Thanksgiving 2009 Triumph in Christ My Dear Friends, I am so sorry that it has been so long since I have written you. It just seems as if the year got away from me. This year has been a very interesting and challenging year. We moved Sarah to Miami to complete her PhD. God blessed her with a full scholarship. She is working very hard and she sends you her best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving. She is enjoying being a University of Miami Hurricane. John moved to SIU to pursue his aviation degree. He is flying now and is doing take-offs and landings. I am so proud of my children as I am sure you are of your children. As we enter into the Thanksgiving Season, we all have much for which to be thankful. However, since 2008 when the recession hit until now, I'm sure things have been tough in some areas and I am sure we have all had some difficult things happen. My son had surgery in the spring of 2008, I had surgery in the fall of 2008, Roxie had surgery in December. I am not telling you this to tell a sad story but to share a great victory. Problems and trials are the birth place of great miracles and God did great miracles for us this past year. I want to give thanks to God who carried us through all of this as I am sure He carried all of you through your peaks and valleys over the past year. Problems come and problems go, but God never leaves or forsakes us. As I think back over this past year, I am reminded of II Corinthians 2:14 "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place". Thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ! Do you see that - always? As I look back, I can truly say Christ caused us to triumph in every way and with each trial God gave us the victory. I am writing this to say this - you may be really going through "it" right now, but victory is coming. Christ will give you the victory so do not give up because God will show up. Give thanks to God for the victory - all the victories of this year and the victories that are yet to come in 2010. I believe God will give us victory in our finances, in our health and in all areas of our lives in 2010. So while we eat our turkey and pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving, let us take time to thank God for all the victories He has given us this year and for all the victories that are coming in 2010. Most importantly, let us thank Him for the enormous price Jesus paid for the victory on the cross. So I say to your family from mine, may God bless your family this Thanksgiving as well as the rest of the year. Your victory is on its way, just start thanking Him for it now. I am looking forward to seeing you soon somewhere in a revival! With Christ's Love, Bro. John |