I sincerely hope and pray that your Thanksgiving is happy and blessed. As we head into the holiday, I want to take this opportunity to tell you how grateful I am for you. The people of NewPointe are among my greatest blessings. We have partnered together to do so much for the Kingdom of God, and God has blessed our efforts. The population of heaven has grown as we have shared our lives and resources, and the lives of people right here and now have changed for the better. You have been wonderful friends to Patty and me and our children. Your fingerprints are all over our lives, and I will be forever grateful.
This is one of the best things about the approaching holiday. Thanksgiving is perhaps the only holiday that is completely outward focused. Instead of looking to receive anything, we are focused on giving thanks for what we have, what we have been given. We think of what God has done, the people who have helped us along the way, and those who have made our lives so fulfilling.
Thanksgiving invites us to slow down, look around, and remember what truly matters. The people, the memories, the things attempted for God. The past matters. The present matters. In a world that constantly accelerates – pushing us toward the next task, the next goal, the next problem. It’s difficult to resist the pressure to be in a constant state of motion. Gratitude has a way of grounding us. It shifts our focus from what’s missing to what we’ve been given, from what we fear to what God has already faithfully done.
We really need Thanksgiving. We need to take moments privately within our celebration to get alone mentally with God. We thank Him for where we are and ask Him for the next steps on the journey. Where should we be headed? Who will go with us?
Spending time like this alone with God will equip us to recognize and do what matters. It will align us with others. Best of all, we will take great steps toward being our best selves. A proverb says, “Gratitude is the healthiest human emotion.” It’s true. The more gratitude you have in your life, the healthier you are. Everyone on your team, everyone in your sphere of influence will be healthier. God promises and we see it over and over.
You can’t go wrong. Ask Jesus to give you clarity and for you to quickly obey. Gratitude can lead to the best destinations.
Happy Thanksgiving!