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HELEN, GA (BP) – Missionaries are rightly celebrated and honored prior to leaving for the field. However, the challenges of settling into their ministry assignment and cultivating ongoing effectiveness can be overlooked by churches. Natalie Ford considered that reality last year during a conference that had a breakout session on the local church’s involvement in caring for missionaries. “My mind was spinning at the concept of it and what could be done,” she said. “I left thinking there was so much we need to do to undergird our missionaries to ensure longevity.” It led to Ford, a member of First Baptist in Helen, Ga., being named the church’s International Member Care Coordinator in June. In that role, she maintains consistent contact with six missionaries who have been sent out through First Baptist and the International Mission Board. She also works to keep missionaries and their work in front of church members, bringing them alongside as partners in delivering the Gospel. While member care is offered through the IMB, Ford saw the opportunity for more support through a local church. Her background as a licensed counselor also brings an acute awareness to mental health’s importance for those on the mission field far from home. “Several of our missionaries have their own counselor, not me, because of our existing relationship,” Ford said. While she helps missionaries process their times on the field and offers support, professional ethics prohibit Ford from counseling in a traditional role. However, she noted, “I would say my counseling background impacts how I relate to people in general.” Lead Pastor Jim Holmes said the work and Ford’s background will be central in the church’s expanding work to support missionaries. “Natalie is one of our most strategic hires for us in recent memory,” he said. “She is top-shelf and this has excited the church.” Helping ‘the best and brightest’ The conference Ford attended was hosted by Barnabas International. Further training for her role has been received through the Global Member Care Network. Areas in that training include member care on the field as well as how to debrief missionaries and help them adjust upon their return. Ford also connects with missionaries through Zoom and WhatsApp. She develops a biblical theme each month that is shared with missionaries, church members and small groups like Sunday School classes, helping prompt discussions on serving abroad. Jim Gant, executive pastor at First Baptist who also oversees counseling, spoke on Ford’s role and how it came to be. “Natalie alerted our staff to the attrition rate among missionaries and brought recommendations for what we could do to help,” he said. “These missionaries are the best and brightest of us, and if they’re struggling, it’s obvious we need to do more to help them.” Ford’s role calls for communicating with missionaries at least twice per month and encouraging them in areas such as personal spiritual development as well as strategies that lead to personal and relational wellness. Other responsibilities include coordinating efforts among church members to encourage missionaries and facilitating on-site visits with missionaries at least once per year as church finances allow. “Each of our adult Sunday School classes supports a missionary and invests in them,” said Gant, who, when he moved out of his home had it repurposed for missionaries who are temporarily stateside instead of letting it sit empty. “This is all very new to us, but First Baptist is such a generous church that gives toward missions and does everything to help missionaries succeed,” Gant said. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press. #DECEMBER23

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (BP) – SBC Statesman Emerson Falls has developed a missiological strategy for reaching Native Americans with God’s life-equipping gospel of Jesus. He has done so with wisdom acquired from a lifetime as a Native American, from more than 50 years walking with Jesus, and from nearly that long ministering among his Native people, In his final weeks before officially retiring as the full-time Native American Ministry Partner with Oklahoma Baptists, Falls talked with Baptist Press about the four essential elements of the strategy he has developed. Express the gospel in ways Natives can understand Equip Native disciples for spiritual growth Empower Native churches to be self-sufficient Emphasize the benefit of all God’s people working together for His glory Southern Baptist work with Native Americans is weaker than it was in 2011, when two major events related to Native Americans took place within six weeks, Falls said in mid-November. The visions and goals of The Gathering and The Summit withered in a malaise of reasons that date to the first encounters of missionaries and Natives. The removal of Natives from their homeland, and the removal of their children from their homes, where efforts were made to strip them of their culture, language and worldview, Falls said. Contextualize the gospel “As a result, the message of Christianity did not ring true in the eyes of those being displaced,” Falls said. “A minority of Native people did receive the gospel and we are grateful for the early-day missionaries. However, these missionaries did not understand the principles of good missiology. As a result, Native people felt they had to choose to either be Native American or be Christian. “That background is important,” Falls said. “One of the challenges for us is to contextualize the gospel so they don’t have to choose being a Native or a Christian. They can be both at the same time.” One example of contextualization is an evangelistic tract with a picture of fry bread on the cover. Fry bread is eaten in most Native cultures, though it can be prepared differently and taste differently in Arizona than in Alaska. The tract makes the point that just as we need bread for physical life, we also need bread for spiritual life. Jesus is the bread of life. In 2015, Falls began serving with the Circle of Life Native American Fellowship in Oklahoma City. The word “circle” is an important element in most Native cultures, he said. For people seated in the circle, everyone is equally important and can see each other face-to-face, rather than the back-to-face and raised-podium look of western church seating. Many Native people are involved in powwows, which usually take place on weekends. Circle of Life started with Tuesday evening services so Powwow people could attend church. Powwows