Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtMay God’s richest blessings fill your heart and lives through the love of Jesus! Happy Thanksgiving to All! Renee and I are so very thankful for you! It was the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and Pastor Samuel found himself burdened by a year of countless challenges—family struggles, employment issues, and financial strain. He couldn't remember ever feeling so burdened for the congregation. It made it difficult for him to prepare his sermon "Be Thankful Always." He knew of several people who were struggling in hardship, and that left him constantly praying yet feeling drained. He knew his role was to encourage them in the Lord so he prayed and thanked God in faith for His grace and the right words to encourage his congregation despite their troubles.As he prayed, a memory flooded back to him—a memory of a family he'd met decades earlier during his mission trip in the Philippines. They were the Fernandez family, a humble, close-knit family of five who lived in a modest home of bamboo and tin, patched together with whatever scraps they could find. Despite their simple lifestyle, they overflowed with joy and generosity.He had been visiting them shortly after a typhoon had just ravaged the village. Homes lay in ruins, livestock was gone, and food was scarce. Samuel remembered feeling overwhelmed, wondering what he could possibly do to make a difference. When he arrived at the Fernandez home, he found the family gathered around a small fire, cooking what little food they had left. To his amazement, they greeted him with smiles and warm hugs, insisting that he join them for their evening meal.Mrs. Fernandez, the mother, ladled a small portion of rice and a few slices of fried fish—their entire meal—into a bowl and handed it to him. Samuel hesitated, seeing how little they had. “Please, Pastor,” she urged him. “This is a gift for you. God has given us enough for today.”As they ate, he couldn’t help but marvel at their joy. Mr. Fernandez spoke of God’s faithfulness in sparing their lives and providing for them each day, even in the wake of the storm. “We do not know what tomorrow will bring,” he said with quiet confidence, “but we know the love the Lord has for us and that He meets our every need daily. And for that, we give thanks.”Pastor Samuel found himself recalling their faith and gratitude in the face of overwhelming hardship. Inspired, he decided to share this story with his congregation during the Thanksgiving service, hoping it might rekindle a spirit of gratitude in their hearts as it had in his.On Thanksgiving Day, Pastor Samuel gathered his congregation and began to speak of the Fernandez family. As he described their resilience, their faith, and the joy they found in God’s daily provision, he noticed many heads nodding, others wiping away tears. And then Pastor Samuel had them read a passage of scripture from their Bibles out loud and together. He lead them, reading: Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus" to which they all replied, "Amen." When they had finished, a deep silence filled the sanctuary, punctuated only by quiet sniffles.Moved by the story, members of the congregation rose and spontaneously began to share their own reasons for gratitude. One by one, they spoke of their own struggles and how, in unexpected ways, God had provided for them. Seven people had stood one at a time and shared their present difficulties and hardships but were also filled with love and thanks to God for helping meet the needs day by day. By the time they had finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the church. Never had Pastor Samuel witnessed such beautiful sharing and love for God in all the years he had pastored there.Pastor Samuel was about to close the service in prayer when one more gentleman, known by all as "Big Mike" stood up. "May I share something?" he asked Pastor Samuel. "Of course you may! Please go ahead." Big Mike shared: I have recently received an inheritance. I wanted to honor God with it, so in prayer, I asked the Lord what I should do with it. I felt like the Lord gave me specific instructions to tithe it in a special way. The Lord told me to get ten cashiers checks. One for $21,000. One for $2,000. And seven for $1,000. So Pastor, here is a $21,000 check for the church fund. Here is $2,000 for you Pastor. You are so selfless and take such good care of us all... And now I understand why the Lord had me get seven $1000 cashiers checks. Because their were seven people who stood up and expressed their love and gratitude for God while they were in great hardship. God has a $1,000 check for each of you today!The church erupted with cheers, cries of joy and the most beautiful song of thanksgiving that Pastor Samuel had ever heard song in his sanctuary! It was truly an unforgettable and miraculous Thanksgiving service for all!
