Thanksgiving List – What Am I Thankful For This Year?

In most of my 34 years in the pastorate, I have created an annual Thanksgiving list.  In my new role as Executive Director-Treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, I decided it would be good to continue that tradition.  Here is my Thanksgiving list for 2010:

1. I am thankful for the 21,000+ people who came to know Jesus Christ as Lord  and Savior and were baptized in our Tennessee Baptist Churches.
2. I am thankful for a wonderful wife of 34 years who has been willing to follow her husband because she greatly desires to follow the Lord with me.
3. I am thankful for I-40, as well as all the other incredible four-lane highways in our state. We have the best roads of any state and I have traveled them all in 2010!
4. I am thankful for the privilege of pastoring First Baptist Church of  Sevierville for the last nine years.  Those sweet people were so incredibly encouraging during our time of transition as we followed the Lord’s call.
5. I am thankful that David, Lon, Jim, Fred, and Mike on the search committee were really seeking His will.
6. I am so very thankful for so many new friends on the TBC staff.  They have welcomed us in undeserved fashion.
7. I am thankful for Phyllis Bates. The most incredible Administrative Assistant this “rookie” could have hoped for.
8. I am thankful that I am making this list out before Alabama plays Auburn this Friday.  No matter what—Roll Tide!
9. I am thankful that my 3½  year old granddaughter, Maddie, has the biggest personality of any short person I have ever known.
10. I am thankful that I had the privilege to get to know Poly and Jim as officers of TBC. What great men and new friends.
11. I am thankful for two young ladies that no daddy could be any prouder of.  Wendy & Beth love Jesus.
12. I am thankful for Derrick and Kevin.  Boys who married my daughters and became men of whom I am very proud.
13. I am thankful that I had the incredible joy of hearing the heartbeats of my two yet-to-be-born grandchildren.
14. I am thankful that God still allows me to have the privilege to hear His heartbeat for the world.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Randy C. Davis