Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

IT was the last day before Thanksgiving break, and I had given each child in my first-grade classroom an opportunity to tell the class what he or she was thankful for. As I went from one raised hand to another, I heard the usual responses: my family, food, my house, our dog, my bike.

One student, however, was reluctant to voice what was in his heart. Instead, he asked if he could whisper into my ear what he was most thankful for. I bent down and placed my ear near his small face. "I'm just thankful that God is real and not pretend," he said quietly.

"God is real." This child's words challenged me. Because God is real, I can believe in the Bible. Because God is real, I can trust; I have nothing to fear. God will be faithful to hear my prayers and to meet my every need.

The life-changing truth that child confided is one to be boldly proclaimed to others. This young boy was right: God's realness is something to be thankful for. When we grasp the realness of our God, we are filled with gratitude.

Stacy Sanchez (New Mexico, USA)