Dear Precious Church Family,

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, I am personally challenged to learn to be more thankful. The Scripture says “In everything give thanks...” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and sometimes that just seems impossible.

I wonder if Jesus gave thanks to His Father for His upcoming agonizing death on the cross. I know He gave thanks on the night He was betrayed. What was it He was thankful for? Jesus was thankful for the sure joy to come to Him because of His obedience; thankful for mighty endurance and strength given for the present, and thankful for the knowledge of a sure triumph over His enemy even before the battle began.

Wow! It takes revelation to be thankful. It also takes the presence of Christ in our heart, and so for us Christians, being thankful becomes entirely possible. Christ did this for us and He alone can do it in us. We are promised the same power and revelation to be able to be thankful in all things — no matter what our cross—because Jesus truly understands and wins this battle. He is moved by our struggle to follow Him into thankfulness. I know this to be personally true. As He is, so can we be.

Most people complain nowadays—but there is something truly amazing about someone being thankful. They stand out. I pray this holiday we stand out.

On behalf of the pastors, elders and staff we wish you a blessed Thanksgiving.

TERESA CONLON
Associate Pastor