Rejoicing: My Thankful Life comes from my Relationship with God

By Babs Kincaid

Wow, because of God, I can live a Thankful life! My grateful life began one evening in Atlanta, Georgia when I received a surprise love gift from a humble hairdresser. I had no idea I was going to get a VIP haircut! My delightful hairdresser Peggy O’Barr was a stranger who was highly recommended by her twin sister Joyce. I had arrived at Peggy’s house in rough shape from pursuing a life of getting high and bar hopping! I was one angry and rebellious young woman who got high and ate health food! That reminds me of an oxymoron!!! My life was so out of control and my only strategy to console myself was to work on my appearance! Yes, I was so vain and shallow! Who gets a haircut believing it will improve their life? So Peggy was drafted to give me a new style! Picture it, Peggy was radiant with joy and I was melancholy with regret! Peggy’s peace and contentment made no sense to me, so I had to grill her on the source of her cheerful spirit! When I asked Peggy, “What is the source of your joy?” She boldly said, “Jesus.” Puzzled, I thought, what does that mean? I asked Peggy what did I have to do to get what she had. With great enthusiasm, Peggy told me the simple gospel: my sins separated me from God, Jesus died in my place to pay for my sins, my need to repent and surrender my life to Christ, God desired to have a relationship with me as my Father and his gift of eternal life.  I had no idea Peggy had friends in high places! Not everyone gets a life-transforming haircut with Peggy and Jesus! Yes, Jesus was at Peggy’s house and her heart, so I got a powerhouse haircut! What a priceless love gift I got from Peggy that wonderful day! I got a new hair style, a new heart and a new Spirit in one day! Check it out: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Peggy will always have an endearing place in my heart! You can read my full story of transformation in my blog entitled, “My Ultimate Makeover from a Broken Spirit to a Joyful Heart.” How can I ever thank Jesus and Peggy for all they have done for me!!! Thank you, Jesus, for being my knight in shining armor! Thank you, Peggy, for being God’s faithful messenger!

God’s faithful messenger - Peggy O’Barr Hunt 2017

My gratitude reaches to the moon and back for my new Loving relationship with my Heavenly Father as a result of my salvation. God is called “A father to the fatherless” in Psalm 68:5a Since I grew up with a cruel and unapproachable earthly father I can so relate to this verse. God replaced the hate I received from my earthly father with His everlasting love. It is written: “Yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Jeremiah 31:3 My dad was a raging alcoholic, who kept a running inventory of my faults which he shared with me daily. In contrast, God’s love for me “keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5b Growing up, I never went on a father-daughter date or spent quality time with my dad, so I felt insignificant. God is quite the opposite: “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8  My eternal Father goes with me everywhere I go! Check it out: “the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 God cares so very much about the pain that I suffered as a child that his word says: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 God is the one I now proudly call “Abba Father.” There is nothing sweeter than God’s Love!

One of my favorite gifts that God has given me has been Joy! Life with my alcoholic dad was filled with sorrow. The shame I experienced was continuous humiliation and disgrace because I fell short of my dad’s high standard of perfection. I lived in a constant state of feeling inferior and unworthy of doing anything successful due to his critical words. My earthly father used to tell me that “the only reason a guy would ask me out was to have sex with me!” Gee thanks dad, nice father daughter chat!!! God’s word says: “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 After I asked Jesus into my heart, I received a flood of love, peace and Joy. My feelings of Joy were so inspiring! “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” 1 Peter 1:8 What a Joy to experience God’s supportive and uplifting spirit!

Imagine how profound it was for me to have God give me a special calling for my life! I went to a church class on Missions and we were asked to write a mission’s statement. I had an attitude right away. I thought “right, how am I ever going to come up with something, as if it depended on me?” As I sat in the class praying, a thought came to me, “Cheerleader of Faith.” God nailed it! God, I am so sorry I didn’t believe you cared that much about me to give me an amazing life purpose. One of my spiritual gifts is encouragement so it matched perfectly! “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD;…” Psalm 37:23a Yea God!

      God has given me back my voice to share with Him and with others. When I was growing up my dad wouldn’t allow me to express my thoughts or opinions on anything. I could be seen but not heard. God, on the other hand, values my thoughts. “Oh LORD…you understand my thoughts from afar off.” Psalm 139:2b I know have a Heavenly Father who wants to hear my voice and is always thinking about me. Listen to his heart: “How precious to me are your thoughts, God…Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.” Psalm 139:17a, 18 and “But certainly God has heard me; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.” Psalm 66:19 When I was going through my divorce, a dear friend of mine gave me a journal and told to write my thoughts in it. She said at first it will be full of negativity but keep writing. She said eventually, your writing will become full of positive thoughts. I soon discovered from my friends, I had a gift for writing from God. Check it out: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the Heavenly Lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 God expanded my mission statement to “Writer of Light and Cheerleader of Faith.” It so matches my heart’s desire to use my voice writing and sharing faith-based encouragement to others!

          So I am counting my blessings again this Thanksgiving and my thankful heart comes from my loving, joyful, creative, and personal relationship with my Heavenly Father!

       

“I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.” Jeremiah 32:40