Long before the manger, hope was declared through the prophets. Some 700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah spoke of light dawning in darkness and a child born who would reign in peace and justice. And as Peter reminds us, these promises were not just for then, but they pointed forward to a salvation we now see in Jesus. Hope is not accidental, but it’s God’s long story of hope unfolding for our joy, even when we haven’t yet seen the full picture, and this is our Thread of Hope.  

Long before the manger, hope was declared through the prophets. Some 700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah spoke of light dawning in darkness and a child born who would reign in peace and justice. And as Peter reminds us, these promises were not just for then, but they pointed forward to a salvation we now see in Jesus. Hope is not accidental, but it’s God’s long story of hope unfolding for our joy, even when we haven’t yet seen the full picture, and this is our Thread of Hope.  

A heart of gratitude is a gift of the Holy Spirit that recognizes all the blessings God has poured into our lives. No matter the blessing it originated in the love of our God who freely gave to us. We look around our lives and see His blessings everywhere. From the water we drink, food we eat, material possessions we own, freedoms we enjoy, relationships we love and the list is endless. These are amazing blessings but we also recognize that they are finite and temporary…so on this day we celebrate the greatest gift that God ever gave and that was His steadfast love shown to us in Jesus.  

It’s no secret that everyone feels better when we’re grateful, but ingratitude is difficult to see in yourself. We believe thanksgiving should feel authentic, not forced when it’s insincere. Yet too often we let dissatisfaction weigh us down. We can justify our bad attitudes, why we deserve better for our life, but the truth is there’s no moving forward without gratitude. Thanksgiving is the truth, that life is more about what we’ve received than what we’ve achieved. It takes a village to make us who we are, and gratitude frees us. Will we choose to be thankful even on the days when we don’t feel it, and let the truth set us free this Thanksgiving? Because the perspective of all of what God has done for us is beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. May we give thanks to the Lord for He is good, because no matter your circumstances, His love endures forever! 

It’s no secret that everyone feels better when we’re grateful, but ingratitude is difficult to see in yourself. We believe thanksgiving should feel authentic, not forced when it’s insincere. Yet too often we let dissatisfaction weigh us down. We can justify our bad attitudes, why we deserve better for our life, but the truth is there’s no moving forward without gratitude. Thanksgiving is the truth, that life is more about what we’ve received than what we’ve achieved. It takes a village to make us who we are, and gratitude frees us. Will we choose to be thankful even on the days when we don’t feel it, and let the truth set us free this Thanksgiving? Because the perspective of all of what God has done for us is beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. May we give thanks to the Lord for He is good, because no matter your circumstances, His love endures forever! 

If you asked people today what it means to find true freedom, the answers always seem to point back to you. “Love yourself.” “Treat yourself.” “Take care of yourself.” “Believe in yourself.” But if we can be prisoners of our own struggles, like anxiety, and addiction, and despair, are we really the answer to setting ourselves free? To dig a little deeper behind our belief in self-fulfillment: is happiness what life is all about? While it’s natural for parents to want happiness for their children, God wants holiness for you and for me. Instead of fitting in, God calls us to stand out, we are wholly fulfilled in Him. Have you discovered the freedom of abiding in His love? Because holiness is “Christ in me”.  

If you asked people today what it means to find true freedom, the answers always seem to point back to you. “Love yourself.” “Treat yourself.” “Take care of yourself.” “Believe in yourself.” But if we can be prisoners of our own struggles, like anxiety, and addiction, and despair, are we really the answer to setting ourselves free? To dig a little deeper behind our belief in self-fulfillment: is happiness what life is all about? While it’s natural for parents to want happiness for their children, God wants holiness for you and for me. Instead of fitting in, God calls us to stand out, we are wholly fulfilled in Him. Have you discovered the freedom of abiding in His love? Because holiness is “Christ in me”.