got a bad name from early-day missionaries who thought dancing, drums and singing were pagan rites, but powwows celebrate Native culture, and are “one of the few ways Natives today can maintain what little culture we have left,” Falls said, especially for the 87 percent of the nation’s 8.75 million Native Americans in the United States who do not live on reservations. Circle of Life members attend powwows to celebrate their heritage and start friendships that in God’s timing lead to gospel conversations. They also cook dinners, entertain youngsters with balloon animals and face painting, and pass out Bibles and “Fry bread” tracts to parents and others who show interest. “For us, powwows are a mission field,” Falls said. “We go there, build relationships, participate with them, the same things you would do to go in and reach your community. “I think it would be a shame for us to not try to reach the indigenous people from our own country, particularly the way they’ve been treated,” Falls continued. “I believe the true measure of Christianity is how we treat “the least of these.” Native people have experienced their share of suffering. It is time they experience the joy of the Lord.” Spiritual growth Discipling new believers requires a discipler being one-on-one with the disciple, involving discipline, accountability and trust that comes from honesty, integrity and genuineness. “Much of what we [Christians] do is done inside the four walls of a building,” Falls said. “Real discipleship is done in the community. Jesus went to ‘all the towns and villages.’ He saw that the people were like ‘sheep without a shepherd.’ He told us to ‘pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.’ I pray for workers to labor among Native Americans.” Churches that establish long-term connections with Native people result in relationships that nurture disciple-making, he said. Leadership Life often is very difficult for Native Americans. Whether in a city and estranged from their reservation community, or entrapped by reservation life, Native Americans often struggle. Nearly every tribe offers college scholarships for graduating high school students, but “It’s a real sacrifice to go into ministry, so what we have is a ‘brain drain’ from the church, and we just don’t have a large pool of people to begin with,” the Native leader said. “If we’re going to see any progress among Native Americans and reaching our people for Christ, it’s going to take good leadership. “Just as Natives are learning to succeed in business and gain independence from government assistance, Native churches must learn to succeed in ministry without a steady stream of assistance from outside churches,” he said. Work together “We need to get to know each other with a ministry of presence, not doing stuff for people but going and helping people with what they’re doing, not doing church for them but being a friend and when we see a need, minister to that need,” Falls said. “As we minister among them, the opportunities to share the gospel will open to us when they know us.” Best practices for a non-Native church is to establish a multi-year relationship with a Native church that includes repeated in-person and telephone/email contacts throughout the year, Falls said. “Learn what they need so you can give them a hand up rather than a handout. “Maybe the community needs plumbing work done on a shower house. Maybe a bad storm destroyed the powwow’s pavilion. Maybe the school needs painting. Work with – not for – the community. The volunteers you train might turn their newly acquired skills into an income stream.” Leadership leads to longevity in ministry, Falls said. “We’re asking people to invest resources in developing local leaders and helping them until they’re able to develop their own ministries. By demonstrating Christ-like love, we – and they – can earn the right to share the gospel.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen L. Willoughby is a national correspondent for Baptist Press. #DECEMBER23

KHARTOUM, SUDAN (BP) – A return to Sharia Law might be in store for Sudan as civil war nears its 10th month there, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in its latest Fact Sheet on the Sahel Region of Africa. The Sudanese Armed Forces under the country’s transitional leadership of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has recruited thousands who worked as intelligence operatives of former pro-Islamic President Omar al-Bashir, USCIRF said, raising concerns among Christians that al-Burhan has hopes of establishing Sharia Law. Christian persecution eased when al-Bashir was overthrown in 2019, but a transitional government aimed at establishing democracy has been in jeopardy since civil war began in April between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group under the leadership of General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. “After the fall of the Bashir government, the transitional government granted Muslim and Christian groups some important freedoms, earning praise and support from the U.S. government,” USCIRF said. “However, the outbreak of new conflict in April 2023 within the state security apparatus has severely diminished any possibility of safe, open religious practice in Sudan.” Sudan’s deterioration is part of a recent political trend across the Sahel, including Mali, and Niger, where armed forces attacked an already weak national government and established a military coup. The new under-resourced state is supported by external forces, including the Russian-backed Wagner Group, to confront “extremist elements.” While cracking down on violent extremists, the new government uses accusations of extremism as a pretext for suppressing religious minorities, the fact sheet says. “The state then begins to perpetrate religious freedom violations in the campaign against violent extremist groups,” USCIRF said. “At the same time, competing ethnic and religious groups which historically distrusted one another may take sides for or against the new government, change alliances, or form armed auxiliary units to survive. This posturing may result in further effects on individuals’ freedom of religion or belief.” Eric Patterson, president of the Religious Freedom Institute, said the trend shows the connection between international religious freedom and U.S. international governmental relations. “For those who say that issues of religious freedom and human rights are somehow tertiary, or fourth- or fifth- or sixth-tier things,” Patterson said, “what we see in this region (is) how