Thanksgiving

Last weekend was a special time at our church. We got to give! Above and beyond our normal giving, we got to share our abundant blessings so that God's people can be blessed. And Yezelalem Minch will be one of the recipients of these gifts again this year! It is such a joy to be able to serve them and the orphaned and vulnerable children in Ethiopia in this way. I have been giving plasma in order to save up a special gift to contribute.

As far as what I am thankful for this year...I am thankful to have spent time with orphans, widows and those who live on about what I spend at a vending machine every day. And I am thankful to know the people who are daily being the hands and feet of Jesus in their lives. I am thankful for what I learned in the simple embrace from an 18 year old boy serving as the head of his household. And I am thankful that God reached out to me, forgave me, and revealed to me the beauty of simplicity and the danger of materialism. My prayer is that I would continue to loosen my grip on all that I think is "mine," and to continue to give of my time, energy and money for the Glory of God.

May you all have a most wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating with friends and family (if you are so blessed to be able to do so). But let us not forget those without family. Let us continue to pray for and be active in loving the nearly 40,000 children, who on the very day we are "giving thanks", will be receiving the tragic new title - orphan.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
James 1:27 NLT