"Marvel not that I said unto thee,
Ye must be born again."
- John 3:7

Well, friends, today is my birthday.  That's right, by the time you read this, I'll officially be 30 years old.

Seeing as how it's my birthday, and on birthdays you usually receive gifts, I thought I'd take this opportunity to praise My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the many, many gifts that He has given me through the 30 years of my life.  

I'll try not to bore you to tears, but 30 is kind of a milestone of sorts and I just want to give thanks to my Jesus for all He has done for me.  Now, we don't have near enough time to list all of the blessings He has poured out upon my life, so I'll try to list some highlights.

Help me praise the Lord this morning, will you?

I'm thankful to the Lord that I was raised by two very loving and supportive parents.  It wasn't a Christian home, but it was a home filled with warmth and love, a home where values were instilled and the encouragement always was, "You can do anything you set your mind to."  I found that to be true..."I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

I'm thankful to Christ that on Wednesday night, on the last night of church camp in the summer of 1984,  He came into my heart and set up a permanent dwelling place when He forgave me of my sins.  They say that camp is a great place to meet friends.  Well, I met my best friend the only year I ever went.

I'm thankful to the Lord for the hard times and struggles that I went through during my college years.  (If you haven't read my free ebook, you can download it at http://www.Living4Jesus.com/eternity.EXE) 
Even though they challenged me and were difficult...they also molded me and shaped me, and it was during those struggles that I found out Jesus isn't a fair weather friend.  He sticks close...just like He said He would.  "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

I'm thankful to Jesus for my wonderful Christian wife, Paula.  She is the second great love of my life.  (Behind Jesus, of course!  What were you thinking? ;-)  I truly, with all of my heart, believe that we have a marriage made in heaven.  The Lord blesses me everyday through her.  If you could tap into God's Dictionary and looked up the phrase "Christian Wife" I believe you would see a picture of my sweet Paula.  She is everything the Word of God outlines that a woman of God should be.  I'm a better man and a better Christian because of her.

I'm thankful to my Savior that He has given my wife and I a church to serve Him in.  We both teach and it is such a joy to my heart to be able to share the Word each week with the "Mixed-Up Adults" class at my church.   

I'm thankful that God has allowed my wife and I to develop a close friendship with my pastor and his wife.  They are such wonderful role models for Paula and me.  They aren't perfect, and I'd never put them on a pedestal, but they are an example and an encouragement to my life.  I'm blessed to know them and are proud to call them Christian friends.  They are both dear to my heart.

I'm thankful that Christ has given me the wonderful privilege to write devotionals, and that He has given me a worldwide audience of believers who are actually willing to read what I write.  Christian, it is a an absolute joy to share with you each day what the Lord has laid upon my heart.  Thanks be to God for continuing to inspire me.  Each night I sit down before my laptop, never knowing where the Lord is going to take me.  HE is my inspiration!

I'm thankful to Jesus for all of you out there who email me from time to time with words of encouragement.  You cannot possibly know how excited I get when I hear that something the Lord allowed me to write touched your heart or convicted you of sin or challenge you or lifted you up.  Ask my wife, she'll tell you.  It thrills me to hear someone say, "I shared your devotional at church last night" or "my lost brother read your devotional and he's coming to church this week."  I am humbled and awestruck when I see how much God can do through a weak, flawed and imperfect person like myself.  We serve a God of great things, amen!?  

I'm thankful for thirty years.  They've had their share of ups and downs, but I wouldn't change a thing, except for all of the mistakes I have made and all of the times that I have let the Lord down.  I guess that leads into this...I'm thankful that He's a patient and forgiving God!

This morning, I'm thankful for many things.  But, what I'm most thankful for is my relationship with the Son of God.  You see, that relationship is what makes all of what I shared with you possible.  Without having that intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, none of the blessings I have mentioned would have any meaning to me at all.  It is because I know Jesus that my richest blessings, the things dearest to my heart, are a reality.

I guess, to sum it all up, I'm thankful that thirty years ago I was born, but more importantly, I'm thankful that 16 years ago I was BORN AGAIN, and I hope I get 30 more years to share the Love of Christ with others.