grace through those who light the way

Who are all of the luminaries in your life?

in the spirit of working towards a heart filled with gratitude, what better place to start than with the people who have helped me on my journey.  joyce rupp calls them "companions of growth."  she says that it's very rare that we can grow spiritually completely on our own or in isolation, and that certainly rings true for me.  i know God because of the people in my life who have shown God to me.  who are these people in your life?  who are the people who have believed in you and your potential for growth?  who are the helpers who have either knowingly or unknowingly aided you in your search for your true self and your life path?  who has challenged you to see parts of yourself that you were blind to?  who has given you courage to go deep and think in new ways?  who taught you how to pray?  who encouraged you to use the gifts you've been given?  join me today in giving thanks for these people who have lit the way on our journeys.  we would not, could not be who and where we are today without them!  their presence in our lives is grace - pure gift from our loving God.  i don't know about you, but my heart comes close to bursting with gratitude when i think about all that my "companions of growth" have done for me!