The Spirit of Thankfulness

From Gospel Translations

One of the things you do when you are full of the Holy Spirit is spill over with gratitude to God for everything (Ephesians 5:20). May I spill a little bit of my happiness here for you to share?

• I am thankful for the Word of God that feeds my heart day and night. I would shrivel up and die without the protein of God's gracious promises (like Matthew 6:33).
• I am thankful for Glenn Ogren. What a great spirit he has. We have great times in prayer together (I hope you all find partners to pray with!). And how we both rejoiced when he led a man to the Lord at Unity hospital last week!
• I am thankful for the eager willingness of you all to change to two Sunday morning services (at 8:30 and 11:00) beginning March 22. It is going to demand from many of us extra effort. But God has helped us see that this is an occasion for experiencing more of his power flowing through us to his greater glory. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). I send up a special thanks for the choir, the organist, the nursery and children's workers, the ushers and the sound men who will be bending the most to make our two services equally joyful.
• And what can I say to express my thanks again for the offering last Sunday of $6,694, the highest this year. Satan must be very displeased with you all. Great! We got a slow start on our budget in January but we have almost caught up (budget to date $50,000; giving to date $47,740).
• I am thankful that last Monday our petition for the vacating of 13th Ave. was officially filed with the authorities. We hope to enlarge and beautify this as a part of a larger parking project. Pray now that in the next three months the city council will look with favor on our proposal. Thanks to Marvin Anderson and the trustees for their work on this.
• And finally (though the list could go on and on) I am thankful for how God has prospered our Laotian/Hmong ministry, bringing us Mrs. Martin and dozens of you to serve the needs of these people.

Keep dreaming and praying for how we can multiply our joy in other avenues of service. The days may be evil but "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). "In the Lord nothing you do is in vain" (I Corinthians 15:57).