From the whole church family, Happy Thanksgiving! It is our prayer that this encourages you to “give thanks in every situation” (I Thessalonians 5:18) and to “abound in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7).

Don’t forget to join us as we host the Community Thanksgiving Dinner today at noon!

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we Thine unworthy servants do give Thee most humble and hearty thanks for all Thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless Thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for Thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we beseech Thee, give us that due sense of all Thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth Thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to Thy service, and by walking before Thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer

How To Lay Aside Thanklessness

“Heavenly Father, please let me know your will. I really need to know what you want me to do about . . .”

This is my will for you: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

“Thank you, Lord, for this reminder. I really do need to be more thankful — but getting back to my request, I’m not sure what you want me to do about . . .”

I want you to “give thanks in all circumstances.”

“I know, Lord, I know. That’s important and I can see where I have neglected that. But thankfulness is sort of a constant need, isn’t it? I mean, everyone needs be more thankful, right? Seriously, this is urgent, and I don’t have clarity from you. I need your direction. What do you want me to do?”

I am being serious and specific. I want you to “give thanks in all circumstances,” and right now, in this particular circumstance.
Continue reading “How To Lay Aside” at Desiring God→

Instilling Gratitude In Your Family

With the approach of Thanksgiving, I am often struck with how people—young and old alike—lack an important attribute: gratitude. I’m not looking for a warm fuzzy thank you for a gift, but a deep rich appreciation for life and what we’ve been given. Why is this? What gets in the way of gratitude?

Here are two thoughts.

First, our society cultivates discontentment. Consistently, we hear a message of want. Mass media, advertising, and holiday seasons all capitalize on the misconception of necessity and the hungering for more…
Continue reading “Instilling Gratitude” at CCEF→

Giving Thanks When Your Family Is Struggling

Soon after graduating high school, our son had his first psychotic break. Eventually, he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a variant of schizophrenia. The past few years have been incredibly difficult for him. They have also been hard for us, his family. As his mother, I spent five years crying, and praying, and struggling to understand what had happened.

During that time, the Thanksgiving holiday was particularly trying. Of course, I had things to be thankful for. Food, family, friends, a roof over my head. But these blessings seemed insubstantial compared to the hollowing-out of my beloved son.

I knew believers are called to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess. 5:16–18). But how could I fight my way to a place of gratitude? Would I ever find joy again?
Continue reading “Giving Thanks” at TGC→