closely intertwined (are) issues of religious identity, issues of religious political systems, and how closely these are tied to national security imperatives, both for the people on the ground and for our United States allies.” Patterson was a panelist in a conversation USCIRF hosted Nov. 9 on religious freedom in the Sahel. Across the Sahel, “the presence of insurgent groups, ethnic and religious conflict, and the continual intervention of military actors in politics have a direct impact on religious communities,” USCIRF said. During al-Bashir’s regime which spanned 20 years, USCIRF considered Sudan a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom violations, denoting “systemic, ongoing and egregious” violations. USCIRF downgraded Sudan to its Special Watch List of countries to be monitored in 2019, and removed the country altogether from its list of religious freedom violators in 2020. But the overthrow of the transitional government in April represents “grave threats to religious freedom” there, USCIRF Vice Chairman Frederick A. Davie said in a Nov. 9th conversation. Sudan suffered decades of civil wars that began in the mid-20th Century before the country split in 2011, establishing Sudan as a majority Muslim north and a majority (60.5 percent) Christian South Sudan. Christians comprise about 5.4 percent of Sudan’s 48 million people. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer. #DECEMBER23

NASHVILLE, TN (BP) – The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has released a letter urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to rescind a recently proposed regulation regarding foster care providers and foster children who identify as LGBTQ+. The regulation, proposed on Sept. 28, specifies steps foster care agencies must implement or maintain so that children in foster care who identify as LGTBQ+ are ensured a “safe and appropriate” placement if requested. ERLC President Brent Leatherwood said the proposed regulation is a severe violation of religious freedom. “This proposed rulemaking discriminates against religious and faith-based foster care providers by forcing such organizations to choose between their deeply held convictions and their desire to live out their faith by caring for some of the most vulnerable children in our society,” Leatherwood said in a letter released Monday, Nov. 27. “Religious and faith-based organizations’ belief in a biblical sexual ethic is not at odds with the ability of foster families to provide “safe and proper care” to foster children from any background. … We strongly believe that HHS should rescind its proposed rule. The proposed rule will lead to religious discrimination of otherwise qualified foster families and will result in a catastrophic lack of foster care placements for the vulnerable children who need them most.” The regulation, proposed by the Administration for Children and Families (a division of the HHS), is officially titled “Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements for Titles IV-E and IV-B.” The Social Security Act requires state and tribal agencies’ children’s welfare agencies to implement certain plans in order to ensure a proper foster care environment for children. Under the proposed new regulation, those requirements would expand to include “providing for the needs” of self-identifying LGBTG+ children. The regulation states, “To be considered as a safe and appropriate placement for a LGBTQI+ child means the provider with whom the agency places the child will establish an environment free of hostility, mistreatment, or abuse based on the child’s LGBTQI+ status, the provider is trained to be prepared with the appropriate knowledge and skills to provide for the needs of the child related to the child’s self-identified sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, and the provider will facilitate the child’s access to age-appropriate resources, services, and activities that support their health and well-being.” Leatherwood said the regulation forces Christian parents and foster care agencies into an LGBTQ+ affirming worldview which would violate their religious beliefs. “Although HHS claims it is not violating the free exercise of religion, the Department is functionally enforcing such discrimination by relying on the false assumption that only ‘affirmation’ of a child’s LGBTQ beliefs is ‘safe and proper,’” Leatherwood said. “Contrary to such assertions by HHS, a foster family should not have to agree with every political, spiritual, and other belief of a child to be deemed ‘safe and proper.’ A foster parent’s biblical belief regarding sexuality and gender identity does not detract from their ability to warmly welcome a vulnerable child into their home. … What should remain preeminent in considering foster care placements is whether the foster parent has a physically safe and secure home with access to the resources the child needs while a permanency plan is developed. “Foster care is designed to be a temporary placement to solve underlying issues preventing parents from adequately caring for their child. As such, the rights of biological parents are worthy of protection – including the right to oppose damaging gender ideology.” Leatherwood also appealed to Southern Baptists’ strong belief in the importance of foster care ministry. “Southern Baptists have long prioritized a robust theology of support for foster care, repeatedly stating in resolutions a desire to continue to participate in our nation’s foster care system,” he said. “In 2022, Southern Baptists resolved ‘to continue and increase their efforts to serve and support … foster-care and adoptive families, doing invaluable and often under-recognized work in the care of women and children at every stage of life.’ “Our deeply held religious conviction to serve and protect vulnerable children has led thousands of Southern Baptists to launch foster care organizations, foster children, and create ministries in their congregations to support the physical and financial needs of foster families. Additionally, congregations across the country have hosted training for foster families to ensure they are trauma informed and have all the knowledge and resources they need to be “safe and appropriate” placements for children in crisis. Every life is precious and worthy of dignity and protection, and that includes protection from sexual ethics that themselves cause harm to children. As Southern Baptists, it is these very beliefs that lead us to serve the most vulnerable and that make these families a “safe and proper” placement for these children in need. Hannah Daniel, policy manager for the ERLC, explained the ERLC opposes the regulation not only because it violates religious liberty, but because it does not serve the best interest of foster children. “This new rule from HHS would limit the ability of Christian parents to participate in the foster care system without compromising their deeply held beliefs regarding gender and sexuality,” Daniel said. “Children who identify as LGBTQ make up a disproportionate percentage of those in our foster care system, and these children desperately need love, care and safety. This rule would exclude millions of parents who are ready to provide that and push these children toward homes that will encourage harmful gender transition procedures during an already traumatic time in the child’s life. The ERLC filed comments pushing back on this rule and urging the Department to consider these harmful implications — not only for people of faith but also for the wellbeing of the child.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Timothy Cockes is a writer in Nashville. #DECEMBER23

PLYMOUTH – Executive Director-Treasurer, Tim Patterson, of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) publicly announced his upcoming retirement. At the close of the recent annual gathering of churches at Mile City Church Plymouth, Patterson set his final day of service as December 31, 2024. Patterson, noting that at the end of 2024 he will have served Michigan Baptists just under ten years said, “I have no doubt that we are poised for a remarkable future as we take our next steps to accelerate Gospel movement.” President Ed Emmerling, immediately after Patterson’s retirement announcement addressed the gathering, speaking on behalf of the officers said, “Our intention, if God allows, is to bring to next year’s annual meeting a recommendation for the next executive director of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan.” Two others, during the same meeting, announced their imminent departures from BSCM ministry roles during 2023. Mike Durbin, the state’s Church Strengthener and Director of Evangelism will retire on December 31, 2023. Durbin described his feelings in his written report: “I will be retiring from the BSCM at the end of this year. I do so with many wonderful memories and great hope for the future of Michigan Baptists.” Mick Schatz, the state’s Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats announced his resignation in his written report: “I am thankful for the privilege of serving almost seven years . . . I will be stepping down at the end of this year, December 2023.” Retreat Center Sale Postponed Officers and trustees of the state convention started the annual gathering with a motion to sell the state’s camp and retreat center to another Christian camp association. But an amendment to the original motion asked for the postponement of the sale and for up to three additional years for volunteers to manage the retreat center with a limit of no more than $100,000 from Cooperative Program dollars contributed from Michigan churches. The amended motion was adopted by a margin of approximately twenty votes. The officers, the trustees, the state executive, and the supporters of the amendment will work together to create a working expression of the amended motion and annually report back to the churches on progress. Delayed Increased Dollars to Missions and Education An annual state convention budget of $2,454,701.00 was adopted for 2024. Due to the increasing demands of the camp and retreat center’s costs, plans to raise the amount of the Cooperative Program by an annual amount of 5% this year (from 35% to 40%) until we reach 50% of all church contributions to be sent on past the state convention to the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, the six seminaries, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and SBC Executive Committee were postponed by the officers and trustees. Reelection of Five Officers Last year’s five state convention officers were reelected: President Ed Emmerling of Westside Baptist Church of Flushing. First Vice President Ray Ruffin of New Found Hope Community Church of Redford. Second Vice President Josh Tovey of Redemption Church, Grandville. Jerome Taylor, Recording Secretary of Eastgate Baptist Church of Burton. Dr. Michele White, Assistant Recording Secretary of Middlebelt Baptist Church of Inkster. Bylaws Revision and Attendance Officers and trustees of the state convention presented a revision of previous bylaws uniting the officers and trustees in a more collaborative effort when handling the business of the state convention. Former committees were removed from the new proposed edition so that every trustee would be more aware of the complete business of the convention. After some discussion, the proposed bylaws were adopted by the convention. This year’s annual meeting registered 222 total in attendance with 186 registered messengers and 36 guests. There were 70 churches represented. The five newly reelected officers will convene next year’s annual state convention on November 1, 2024 at Cedar Street Church in Holt. #NOVEMBER23

ANN ARBOR – “There is no way I am qualified for that.” “What in the world would I do or say?” “What if she saw the mess of my life?” “Where could I possibly find the time to do that?” “What if this younger woman is an emotional drain to me?” These are the knee-jerk questions that rise up within my heart when I consider what it costs me to disciple another woman. The idea can make me break out into a cold sweat. However, I read passages like Titus 2:3-5, Matthew 28:18-20, and 1 Thessalonians 2:8, and I am challenged that discipling a younger woman in the gospel isn’t an option to be considered— it’s a command to be obeyed. I also see that God created me as a woman with a unique calling to reflect God’s nature to, as Gloria Furman often says, “nurture life in the face of death.” We cultivate life. We mother (with or without children of our own). God has commanded us to make disciples. He has uniquely wired us as women to make disciples. However, in my flesh, I wrestle with fears, lies, and a desire for personal comfort as I consider actually doing it. Maybe you feel like me? When was the last time you pursued a younger woman (spiritually younger, not necessarily by age) and invited her to follow you as you follow Jesus? To serve us as Michigan Baptist women, I want to provide some helpful encouragement to some of the obstacles that we may feel as we consider the cost of discipling women. There