New Words of Thankfulness
by Denise Reesor
Around a turkey dinner families will share words of gratitude and thankfulness. We typically thank God for good health, happiness, leisure time, quality time with family, the changing of seasons, delicious food.
It’s easy to consider these as good and perfect gifts coming from God and worthy of our thankfulness. For those of us who find ourselves walking closely with new disability or limitations, stigma or discrimination, anxiety or depression, illness or loss of loved ones…. We must seek God’s spirit to flow into us giving NEW words of thankfulness.
Within the hard things, may we still turn to God in thankfulness for…
- Communities of caring and helping hands
- Abundant life found from diverse experiences and abilities
- The joy of sharing the fullness of life with other people
- The relief found in recognizing our dependency on God.
- Solace and comfort in new or confusing times
- God’s steadfast love that endures forever.
This Season of Thanksgiving, we at Anabaptist Disabilities give thanks to YOU. We’re thankful for…
- The many people who have shared with honesty and openness their personal stories in the past year for our blog and newsletter.
- For the passion of our field associates, congregational advocates, and church leaders who work diligently to educate congregations about disability ministry and inclusion.
- Churches who’ve invited us into their services to share about ADN’s work.
- The many people who volunteered and attended our Circles of Love Banquet
- The financial support we receive that enables us to continue this important ministry.
This season, regardless of your thanksgiving traditions or current life circumstances, may God’s spirit of thankfulness course through you and providing evidence of the goodness and mercy of the God who cares for us.
Happy Thanksgiving!
