I am thankful for my climbing companions who will be summiting Cotopaxi with me in January (www.climb4kids.org).

I am thankful for Terry Hunka and ChildReach ministries who continue to blaze frontline trails to care for children at risk in Ecuador and Peru.

I am thankful for Wess Stafford, in Korea away from his family on Thanksgiving Day, who continues to lead Compassion International with integrity and purpose.

I am thankful for our friends Brett and Sonja who gave us our first experience with bringing a child home .  I’ll never forget seeing you and Anna step off the plane from Kazakstan.

I am thankful for Matt Vinton who is spending Thanksgiving on the front lines in Afghanistan so I can eat turkey in peace.

I am thankful for my friends from the Refuge of Hope who in their homelessness partner with me in ministry.

I am thankful for Jason and Suzie Lantz who sacrificially love Canton.

I am thankful for Dan smith who generously leads new church planting efforts in Cleveland.

I am thankful for Tom Jones who invests heavily in making it hard to to go to hell or be in hell in Ohio.

I am thankful to be part of the church family, RiverTree, that is feeding more than 8,000 people today.

I am thankful for my amazing wife, Julie, who is my best friend and partner in ministry.

I am thankful for Italian food, sushi, hot peppers, good steaks, HoHos, Cranberry Almond Crunch cereal, quad half-caf espressos and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.  (And Skittles.)

I am thankful for the Holy Spirit who speaks into my life.

I am thankful for great books like, “Tattoos On The Heart,” “South Of Broad,” “A Million Miles In A Thousand Years” and “The Human Games.”

I am thankful for Alex Absalom joining the RiverTree team.

I am thankful for Chris Tomlin’s new worship CD, “And If Our God Is For Us.”

I am thankful for my Stinkling buddies who help keep me in the game.

I am thankful for grandparents who love and pour into my children’s lives.

I am thankful for Cook Forrest, PA–an amazing retreat that enables me to reconnect with God.

I am thankful for Alan Hirsch and the Future Travelers.

I am thankful for a new generation of young leader Jesus-followers like Andrew Berg, Josh Swain, Ryan Markley, Laura Meierderk, Mike Suit and Ron Kent.

I am thankful for the passion of Toby Thomas to engage God’s Kingdom in Massillon.

I am thankful for Jon and Kelly Tisovic and their willingness to follow God’s call on their life.

I am thankful for Tom Kimmons who has graciously taught me to shoot (not at anything living).

I am thankful for Elijah John who continues to teach me what it means to be adopted as God’s son.

I am thankful for Tabitha who still wants to spend daddy/daughter night with me.

I am thankful for my Kindle which enables me to travel without carrying 6 books.

I am thankful that I still get to fish, golf and work alongside my dad.

I am thankful that my mom is coming over this morning to teach me how to cook a turkey.

I am thankful for Gary Porter who leads the Christian Children’s Home of Ohio with persistence and care.

I am thankful that the Cleveland Browns consistently give me something to make jokes about and that the Ohio State Buckeyes consistently give me something to cheer about.