is so much to say about this topic, so admittedly, this encouragement only scratches the surface. However, one of the best pieces of advice that I have received about doing anything seemingly hard is this: Start simply. And, simply start. What if I feel ill-equipped? The good news: You are (😂 you can roll your eyes and say “Gee, thanks Emily…”), but if you are in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit who will empower you. The Lord always uses ill-equipped, ordinary, messy people to accomplish His purposes… so the good news is that you are the perfect candidate. Mark Dever says, “discipling is simply helping others to follow Jesus” or put another way, “deliberately doing spiritual good to someone so that he or she will be more like Christ”. The truth of the matter is that you can always find someone with whom you can deliberately do spiritual good—even if it is simply gathering to pray, listen, and share what the Lord is teaching you through His Word with her. Practically, here are a few great resources that may serve you: Discipling by Mark Dever This Discipleship podcast series from Journeywomen Growing Together by Melissa Kruger Who do I choose to disciple? That’s a great question. Pray through this question and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. Here are a few questions to help you discern: Who, within my local church, am I burdened for them to grow in Christ? Is there anyone within my small group that would be a natural fit? Is there someone that I serve alongside in my area of service at church that I should consider? With whom in my church does my schedule naturally sync up? Is it logistically possible to meet on a regular basis? What if I cannot possibly manage adding another thing to my schedule, or another person to my life? This is a tender and yet very real obstacle. With help from the Holy Spirit, walking with God in His Word, and living in regular fellowship in the local church, you may have to discern that you are not in a season of life to pursue someone in an intentional discipleship relationship. There are seasons of life where we must live within our God-given boundaries and not meet with someone regularly. I am thinking particularly about seasons of grief and crisis where we simply must focus on persevering moment by moment through the fire in which the Lord has placed us. However, because it's a command given to followers of Christ, and we were made to do it, we have to carry the tension in all seasons of life that despite its cost, it is one worth paying. As Karen Hodge often says while drawing a timeline on a board, we need to “live for the line [eternity], rather than the dot [the temporary circumstances we are facing].” We need to orient our lives around the central task of making disciples because our hearts are set on eternity—when we will gather with our brothers and sisters around the throne of grace and worship God. Oftentimes, the obstacle I feel in discipling a younger woman is simply believing I am already too busy and carrying too many burdens to possibly entertain adding one more thing to my schedule. However, the truth is that discipling a younger woman is a kind invitation from God that will (1) expand my heart; (2) fuel my walk with Him; and (3) help me more effectively mother, serve in my local church, love my husband, cart children to and from extracurricular activities, run errands, do my work, and more—otherwise known as fulfilling my other responsibilities. Discipling others expands your heart. I am a mother to four children. When I first found out about having my second child, I was genuinely nervous about my ability to love both children well. Would my oldest feel slighted because I had to focus on the baby? Would my love be divided between two children? However, I learned that love doesn’t divide into two pieces when you have two children. Love multiplies. Love doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled for me as I welcomed each child into my life. As we consider discipling younger women, we think that our hearts are at capacity and we cannot possibly handle one more person in our lives. However, love doesn’t divide. It multiplies. Each person we know and love increases our hearts—they don’t take away from our love for others. Like the Grinch whose heart grew three sizes in one day, each person that the Lord gives us to love, increases the size of our heart and our capacity for love. What a kind invitation from God! Discipling others fuels your walk with Him. I don’t really know how the Lord does it, but I know it to be true. When we step out in faith to point others to Jesus, it turns the gears of our hearts towards our own growth in Christ. We feel more needy, so we run to Him. We prepare to teach truths that we desperately need ourselves. We speak exhortations that the Spirit uses to challenge our own hearts. We feel burdened over our inabilities and our concerns for our sister in Christ, so we pray fervently. We worship joyfully when we see the Holy Spirit at work. I don’t know how it works, but making disciples is a fuel to our own walk with the Lord. Discipling others helps me be more effective in all other areas of life. The roles we have and the responsibilities we carry aren’t divided into silos separated from one another. Instead, because I disciple this woman from my church, I am more effective in all other areas of my life. I jokingly reminisce that it was through investing in a younger woman that I learned that side parts in your hairstyle are out, and middle parts are in. However, more than keeping up with the trends and speaking the next generation’s language (which is important), discipling others has strengthened me in my motherhood to four young children. When I confess my sin of anger during my discipleship meeting with my friend, I am specifically killing the sin I often commit towards my children. I am also modeling to my children that followers of Jesus make disciples. As I learn to teach this to the younger woman at my church, I am better equipped to teach my children the Scriptures around the kitchen island. While I am applying this specifically to my own daily context of motherhood, this principle can be applied broadly to whatever your own daily life looks like. We often think that we don’t have the space to disciple someone else, but I propose that maybe we cannot afford to skip discipling others because of the other responsibilities we carry. Sisters, I pray that as you consider your calling to disciple another woman, that you would be encouraged to start simply, and simply start. There is so much joy on this journey of following Jesus, and He is inviting you to join His work in pointing people back to Him. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Emily Guyer is a wife, mother, and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. She is married to Michael, lead pastor of Treasuring Christ Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and together they have four children – Amelia, John, Caroline and Graham. She serves as the Director of Kids Ministry at Treasuring Christ Church and also as Graphic Designer for Journeywomen. She is passionate about others knowing, loving and following Jesus. She loves to travel (she has a soft spot for North Carolina beaches, Disney World, and unique cities), have meaningful conversations, drink Ethiopian coffee, and create beauty through designing, writing and teaching. She is happiest when she is with her family and dear friends. #NOVEMBER23

