"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus"There’s no sugar coating it: sometimes giving thanks is H A R D. We all have something to be thankful for, sure, but in times of suffering, fear, darkness, unknown futures, in the days that we feel EVERYTHING that can go wrong is going wrong , we are still called to be thankful. To clarify, though, we are not expected to be thankful FOR these circumstances necessarily, but we are called to be thankful IN them. Thankful in times of physical illness. Thankful in times of unrest. Thankful in times of unemployment. Thankful in times of financial hardships. Thankful in times of personal conflict. Thankful in times of confusion and heartache.So in the midst of what feels like the hardest season of all my 24 years, I’m thankful. I'm not thankful for the circumstances that have left me broken hearted and confused. Im not thankful for my mom's illness, for the car accident I️ was in, or for the unexpected loss of my dream job. I'm not thankful for the chronic illness that has taken away so many of my abilities or for the way Satan has successfully attacked me in my time of weakness. I'm not thankful for the circumstances this year that have taught me true faith and patience.But here's what I️ am thankful for.I’m thankful for the amazing best friends who have answered all the panicked phone calls, who have reached out, shown me love and carried me through this.I’m thankful for my family who has continually reminded me I’m still worth loving; and beyond that who has stepped up to support me without making me feel in any way less of an adult.I’m thankful for the promise that this season, however long it is, will end in some kind of victory.I’m thankful for the belief that through these times, God is shaping me to be exactly who He intended me to be from the very beginning.I'm thankful that through these times, I have felt called to share my faith with those who don't know Jesus.I'm thankful for the amount of motivation and perseverance I have learned through my fight back to health.I’m thankful that when I️ feel like I’m drowning in the midst of my brokenness and failures, the holidays come around to remind me to count my blessings and successes.And I’m thankful that I️ have so many people around me to remind me of this every single day when I forget it all over again.To those of you who also find yourselves in a difficult season and having a hard time giving thanks, know that you are not alone. From the bottom of my trench to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.