Thanksgiving Week 2014

The blog this week will be contributed to by the members of our Glen Haven Young Adult Class and Bible Study group.

What are you thankful for (about the class, your personal life, your family, etc…)

Austin Howard:  I am thankful for this group so much more than words can say. I have never been in a young adults class that is always striving to better one another. I’m thankful for the friends that I have had, the new ones that are building currently, and then to the future ones as well. Without this class and the support of our wonderful leaders (Bro. Warren and Mrs. Jenny) I don’t know where the state of our class would be right now. I’m so thankful for all of you and I’m looking forward to great things happening in and through our class, love you guys!!

Jesse Adams:  I am thankful for a group of young people that loves to be with each other, have fun, and love Jesus. I’ve actually had multiple people in our church come up to me and tell me that “watching our college students be with one another makes me want to be back in college.” We have a unique group at Glen Haven. We also have unique leaders in Bro Warren and Mrs. Jenny. I am thankful for all of the people and everything that we do together. It is always a blast. Were growing and we have the Lord on our side. What better place to be as a class than that. I love you guys! Pigeon Forge here we come!

Sarah Adams:  I’m thankful for friends. They stick with you through the thick and thin of things and Even when you’re not at your best, they still love you for who you are.
I’m thankful for family. Let’s be honest, if you’re like me, you come from a crazy family that loves hard, laughs always and lives life to the fullest. They are God fearing people who’s hearts and crazy amount of love never cease to amaze. They stand by your side even when you’re not sure which side you stand on and their arms are always open.
I’m thankful for my church. I’ve had the privilege of being apart of several churches at once thanks to college but there’s nothing like coming home and knowing that the people around you are part of home as well. There’s an atmosphere around the church that is charged with Jesus and you can’t help but experience it when you’re there and when you’re with the people of the church. Church is where broken people come to be healed and where sinners come to learn about the savior. It’s amazing to me that anyone can come. The broken, the sick, the hurt, the lost, and the weary come and rest at the feet of Jesus. We’re a bunch of really messed up people uniting because we can’t do it alone and because we need each other almost as much as we need our Savior, the only one who can truly help us and that’s pretty awesome.
I’m thankful for nutty bars. Let’s be honest, there are so very few creations and recipes that have mastered the chocolate to peanut butter to wafer ratio successfully. Little Debbie’s have a special place in my heart and even though they are just as amazing, my oatmeal cream pies are up high on my list as well. I take pride in my nutty bars however, and I’m thankful that God has allowed us to enjoy the simple, amazing, tasty, and glorious things of this world.
Finally, I’m thankful for my Heavenly Father. I know that sometimes I forget about him or go against him or even spite him, yet he loves me. He died for me on the cross even when he knew that I would mess up and give him a headache for my stupidity and selfishness. He continues to blow my mind with everything he has done for me and blessed me with. He has great plans for me and each and every one of us and the fact that he knows where my future is headed when I’m not even sure what I’m going is amazing to me. He is my source of rest, strength and peace and I have yet to wrap my mind around how much he loves me.

Jenny Green: I know Warren replied and included both of us, but as I sit here reading these posts with tears in my eyes – I’m reminded how good and faithful our Heavenly Father is to all of us. When we took this class in June although we were very excited because of the relationships we had with many of you the devil wanted to steal that bit of excitement and tell me that we would not be accepted because many of you had been with us already for at least 4 years. I struggled with the fact this group needed someone younger with no children or maybe older with grown children. However, Warren and I knew this is the place that we were called to be.
So, six months later I am thankful for each and everyone of you who make up this group. I am thankful for the love you not only show to Warren and I but to our three children. Not only do Warren and I love this group but our kids do as well. You make them look forward to Thursday evenings, Sunday lunches, and whenever else we have a chance to gather to fellowship.
I am also thankful for so many of you stepping out of your comfort zones as we did and welcoming not only our family but others too. Many of you have stepped out of a familiar place whether a group of friends, a different class, or some even a different church and joined this class. I am thankful that you realize in order to grow sometimes we have to put away our own comforts or selfishness. You have shown me things in my life I need to work on, and I hope we challenge you to do the same.
I am finally thankful for our future together and the relationships that we will develop and people we will impact. We all serve the same awesome God and our goal is to share Him with others. I cannot wait to see what He has in store for our group in the future.
I love y’all and hope you each have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Austin Turner:  I’m thankful for the Cross and what it stands for in its entirety. The cross is a game changer and it changes everyone’s outlook on life. The world would not be the same without it. I’m thankful that I’m in a Sunday school class that loves God and loves people. I come home so much just to come to GHBC no other reason but for a church. One of the last things I’m thankful for is you and your family. You welcome me with open arms and never turned your back on me. You are a good man and a even better disciple of Christ. I came in as a block of stone and Pastor Brady and yourself help carve me and lay a lot of my foundation for my freshman year. I love you and Happy Thanksgiving.

Maci Boling:  What I’m thankful for :

Throughout high school I would consider myself a lukewarm Christian. I made many bad decisions and did not put church as a priority. I was very consumed with the world. If you would have asked me two years ago where I would be during my sophomore year of college I would have answered saying: away at college and consumed with the world and having a good time with “friends”. Through bad circumstances my family was faced with , I made the decision to stay at home. God was using little things, such as staying at home, to entirely change my life. I had no clue about it then, but looking back now, I see how involved in my life God was. Through a friend at school I got invited to Glen Haven for a Wednesday night bible study. Slowly I was changing and the life I was living was changing. I met Austin Howard and through him met his amazing family. He got Savannah to call me and invite me to the women’s bible study. I continued to get more and more involved. I thank God nightly because I am still in such shock of where I am in life and my Christian walk. I am living an entirely different life than I would have ever imagined. There is no longer any excuses I can think of to miss Sunday morning and night church and weekly bible study. I surround myself with positive friends and do activities that give glory to God rather than negative activities. I never would have thought I would find a church that I love as much as Glen Haven, I thought people were being dramatic when people said they were a part of a “church family” but I now know what that means because Glen Haven is my church family. It’s so cool to me to see how all the things that seemed little and minor played part in changing my life.

Jake Postin:  Well, I know this is a late response, but I would rather tell y’all late than never. I can honestly say that I have never been apart of a class where you feel missed when you are not there. I do live at home, but I basically live in Macon between work and school. Warren and Jenny are incredible. They do more for us than what I could ever repay them for. I want all of you to know that I am thankful and love each one of you. No matter if you are there every week, or once a month, you all are special and have a special part in our class. Thank you Warren and Jenny for everything y’all do for us, the time, money, sacrifice and most of all the love y’all give us. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving and I look forward to getting to know everyone on a more personal level and watch our class grow closer together!!