EATON RAPIDS – On Thanksgiving day of 2020, I cooked my first turkey. I spent the night before seasoning the turkey, injecting it with all the buttery goodness and spices that make my cajun palate happy. I woke up early, bagged the turkey, and placed it in the oven. I’ll never forget the feeling I had when I opened the oven 7 hours later... My dreams of a beautifully roasted, cajun spiced turkey turned into a dry and chewy nightmare. In my first attempt at cooking a turkey, I had misread the recipe and cooked a thawed turkey at the required temperature and time of a frozen turkey. To say I was disappointed, discouraged, and frustrated would be an understatement. However, hope was not lost. My ever patient and caring wife came to my rescue with a hug, a smile, and some pretty amazing turkey gravy. The gravy, not the turkey, became the star of the meal for our family that day! It was rich, flavorful, and served as a great topping on every side on the table. It even gave new life to my recent batch of turkey jerky! In just one short hour, I realized that my frustration had turned to contentment, my discouragement to joy, and my frustration to gratitude. Pastoral ministry often comes with a variety of challenges and setbacks, many of which can become quite discouraging for the pastor and his family. Our best laid plans can often leave us feeling like that turkey; dry and burnt. If we allow ourselves to focus solely on what didn’t work, we will miss the opportunity to be grateful for the things that did. Here are 5 ways you can turn bad circumstances into moments of gratitude this Thanksgiving season. 1. Start your day with a prayer of thanksgiving. “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night." Psalm 92:1-2 Like drinking a good cup of coffee, gratitude is a spiritual caffeine. It focuses our attention away from our problems and toward Jesus Christ, the ultimate solution to them all. 2. Don’t become a victim to your circumstances. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1:2-3 Every trial, every circumstance, is an opportunity to be refined into the image of Jesus. Take joy in the process, and enjoy the fruit of steadfastness when it comes. 3. When the main thing fails, be grateful for the one thing that didn’t. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 You put in all that time and preparation. I get it. But there’s always a reason to rejoice. Don’t let a bad circumstance ruin a good opportunity to give thanks to God. 4. Don’t forget the bigger picture. “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 Last month, our church plant celebrated the baptism of a 66 year old friend that my wife and I had been praying would come to Jesus. Dozens of conversations, hours of prayer, and many tears took three years to bear fruit. Yet, every conversation, prayer, and tear made a difference. God is weaving small victories into Gospel testimonies. Be grateful for each step. 5. Be grateful for someone else’s success. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 The imperfections in my leathery turkey only helped to highlight the utter perfection of my wife’s turkey gravy. Pride craves accolade, but humility gives it away. May your thanksgiving be filled with lots of laughter, time with family, and a nice, juicy turkey to eat. If something falls apart, I pray that you will have a bit of turkey gravy to be thankful for. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chris Ridler is the founding pastor of Living Hope Community Church, a church plant in Eaton Rapids, MI. He is also the 5th-8th grade Social Studies at Island City Academy in Eaton Rapids. He has been married to Becky for 20 years and has one son. #NOVEMBER23

ASHEVILLE, NC (BP) – For Charles Owusu, founding pastor of the Ghanaian majority Word of Life Baptist Church in Lithia Springs, Ga., the inaugural Refresh Retreat for Black Southern Baptists was a valuable resource in his work as a pastor to pastors. It was an object lesson in “the value of belonging” to the Southern Baptist family, especially for young church planter Emmanuel Kyereko, whom Osuwu is mentoring. “Sometimes it takes people much longer to appreciate the value of belonging to a body like the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention), but that was something that he experienced,” Osuwu said of Kyereko. “It’s not just SBC wanting us to support the Cooperative Program, but also, the SBC provides that nourishment and the strength that we need, especially when things are difficult for us. “It helped (Kyereko) to know that we actually belong to a bigger family, and that the family is concerned about us, and helps us to fulfill our calling.” The Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists’ grassroots funding mechanism to support ministry nationally and internationally, allowed pastors and their wives to attend the Oct. 13-15 retreat for a nominal fee. It was the first Refresh Retreat designed specifically for Black Southern Baptists, drawing a capacity crowd of more than 200 to the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove. J.J. Washington, national director of personal evangelism at the North American Mission Board (NAMB), helped recruit pastors to attend the event sponsored by NAMB and the National African American Fellowship of the SBC (NAAF). He pointed to the Cooperative Program as a key factor in making the event a reality. “It’s the fuel,” Washington said of the Cooperative Program, “and I’m grateful for it. I truly believe in the reality that we can do more together than we can by ourselves. “We get a budget for evangelism, and then we do these