Thanksgiving Message

Opening / Welcome

Hello everyone and good evening! We are so excited to be here with you tonight for our annual Thanksgiving celebration! If I am not mistaken, we have been doing this now for NINE YEARS!!

Mentoring Men — Jamie & Dale

Women With Purpose — Yolanda & Veronica

Sisters Of The Sword — Mayra & Valerie

Grief Share — Mitzie

The Forging Table — Ace & Ezequiel

Mayra — When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of how my family sits around a table sharing a nice meal, and at some point we all go around the table saying something that we are thankful for. The crazy thing is, many times some of the things we say we are thankful for are the same things that we complain about the rest of the year!

Like the job that we have that’s stressing us out!

or your kids that drive you crazy and spend all your money!

or even the meal in front of you that isn’t cooked just like you like it or isn’t your favorite food!

But the truth is, there are a lot of people without a job right now that would trade places with you in a heartbeat.

There are couples struggling with infertility that would love to experience the drama of raising your teenagers!

And there are people, probably very close to where you live, that will take that meal you don’t want because, for them, it might be the only thing they will eat for a couple of days.

The THANKFUL blessings that we mention as we go around the table on Thanksgiving should be the same things that we praise God for EVERY day, not just one day out of the year. If we make it a habit to be thankful everyday for what God has done for us, and we spend less time complaining about the things we don’t like, THEN we’ll actually be more full of joy on a regular basis! You see, when we make it a DAILY practice to thank God for our blessings, we’ll stop looking at what we don’t have and start focusing on what’s already ours. Having a grateful attitude will remind us that, because of God’s goodness, we already possess so much to be thankful for.

Ace — And that’s why I love our small groups! Being in a small group helps us see things in our own lives from a new perspective. I’ve been walking with God longer than I have been attending small groups, but it wasn’t until I connected with other people (in that setting/atmosphere that only a small group can provide) that something really awesome happened in my walk with God. Can any of you testify to something similar? There Is something special that happens when we connect with other men and women who love Jesus and who won’t judge us in a hateful way when we are vulnerable. Let me tell you, I am so thankful for the friendships that my wife and I have made throughout the years in the small groups that we have attended and now lead.

Mayra - Yes, I can say that some of our best friends that we have in our life right now are people that we met in small groups!

Ace - I’m talking like 2AM friends! The kind of friends you can call in the middle of the night if you need help burying a body! Right?!?!

Mayra - I don’t know about that!!! But I do know that I have made friends in my small group that I can call at anytime and I’m say, “Hey Sister, I need you” And they would drop everything to be there for me, even if it’s just a hug that I need, or a prayer warrior to fight for me, or just a shoulder to cry on.

Ace - Those Types of friends are something we are truly thankful for! Why? Because Point 1 – God Created us for Community. In Genesis 2:18, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” From the very beginning, God made it clear that life isn’t meant to be lived alone. And that truth hasn’t changed. You and I were created for relationships!

First with God and then with one another.

When we do life together in a small group, we become family! And for many people that is huge since they may not have any family of their own.Small groups give us a place where we can be known, encouraged, discipled, and strengthened.

I remember when I attended my first small group. Joining a small group honestly wasn’t something I was looking for at the time, but a brother invited me to be a part of one, And since I happened to be going through some stuff at that time in my life, I said what the heck. I'll give it a shot. That decision radically changed my life! I needed those connections and those brothers became a source of prayer, accountability, and friendship that helped me grow in my walk with God.

Encouragement: If you’ve been attending church but haven’t yet plugged into a group, I want to encourage you — take that step. I promise you that you won’t regret it.

Mayra: That’s so true. And one of the things I’ve learned through our women’s group is that spiritual growth doesn’t happen in isolation. Point 2 – Spiritual Growth Happens when you connect with the Body of Christ!

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

We help each other grow.

We remind one another of God’s promises.

There have been weeks when I’ve come to small group feeling tired or discouraged — and by the end of the night, just hearing the testimonies and prayers of other women, I would leave refreshed and reminded that I’m not alone.

That’s how God works in small groups. When we open up in our small groups, we realize that we are not alone. We realize that others are walking through similar struggles, and together we can grow closer to Jesus and stronger in our faith .

Encouragement:

So this Thanksgiving, let’s be THANKFUL for the people that God has placed in our lives!

The ones who challenge us,

The ones who pray for us,

And the ones who sharpen us to become more like Jesus Christ.

Ace: Another blessing of small groups that we should be thankful for is that being in a small group gives us a place where we can Give and Receive Support. (Point 3)

Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” That’s what small groups are all about — when a brother or sister is in need, your church family steps in! I’ve seen it time and again — someone ends up in a tough situation, and the group members show up!

with meals when a family needs help,

visiting them at a hospital when they are sick or had an accident

Calling someone on the phone to Pray for and encourage them when they need that extra love!

Or when there’s a reason to celebrate, we celebrate together!

You see, every one of you has something to offer someone else in the room. We may not all be group leaders (YET), but God can and will use you through your prayer for another group member, or maybe an encouraging word, or maybe just a listening ear.

Encouragement: Do not underestimate the impact your presence can have. God can use you in someone else’s life in ways you may never fully realize.

point 1

point 2

point 3

Point 4 – Being Thankful for the testimonies of what God is doing in small groups

Mayra: Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Ace and I get so excited when we look back and remember everything that God has done in our small groups just this past year. There have been some awesome moves of God that we actually got to see and experience!

First, We have seen lost people get saved by Jesus! Now that’s a pretty big deal! Amen?!

We’ve seen people grow in spiritual maturity through studying the bible.

I want you to think for a moment about what God has done in your life since joining your small group.

Maybe He’s helped you grow in your faith,

Maybe he has restored your marriage!

Maybe He has given you new friends who feel like family!

Our God is so good to us and we have so much to be thankful for. And when we start to practice gratitude, it changes everything. We start to see the blessings of God in our every day lives and we begin to feel His joy, regardless of our situations.

And the best part is — God isn’t done yet!

He’s still working!

He’s still building His church!

He’s still writing new stories of transformation!

Encouragement: If you’re not yet in a group, this is your invitation. There’s a seat waiting for you — a place where your faith can flourish and your heart can be strengthened, and your walk with Jesus will soar to new heights!

Closing Prayer