Having Everything We Need.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Colossians 3:15


Now I know this is so predictable, but with thanksgiving coming up I figure I might as well post about it. At school there have already been so many mentions of thanksgiving plans and food and stuff. Thanksgiving, of course, has always been a holiday full of food, family, and friends. We get all warm and gushy inside just thinking about it, right? It's hard to find people who don't like it.

I think that a lot of times people get so emotionally high during the holiday season. For a lot of people thanksgiving is all about the traditions-the thanksgiving fare, the football, the changing leaves, all that good stuff. Getting caught up on this ideal, this concept of the "perfect Thanksgiving", and allowing it to engulf our entirety during the holiday season is not only setting ourselves up for an emotional low later on, but ignoring the whole purpose of Thanksgiving. I know kids who have families that are absolutely OBSESSED with having a perfect Thanksgiving--meaning family, friends, EVERYONE has to be there and the food has to be an absolutely gigantic and mouth-watering feast.

The essence of thanksgiving is something that doesn't need the food, doesn't need the games or pretty leaves. At its heart, Thanksgiving is about appreciating what we have, and giving thanks to the God, the Provider who has given it all for us.

If you could pick one thing, one thing that you are the most thankful for this Thanksgiving, what would it be? For me, the love of God is all I need to give thanks. So even if maybe you don't have a traditional thanksgiving (I know alot of my friends don't!), you don't need it. All that you will ever need is God's love....you already have it.

His Will

"Teach me to do thy will, for you are my God, may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."

Psalm 143:10

The past week I've been reflecting really hard on my leadership at DEM and especially at christian club. I remember when Pastor Steph asked us to become leaders that it was, if we chose to accept the position, a position to serve God by serving the youth. Honestly I'm not really sure I'm doing much for the youth group, but I realized at least of late I have been forgetting the most essential part of my service to God--that it is His work being done, and it is His will that should be moving every act I carry out as a leader. So this morning I ask that God will teach me to do His will, and not my own.

It's so easy to be carried away by your own "position". Even if you are just a regular member of DEM, I feel like sometimes any believer feels that they are "above" unbelievers because we try to live holy lives and we look down on those who don't know about Christ and living a life for Him. Yet, these are the same people who we should be turning to and inviting them to Christian Club, or at maybe just starting up a casual conversation leading to Christ...these are the people we have been told to spread the love of Christ to.

Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase so shall thy barns be filled with plenty….
Proverbs 3:9-10