Refreshes,” he said. “We wanted to keep the cost so, so low, so that they would not have any excuse not to [attend].” The event was designed to minister specifically to pastors and their wives who minister among the diverse Black cultures in the SBC, including various African nationalities, African Americans, Haitians and others. “We do these Refreshes all the time, but this was the first one that was geared towards the Black Church experience,” Washington said of the event which incorporated music, issues and preaching important to the culture. “In Southern Baptist life, if you’re a minority, you learn how to exist in both worlds. But I think for a lot of the guys, it felt good to be in a context that they were familiar with.” Owusu was refreshed by the preaching, which included messages from H.B. Charles Jr., senior pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla.; Mark Croston, national director of Black church ministries with Lifeway Christian Resources; and William Branch, assistant professor of preaching and Bible at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. “That was so phenomenal. It is the Word of God that brings life, and I could feel the power of the Word that was preached,” Owusu said. “It was life-giving, life-transforming. That’s my biggest takeaway. I don’t think I have encountered that much intense ministry of God’s Word, and that was great for me.” The preaching brought rest. “I had people pour into me as I pour into others,” he said. “That also brought relaxation. I know what to do when I’m in a problem, or when things are tough. It helped me to relax.” Speakers addressed spiritual, physical, emotional and financial health, as well as leadership, prayer and evangelism. Concurrent events were held for pastors’ wives, featuring writer and teacher Brenda Croston; author, personal coach and speaker Kim Hardy; retired school teacher Pam Mitchell, and Kathy Litton, NAMB’s director of planter spouse development. Wives appreciated the event as both instructional and motivational, said Hardy, a key leader in NAAF’s new network for wives of senior pastors. The retreat “provided a contextualized experience and environment for African-American pastors and wives to have a time of renewal. We were encouraged by God-centered, inspirational, soul-stirring messages and music,” Hardy said. “The consensus among the wives was, ‘I pray this event continues through the years and never stops.’” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer. #NOVEMBER23

BARDSTOWN, KY (KT) – When Sue Foster’s husband died two years ago, she lost more than her best friend. She lost her purpose. Len Foster was sick for an extended time, and Sue became a fulltime caregiver. That became her purpose and, when he died, a part of her went with him. “When he passed, I was just lost,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t feel like I had much purpose in life. I was having physical illness and depression.” Sue was nearly 70 years old and spiraling into a season of depression. She turned to the only one who had the answers she was seeking. “After a couple of months, I kept praying to the Lord: What do you want me to do now?” God had more purpose than depression and grief in store for her. He showed her a path that was not only a passion for her but one that had been for her late husband – mission work. It was the perfect remedy for that depression and as she received confirmation after confirmation, a new joy began taking hold of her life. It was intense. “I sold my house and could not find another house in Louisville,” she said. “I found a house in Bardstown and, after visiting lots of churches, I kept coming back to Wickland. (Baptist Church). The irony was, they were planning a mission trip to Kenya. I immediately felt in my heart, I need to go on this trip.” She and her husband had done mission work in Florida, but this would be her first international trip. “While I was there, I kept feeling that tugging at my heart.” The urge never left her after she returned home from Kenya. But could a 70-something be a missionary? “If not now, when?” she said. Foster began looking at the International Mission Board website, mostly looking for long-term mission trips. But she also learned that the IMB has a program called the International Service Corps, which is designed for retirees. “I got a call, and they said we think this would be a great pathway for you,” Foster said. “I started working with an International Mission Board consultant and doing training courses. The more I did, the more convinced that was what the Lord wanted me to do. It was energizing. “To really validate, in my opinion, that this is Lord’s calling, I asked, ‘If this is not what you want me to do, give me a stop sign, give me a roadblock.” It never came. Foster was invited to a three-day interview conference, passed with flying colors and then began looking at a post to serve. Her choice was the Middle East but because of her life experience – she worked in finance and administration – logistics seemed to be a better fit. “But I really want to be in the field,” she said. “When I started looking for jobs, everyone I was interested in, the door closed on me. Logistics is where I ended up.” She will be working in eastern Africa helping IMB missionaries with travel plans, new medical attention and helping with reports along with doing some ministry with women. Foster was overcome with a feeling she thought would ever exist again. “I didn’t know if I’d ever feel true joy again. I really now feel true joy.” If she needed more confirmation from the Lord, it was coming. Foster sold her house in one day, but her most pressing concern was for someone to take her pets. “I have to find a home for two precious dogs who have been with me since they were puppies.” Foster was having trouble finding a home for them, until she and her sister went on a cruise to Bermuda. They were having dinner with two ladies who owned two standard poodles, the same breed as her dogs. They agreed to foster them. “On a cruise, what are the chances?” she asked, suggesting more confirmation. "That was God. He is magnificent." “God just spoke to her heart,” said Wickland Pastor Rodney Lynch. “She has felt the call to missions. We are doing this “Calling Out the Called” talking about pastors, worship leaders and youth pastors but we don’t think about what our senior adults can do.” Lynch said Foster has the support of Wickland, a mission and ministry-minded church. It supports church plants in Nicaragua and Salt Lake City, helps with a refugee ministry in Bowling Green, participates in the backside ministry at Churchill Downs and helps a pregnancy center. Lynch’s youngest daughter, Mackenzie Lynch, is also a missionary. Foster and her sister went on the cruise for a purpose. She was going to sprinkle her husband’s ashes at sea. She said he would whole heartedly approve of what she is doing with her life and her new purpose. “He enjoyed life until the day he couldn’t remember anymore,” she said. “I know he would be excited. He would absolutely love that I'm doing this.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Maynard writes for Kentucky Today, www.kentuckytoday.com, where this article first appeared. Kentucky Today is a news resource of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. #NOVEMBER23

