“But God commends his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NASB).

I’m a people watcher, a habit cultivated through many years of writing. I notice oddities in people. What can I take from others that I can include in my characters? Something they’re wearing, the way they walk or talk, how they look, or their idiosyncrasies may end up in one of my story characters.

Lately I’ve been seeing people in a different way. The man or woman begging on the street corner could have been me if God hadn’t given me what I need to sustain my life. The lonely woman with no place to go for the holidays might have been me if God hadn’t blessed me with family. The person out walking her dog, shopping, or at home Sunday morning could have been me if I didn’t have a wonderful church to be with to worship God.

The woman I see in the summer with hardly any clothes covering her body might have been me. The woman using God’s name in vain could have been me. The woman too drunk to properly care for her children might have been me.

Yes, all these people could have been me were it not for God’s saving grace, His love, and His mercy. When I ponder my life and the many paths I could have traveled, I know that God has blessed me richly. Every day I remember the many good things God has given me, and I try to share them with others. God gives the greatest blessings, now and forever.

Hymn: “Count Your Many Blessings”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize You have given me many things for which to be grateful. May I not judge others, but work to tell them about Your blessings. May I never cease to be thankful for Your great love. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Donna Wittlif is the author of Christian fiction for young adults and adults. Her new book Finding Her Heart is about a young woman who is heartbreakingly lonely. Is it because she has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome? See how God helps her find true love. www.donnarwittlif.com