This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.—Psalm 118:24
This is the time of year we have set aside to give thanks to God for all of God’s many blessings.
A few weeks ago in church, I talked about doing a gratitude journal. Each day you are to write down three things you are thankful for whether it is small or big. The catch is that you are not to repeat anything that you write. It is a great exercise to see how wonderful our lives really are even if we are going through tough times.
Grab and pen and piece of paper right now.
What are you thankful for?
Being thankful for God the Creator, Jesus the Redeemer and the Holy Spirit the Sustainer is perfect way to begin.
Write down all the relatives that have been loving and supporting to you.
Write down all the friends old and new that have touched your life and made it better.
Write down the names of teachers you have had at church from Sunday School, Release Time, Youth Club, Vacation Bible School, Youth Faith and Action to Confirmation etc. that have helped you grow and learn in your walk with God.
Write down the names of pastors that have ministered to you over the years.
Write down the names of fellow church members that have role modeled how to follow Jesus from any church you have belonged to in your life.
Write down the names of teachers that inspired you from elementary school, middle school, high school, college etc.
Write down the hobbies that you are thankful for that you have participated in the past or present.
Write down the places that you visited in other towns, other states or other countries that you are glad you had a chance to experience.
Write down any gifts or talents that God has given you.
Write down your favorite food that brings you joy.
Write down any television shows or movies that have richly entertained you.
Write down memories you have of the beauty of nature.
Write down a favorite memory from a vacation that you took.
Write down jobs you have been thankful to do.
Write down the names of book that have been meaningful to you.
What if your favorite room in your home?
What is your favorite Bible passage?
What hymns or songs bring you joy?
Write down about time you have seen a prayer being answered.
Write all of these blessings down and lift them up to God and prayer. Let gratitude fill your heart, mind and soul. Then go out and be blessing to someone in your neighborhood, your community, your surroundings and share Christ’s love by doing a random act of kindness.
May you have a truly joyous Thanksgiving and may your gratitude over flow.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Scott Prouty
These Thanksgiving poems remind us that no matter what our circumstances, we can always find reasons to be grateful and give thanks. Through sickness and health, good times and hard times, God is our faithful protector. His love is the energy of our lives. Feel free to share these Thanksgiving poems and prayers with family and friends this holiday.
Thanksgiving Prayer
Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving DayWe bow our hearts to You and pray.
We give You thanks for all You’ve done
Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son.
For beauty in nature, Your glory we seeFor joy and health, friends and family,
For daily provision, Your mercy, and careThese are the blessings You graciously share.
So today we offer this response of praiseWith a promise to follow You all of our days.
—Mary Fairchild
A Thanksgiving Day Prayer
Lord, so oftentimes, as any other dayWhen we sit down to our meal and prayWe hurry along and make fast the blessingThanks, amen. Now please pass the dressingWe’re slaves to the olfactory overloadWe must rush our prayer before the food gets coldBut Lord, I’d like to take a few minutes moreTo really give thanks to what I’m thankful forFor my family, my health, a nice soft bed
My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head
I’m thankful right now to be surrounded by thoseWhose lives touch me more than they’ll ever possibly knowThankful Lord, that You’ve blessed me beyond measure
Thankful that in my heart lives life’s great treasure
That You, dear Jesus, reside in that placeAnd I’m ever so grateful for Your unending graceSo please, heavenly Father, bless this food You’ve providedAnd bless each and every person invitedAmen!
—Scott Wesemann
Thank You, Lord, for Everything
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the breath to sayThank you for another day
Thank you for the eyes to see the world of beauty surrounding meThank you for the ears to hear your message of hope loud and clear
Thank you for the hands to serve and far more blessings than I deserveThank you for the legs to run the race of life until it’s won
Thank you for the voice to singThank you, Lord, for everything
Amen
—Submitted by Keith
Today and Every Day
Lord, too often our prayersAre filled with impatience over what we wantInstead of gratitude for what we already have.
Remind us today and in the coming yearWhat is truly important.
Remind us to give thanks for family and friends.Remind us to be grateful for the work you have given us.Remind us to appreciate our many material blessings.
Most of all, remind us today and every dayTo give thanks for your precious Son Jesus,
And the sacrifice he made for us.
To give us eternal life with You in heaven.
Amen.
—Jack Zavada
Thank You for Their Life
Lord, this year there’s an empty chair at the table.But instead of feeling sad, we give You thanks for (his, her) life.
(Name) helped make us who we are today.(His, her) love and wisdom got us through every crisis, large and small.
And we give thanks for the laughter. Lots of laughter.
Lord, You blessed us with (his, her) presence here on earth,But through Your Son Jesus, we will all be able to enjoy (name)
in heaven with You forever.
Thank You for this priceless gift.
Amen.
—Jack Zavada
Thanksgiving
For each new morning with its light,For rest and shelter of the night,For health and food,For love and friends,For everything Thy goodness sends.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
We Gather Together
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His Kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!Amen
—Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn(A translation by Theodore Baker: 1851–1934)
We Give Thanks
Our Father in Heaven,
We give thanks for the pleasureOf gathering together for this occasion.
We give thanks for this foodPrepared by loving hands.
We give thanks for life,The freedom to enjoy it allAnd all other blessings.
As we partake of this food,We pray for health and strengthTo carry on and try to live as You would have us.
This we ask in the name of Christ,Our Heavenly Father.
—Harry Jewell
The Reason to Give Thanks
In everything, give thanks.
It’s what the Bible says to doI thought, “Well that sounds easy,”‘Til I wondered what I’d do.If all the lights were darkened,All our energy was lost,There were no more heaters runningAnd I was stuck out in the frost.I imagined myself freezingEven left out in the rain,And thought, “What if there was no more shelterTo hide me from this pain?”And then how hard it would beTo find some food somewhere,My empty tummy crying outIt would be more than I could bear.But even in this gloomyAnd pitiful imaginationI realized I had not left outMy friends from this equation.So then, of course, I picturedAll of this again
With loneliness, no family, Not even just one friend.
I asked myself how I’d give thanksIf all these things were true,
And hope became an empty thing
Until I thought of You.
Of what Your Word has promised,
What Your Bible says is true.
You said: “I’ll never leave or forsake you.And though the mountains be removedAnd the earth falls into the seaI am still with you.My love is everlasting.I am your shield and great reward.I have chosen you and kept you.I have given you a sword.I pour water on the thirsty.I bind up the brokenhearted.Though you turned your face against Me,I have loved you from the start.I have given you the garment of salvation for your clothes.Every tear you’ve ever cried,And all your pain My soul knows well.And I have made a way to keep you.No one plucks you from my hand.I cannot lie.I can’t deceive you, for I am not a man.”It is with these words the Lord had spokenThat I finally understood.All I’ll ever need in this life is only in His hand.It’s true, most of us don’t comprehend real needWe are truly blessed.But when’s the last time we asked ourselves,“If all is gone, what is left?”So even if this life brings painAnd all possessions tankIn everything or nothing,He’s the reason to give thanks.
—Corrie Walker
