As we all know, midterm elections happened yesterday. The American people voted on a lot of change, all at once. The U.S. has elected its first Muslim woman, Native American woman, gay mother and gay man for Congress. A few states elected their first female governors, Senate seats and House seats, some of whom are women of color. Florida restored felon voting rights, Michigan legalized marijuana, and Alabama, West Virginia and Oregon voted on laws and amendments that will limit abortion.

Whether these changes excite you, scare you, or a little bit of both, you are still blessed.

This can be difficult to remember, especially if you felt strongly about a vote that didn't pan out how you would've liked. But, in comparison to many countries around the world, America is nothing short of a gift.

This is not to undermine the many sociopolitical issues ingrained in our society. There are many, and we as a nation have a long way to go before we become a peaceful, thriving community. But, counting our blessings is a way for American citizens to maintain a sense of hope, positivity, and ultimately, sanity amidst national turmoil.

You may not be crazy about who got elected for Congress. But, we have a Congress. Zimbabwe doesn't have a Congress, they have a dictator named Robert Mugabe who has restricted his opponents' abilities to campaign against him.

Felons having the right to vote might not be your cup of tea. But, we have the right to vote. In Egypt, while women are "technically" allowed to vote, societal restrictions on dress and etiquette prevent many women from making it to the polls, which is considered to override any legal voting right for women.

You may not understand why a state would choose to legalize a drug or criminalize abortion. But, states have the right to choose. North Koreans suffer under Kim Jong-Un who has "unified" the country through instilling fear and false information in its citizens.

Even in our joy and/or disappointment over the state of our nation, we can always choose to see the beauty in the progress we have already made. I believe that as long as we live in a fallen world, there will be strife. There will be arguments and war and hurt and struggle. The only way we as a people will thrive in such an environment is to choose love and appreciation for our fellow man, our country, and other nations around the world.

May God bring every good thing to America in this season and the next.