has returned. In just a few days, many of us will share huge meals with family. In some of our homes, we’ll even take a few minutes to remember why we’re celebrating. We’ll think back to those early Pilgrims, and pause to remember how they celebrated what little they had in the midst of immense loss. We might stop and think about the 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation that George Washington wrote. Or maybe it will be the words of Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Or some of us may remember Ronald Reagan’s Thanksgiving messages.

One of the things I am most grateful for this year is the community God has placed me in. Whether it’s the amazing family He planted me in years ago, or the family Eric and I have created with His blessing, my life is richer because of the people who know me best and love me still.

I am also thankful for the greater communities He has placed me in. The writers who I call friend. The readers who bless me as they read my books and then let me know how much they enjoyed them. The church family that challenges me to chase God with all of my heart, mind and soul. And the community of homeschooling moms who let me know that I’m not alone on the hard days and cheer with me on the good days. The friends and neighbors who are woven into the rich tapestry of my life.

So today, I thank God for you. Thank you for being part of my world. For challenging me and blessing me. I pray that I bless you as well.