Thanksgiving Essays
This site annually hosts essay contests in November/December entitled "Why I am personally grateful to God." The essay was to be written including reasons why the author was grateful to God and how He has helped him in his life. Entries were selected on the basis of how they gave glory to God.
| 2001 Essay |
| No Entry Received |
| 2000 Essay |
| There is one real reason I am grateful to God. It is that
I am able to sit here today and type this. My answer is very simple
here. The basic fact that I am able to convey my emotions, and that I
have emotions which I can share is a miracle in itself. Before, when I
was doubting God and Christianity, I had no direction, no reason. Now I
do. I know that everything that happens to me, good or bad, has meaning.
Through my mistakes and talents, pain and happiness, I have learned more
about myself and the world than I ever would have without God. Without
God, nothing kept me from being unfaithful, nothing moved me. Without
God, I became very apathetic and undriven. Now, I am criticized for my
beliefs. I attend school in the engineering department of a university
and few of the students are religious. Often I have a hard time
justifying myself to these people. This has only makes me stronger,
because I am logical myself yet I still have strong faith and emotion
when it comes to my religion. To turn around an individual like myself,
God deserves praise. God deserves praise for allowing me the ability to
convey my beliefs through science. God gave us the ability to find the
truth, to answer questions. God gave us wonderful emotions all for free.
My understanding of God has not only made me more faithful but a better
person in general. But this understanding is only possible by God!
Without God, nothing is possible, but with God, so much is possible, and
I have witnessed this first hand by accepting Christ simply by my own
investigation and questioning, not by force from parents, etc.
Adam |
| 1999 Essay |
| I am personally grateful to God, because I was uncertain in
the path that I had chosen in life. Just under a year ago, I tried to
commit suicide; However, I was unsuccessful, even though I had very high
and dangerous levels of poison in my body. I took this as a sign from God
to change my ways and better myself. A second chance if you will. I'm am
very grateful for this "second chance" that he has given me. I
have used it in a productive way, I went on to graduate high school with
my class, and I am now attending college and maintaining a 3.33 GPA as a
true freshman with 17 credits, while being an active member of the track
and field team. I have become an active member of a local Christian church
that is here near my college campus. I am serving God in any way that I
can through my newly found church, and I feel that he has shown me my true
friends, and how I would have hurt them if I would have accomplished my
horrendous act. Every morning I wake up grateful that I am alive and well,
thanks to God and the second chance that he has given to me.
Joe |
Reflections
We are what we think.
- 04/18/2014 02:49 AM
Quote of the Week: Kenneth Samples
I’m a socially awkward, pensively contemplative person who finds it easier to hug books than people. — Kenneth Samples
() - 04/15/2014 02:04 AM
How to Think about Near-Death Experiences
Stories of heavenly visions, like the one at the center of the upcoming film Heaven Is for Real (based on the near-death experience of a four-year-old Nebraska boy), can have a powerful effect on people. They can inspire our imaginations, … Continue reading
() - 04/11/2014 02:19 AM
Quote of the Week: Thomas Nagel
Consciousness is the most conspicuous obstacle to a comprehensive naturalism that relies only on the resources of physical science. — Thomas Nagel, Mind & Cosmos (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012), 35.
() - 04/08/2014 02:47 AM
Making Decisions: Six Criteria for Biblical Guidance
The big decisions of life (and even some of the smaller ones) can put us in a place where we need wisdom and guidance. When I’m faced with difficult decisions or simply need direction on how to handle a challenging … Continue reading
() - 04/04/2014 02:40 AM
Quote of the Week: Captain America
The price of freedom is high and it’s a price I’m willing to pay. – Captain America, Captain America: The Winter Soldier From childhood, my favorite superhero has always been Captain America. In light of the Winter Soldier sequel released … Continue reading
() - 04/01/2014 11:15 AM
Considering “Blackfish” and the Question of Mammals in Captivity
Whatever your opinion about the controversial documentary Blackfish, its impact can’t be ignored. CNN has been airing Blackfish periodically since October 2013. The documentary has won several awards and inspired numerous boycotts. Personally, I have three friends who vowed to … Continue reading
() - 03/28/2014 02:39 AM
Quote of the Week: Paul Copan
Perhaps this world has the balance of the greatest amount of good and the least amount of evil. — Paul Copan, Loving Wisdom (St. Louis, MO: Chalice, 2007), 128.
() - 03/25/2014 02:39 AM
Plato’s Cave: Do You Know the Difference between Reality and Illusion?
Have you ever been in a cave? Caves are dark, cold, and sometimes dangerous places—people who lose their light source in a cave often cannot find their way out and, without rescue, face the possibility of death from hypothermia or … Continue reading
() - 03/21/2014 02:35 AM
Quote of the Week: Anthony Hoekema
The Greek word agape used here implies that self-giving love is meant: a love which does not ask What is there in it for me? But which seeks to give itself unselfishly to others. — Anthony Hoekema, Saved By Grace … Continue reading
() - 03/18/2014 02:19 AM
Interview: “Understanding Christian End Times Teaching”
In January, I had the opportunity to discuss the always popular, frequently controversial topic of the end times on Issues, Etc. with host Todd Wilken, a Lutheran pastor and theologian. Our discussion lasted over an hour and included time for … Continue reading
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http://godandscience.org/doctrine/thanksessays.html
Last updated November 25, 2001
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