A Thanksgiving Message & Word of Encouragement
Hi ladies,
We pray you are well! This Thanksgiving week, we give thanks for you. It is such an incredible blessing to grow in the Lord together and pray for one another. We’re asking the Lord to bless you and your families this week in a special way.
Below you will find a Thanksgiving message Karen recently shared with the ladies of Calvary Chapel of the Hudson Valley. In it, she looks at Luke 17 and considers how one returned to give thanks.
A Word of Encouragement: The Aroma of Gratitude, by Cara Blondo
Carrying an apron, drink, and baked goods, she climbed into the car. My daughter had just ended her shift at her new job at the local coffee shop. While her siblings look forward to the free drinks and treats that she brings home, I savor the aroma. She carries the scent of the coffee shop straight into the car. If you’re old enough to remember the Folger’s morning coffee commercials, this is the equivalent of my best “waking up” moment.
Whether coffee, candles, or cookies, there’s something about a sweet-smelling, aroma-filled home (or car), isn’t there? These scents can lead to a stroll down memory lane or remind us of a favorite holiday. What begins as a simple scent can lead to a grateful heart.
It reminds me of another aroma-filled home, one Jesus Himself visited:
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:1-3).
As Mary poured perfume on Jesus’ feet, no one in the home escaped its scent. While at least one person objected to such a lavish display of love, Mary did it for a specific purpose: to prepare His body for the cross.
Today, we don’t have the opportunity to pour out perfume upon His feet, but we do have the privilege of pouring out praise from our hearts. What we “pour out" will not look ahead to the cross, but it will point back to it. As we praise Jesus and express gratitude for what He’s done and for who He is, the sweet “aroma" of thanksgiving will become evident to those around us, just as it was with Mary.
Like a fragrant home can lead to a grateful heart, a praising heart can lead others to the realization of His goodness.
As gatherings with family and friends fill our calendars, let’s pay special attention to what fills our hearts. Why? Because whatever fills our hearts will also fill our mouths. And the aroma of gratitude is one “scent” we all can carry around with us this season, no coffee shop required!
Happy Thanksgiving and with much love in Christ,
The Women’s Ministry of CCOB