Cheryl Goodnight

「這是耶和華所定的日子，我們在其中要高興歡喜！」

這是詩篇118篇24節的詩句，也是我每天早上開始努力生活對自己說的。

我已經當了23年的妻子，我們經歷過一些坎坷的日子，也經歷過美好的日子。 其中許多美好的日子是我們7個孩子出生的時候。 是的，我是7個孩子的母親，他們的年齡最大的20歲，最小的5歲。我是一名社區活動家，每天努力跟隨基督的腳步。

我站在這裡全是因為神的慈愛和力量。 所以，我必須要表達我的感恩。因為「凡事謝恩，這是神在基督裡向你們所定的旨意。」 （帖撒羅尼迦前書 5:18）

今天我想感謝神的是這三件事：

• 第一，我感謝祂幫助我和丈夫維持了23年的婚姻。 我們最近在2021年經歷了分居，神在2022年使我們復合，我們正在努力改進，以避免再次陷入導致我們分居的因素。 我真的要為此感謝神。 對於所有正在經歷婚姻問題的人來說，要知道從終極的角度來說，是神與你立約，是祂使你和配偶成為一體。「因此，人要離開父母，與妻子聯合，二人成為一體」（創世記 2:24）如果你和你的配偶願意的話，祂會信守讓你們在一起的承諾。 
• 我想要感謝神的第二件事，是我的兒子上大學的學業之旅。 感謝神，他得到了獎學金，使他能夠上加州大學戴維斯分校所需的所有費用。 這些年來我們家經歷了許多事情，包括極度貧窮。 然而，我的兒子仍然保持著韌性。 他以優異的成績畢業，並獲得了足夠的錢來支付他的所有大學費用。 
• 最後，我想提前感謝神幫助我們擁有自己的房子。 我們現在住在一間實在無法居住的公寓裡，而且對我們的家庭來說非常小，所以我想提前感謝神幫助我們購買一棟房子。

感謝您聽我的見證。讓我用希伯來書11章1節來結束，真的：「信心是對盼望的事有把握，對還沒看見的事很確定。」（當代譯本）

讚美神！

This is the day that the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it (adapted from Psalm 118:24).  That’s how I strive to start each day of my life. 

I’m a wife of 23 years and we have had some rocky days as well as good days.  Many of those good days were the birth of our seven children.  I’m a mother of seven children from 20 years old down to five.  I am a community activist and I strive to follow Christ daily. 

I am only standing here by the goodness and power of God.  So, I had to give thanks.  In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) 

The three things I want to thank God for today are:

• Number one,  I thank him for helping my husband and I sustain our marriage of 23 years. We recently went through a separation in 2021 and God reconciled us  in 2022.  We are taking steps to improve and intentionally steering away from the same habits that caused us to separate. I truly want to thank God for that.  For all of you people who are going through marital issues, just know ultimately God has made a covenant with you.  He has made you one.  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Genesis 2:24 (KJV). He will keep his promise to keep you together if your and your spouse desire this.  

• The second thing I would like to thank  God for is my son’s scholastic journey to college. I thank God for granting him the scholarships and meeting his financial needs to attend UC Davis.  Our family has gone through a lot throughout the years, including extreme poverty. Yet, my son has remained resilient.  He graduated with honors and obtained the money to cover all of his college expenses.  

• Lastly, I would like to just thank God in advance for helping us to own our own home. We’re in an apartment now that is truly uninhabitable; it’s very small for our family, so I just want to thank God in advance for helping us to buy a home. 

Thank you so much for your time.  Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1).

Praise God!

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