Giving Thanks Through Turbulent Times: Happy Thanksgiving From TTiV

My daughter is dead. My mother and wife both have terminal Stage-IV Colo-rectal and Liver cancer. It feels as though I am losing everyone I love, one at a time. In the past two years seven of my closest friends and family members have died from cancer or heart attacks. Ironically, and disconcertingly, seven is also the exact number of viewers who have written to tell me that after watching one of my shows, they were led to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Sweet Jesus, what price must I pay to keep the promise that I made to my daughter,  to bring your children to Salvation as I swore that I would? Will you take one of my loved ones for each soul I bring to your altar? Will you take my entire family to make up for the cowardice I showed when I didn't tell my little girl about You because I was afraid to push her away after having just gotten her into my life after a lifetime of searching for her?

All of this crap going on in our lives Father, the illness, the pain, it's almost too much...

What have I got to be thankful for?

A LOT, as it turns out.

I got an email the other day that asked me to take a few minutes before I went to sleep and thank God for the blessings He has bestowed upon me and my family. The email said that I shouldn't pray asking for anything; just count my blessings and give thanks for them. It took me about half an hour to recount them all.

As part of dealing with the nearly overwhelming trials our family is experiencing, I have started to attend caregiver and grief counseling at a local cancer support group. The theme for this past meeting was, suitably, to recount those things for which we are thankful. I thought I would share them with you.

May you all be blessed with traveling safety, valuable times with friends and loved ones, and may you remember the Source from Whom all blessings flow.

Happy Thanksgiving.
God bless & Semper Fi,
Bobby and DeLynn Powell
and the entire TTiV staff.