Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for this year. Every year I realize more and more how incredibly blessed I am. I really can’t even put it into words.

This year, Thanksgiving plans came with a solemn surprise. My grandpa had Parkinson’s for the past few years and it had gotten drastically worse this past month. He passed away Tuesday morning and went home to meet Jesus in heaven that day. Needless to say, we quickly rearranged our plans and traveled to Jersey to spend time with family for the holiday.

Let me just say, I am so blessed and so thankful to have an incredible family. Despite the circumstances it was wonderful to have the whole Domashovetz clan together to celebrate my grandpa’s life. At a seemingly somber time, we rejoiced because my grandpa was a strongly faithful man and fiercely loved the Lord. He spent his life ministering to those all across Ukraine and upholding a Ukrainian church in Jersey, proclaiming truth to everyone he met. In that we know that as he entered the gates of heaven Tuesday morning, the Lord whispered, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” To see the effect of the unswerving faith of my grandparents on my family is phenomenal. I can only pray that one day each one of my family members will come to know the joy and peace of mind that I have in Christ. My grandfather’s wish was that at his funeral that his life would be a testimony to those who do not believe. And he got his wish.

Praise the Lord for an amazing celebration of life and thanksgiving. I cannot be thankful enough to live the life that I have with the multitude of blessings that come to me with each passing day.

I’m thankful for the life and witness of Volodymyr Domoshovetz, my dear grandfather.
I’m thankful to have a phenomenal family to care for me.
I’m thankful for growing up in a loving home.
I’m thankful for parents who love me unconditionally.
I’m thankful to have my sister as my best friend.
I’m thankful to have a roof over my head.
I’m thankful to have food on my table each night.
I’m thankful to have an opportunity to get an education.
I’m thankful for the freedoms we have in America.
I’m thankful that Christ came to die for my sin that I may have eternal life.
I’m thankful for a mouth to speak my mind, hands that allow me do incredible works, and legs that let me run through each day of my life.
I’m thankful for dear, sweet friends who daily transform and encourage my life.
I’m thankful for people who have come and gone throughout my life that have challenged me to grow and helped mold me into the person I am today.
I’m thankful for my beauty and the honor to be called the “crown of creation.”
I’m thankful for the inexpressible beauty of creation that God has created for me to enjoy.
I’m thankful to have the honor of being a Young Life leader.
I’m thankful for the numerous blessings I have received from my Young Life family.
I’m thankful for my high school friends at D.H. Conley.
I’m thankful to live in America where I have more riches and opportunities than I could ever understand.

And with many more, I am most certainly thankful.





“Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name,
for the Lord is good...”
~Psalm 100:4

Fullness

Finally, I have a moment to update on my life. The past weeks since camp have been so full--full in the sense that my life is a cup overflowing and spilling over the brim! Rockbridge was incredible! I had a cabin of 9 wonderful girls and we had a blast together singing our hearts out at club, laughing our heads off at program, freezing down the zip line, braving the quantum leap, sharing our broken hearts during cabin time…I really could go on forever. I can’t quite explain my fullness and I definitely feel that I do not deserve the blessings in my life lately. Slowly, I’ve been learning to look for God in everything, a challenge that I’ve put strongly on my heart. Perhaps I am blessed because God show’s himself and his glory everywhere (whether we choose to see him or not) and just maybe I have gotten just a glimpse of that.







Last week after Campaigners I was so filled by God and how he worked through my girls that morning, but I was still pouring my heart out about how I have no idea where my future will lead even though I think I have it all planned out...will I get into PT school? Will I ever find a boy to love?! Will I be able to see my precious sophomore girls graduate?! Will I make it through life?! So I prayed, “Lord I need you to guide me. Show me what your will is for my life.” Then two seconds later, the song You Never Let Go came on the radio singing, "Oh Lord you never let go...Lord, you never let go of me." God was whispering, "Sandy, I am right here holding you in my arms. Trust me. I am here for you." I mean, wow. I can almost see God looking down on us lovingly shaking his head and kindly laughing at the mess of life that we make and then patiently waiting on us to call on his name once we figure out that we can’t do it on our own. It’s comforting to know that God is always in control.

Much has come and gone in my life in a mere two weeks, but perhaps the yearnings of my heart are more important to share at the moment. I was excited to have a slow week and do practically nothing, but it’s coming back to bite me in the butt with how much I’m going to have to do this upcoming week. But the end of the semester is near…can you believe it?! I’m hanging in there, trying my best to trust God with every step.