God expects His people to be thankful. It should not surprise us that the Bible speaks of giving thanks more than 125 times. In the midst of trials sometimes it is hard to obey His words, “In everything give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18), but when surrounded by evidences of His blessings we must be thankful. We are truly blessed!
I am thankful for the recent visit of missionaries. While we have always felt close to those we support in distant works, there is a very special bond with those former members of PBL who are now working as our missionaries in Paraguay. Take time today to thank God for Troy, Andrea, Josh and Cara!
I am thankful for our members who just returned from Paraguay. I am thankful for the financial sacrifices they made to go and help and for the time they took from their daily lives to give to this effort, but I am even more thankful as I hear how they touched the lives of those in that land and the lives of the Spradlins and Blackmers.
I am thankful for Leadership Training Camp. We saw some of the fruit of this on Sunday, but what we saw was such a small part of this effort. God changed the lives of those who came and for this we are thankful. I am thankful for the young people who came, for the parents, for this church which is so supportive of this effort, for the contributions made by David and Casey, and for those who worked behind the scene, like Nicole, Traci and our secretaries.
I am thankful for our V.B.S. It is hard for any of us to imagine how many hours have been spent in planning and implementing this effort. Those decorations, those Bible lessons, and those skits do not just accidentally happen. So many have worked so hard and we are seeing the fruit of it all.
I am thankful for our teen mission trip. When we assemble this Sunday our teens will be heavily involved in the work. Think about every home in that small Texas town being touched by our teens! I am thankful for all who make this happen.
I am thankful for our week at Central Florida Bible Camp. Next month there will be a hundred young people, most of them from PBL, whose lives will be touched by the loving adult counselors, teachers and workers from this congregation. Ask those who have gone in former years and those who are now going about what happens spiritually to them in this place. Thank God!
I am thankful that so many great things are happening that there is no room to list them all! What are you thankful for? Have you expressed that thanks?