“For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14–19 (NASB95) PLYMOUTH – God put this passage of Scripture on my heart when I started my ministry with the churches of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. As I read the Apostle Paul's prayer, verse 16 especially stuck out to me. Paul prays that the church “be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man…” The focus of my ministry has been to “Strengthen Churches.” Spiritual strength is what you and I need individually as believers, and it's what we need collectively as the people of God. We need strong believers in strong churches glorifying God, and taking steps to advance Gospel movement. The Apostle Paul is in prison for his faith in Christ as he prays these words. It’s a remarkable scene. This man who has traveled to some of the greatest cities of his world to share the Gospel is now in prison because of that same Gospel. His world is reduced to the space between the walls that held him. Physically, he can only move a few feet in every direction. The most important distance he moves is to his knees. From there, he prays a prayer that touches the heart of God for the people of God. I can see Paul in my mind as he kneels "before the Father" in verse 14. He is entering the presence of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The word “before” means "facing." The picture is of an intentional turning toward God. Paul focuses intently on God as he willingly bends his knees in humble submission. His heart and mind are captured by the God who changed his life on the Damascus Road. His body is imprisoned, but Paul’s reality is not defined by the difficult circumstances around him, but by the Christ above him. Paul prays and the impact of that prayer reverberates in the church even today. Paul boldly asks God in verse 16 "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man..." Paul’s burning desire in this text is not for his freedom. It would have been OK for him to pray for release, but that’s not his first concern. He prays for God's people to be strengthened. Isn’t that amazing? His prayer isn’t about him. It’s about us. He asks God to make us strong in Christ. Notice where this strength comes from. It comes from the riches of God’s glory. Do you see the flow? It’s from God to us. It comes to us according to the riches of His glory. That’s good news because there is no limit to the riches of God’s glory. Paul asks God to strengthen us, not out of our riches, but according to His riches. The universe, and all that it contains, cannot contain the riches of God's glory. Here is a deep, abiding, limitless source of strength, available to believers from the inexhaustible riches of God’s glory. Paul prays for us to be strengthened with power through His spirit in the inner man according to the riches of God’s glory. Now, that’s a prayer! It's a bold, audacious, incredible prayer for the People of God! You and I need that strength as we follow Christ. So, let's follow Paul's example and pray boldly for God to strengthen Michigan Baptist churches. Let's pray that God strengthens us according to the riches of His glory. And let's watch as God does great and amazing things in and through spiritually strong people and churches. As I retire, I can think of no better benediction to leave with Michigan Baptists than the words of Paul: “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20–21 (NASB95) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mike Durbin is the State Evangelism Director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before joining the state convention staff, Mike served as Church Planting Catalyst and Director of Missions in Metro Detroit since 2007. He also has served as a pastor and bi-vocational pastor in Michigan, as well as International Missionary to Brazil. #NOVEMBER23

PLYMOUTH – I am truly a creature of habit. Each morning after I rise, I make my way to my basement man cave where I shower, shave, rearrange what hair remains on my head, dress for the day and then take my daily regimen of medications. All the while, Hershey, my faithful canine companion, watches my every move from his prone position in the main room that gives him visual access to the bathroom and my dressing room. As if on cue, the moment I wash down the last pill and put the drinking cup back in the cupboard, he rises and waits for me to turn out the last light and we make our way up the stairs to the kitchen/ living area. I let him outside for his morning business and while he is outside, I make my first cup of that caffeinated concoction that is created from the vestiges of the nectar of the gods. Many of my diehard coffee addicted friends goad me with the fact that I prefer my brew with a touch of non-caloric sweetener and my favorite flavored creamer of the season. One friend calls it “Foo–Foo” coffee. Nevertheless, I like it. He just doesn’t know what he is missing. I request “Alexa” to play my morning mood music, of either instrumental hymns, Andrea Bocelli, or the relaxing tones from the horn of Chris Botti. Then as soon as Hershey comes in from outside, he lays across the foot of my chair and waits for me to sit down with my coffee and I-Pad for my morning quiet time.He immediately raises his head for his morning chin rub and then settles down for my remaining ritual and the rest of my time of reading, reflection and prayer. As I have said, I am a creature of habit and that is reflected in the cups from which I drink my morning's enlivening elixir. These cups are not just my favorites because of their size and feel but also because of the message they convey and bring to my heart and mind each day. One has engraved upon it the word, “THANKFUL” and on the other “GRATEFUL”. I have since ordered another cup with the word; ‘BLESSED” embossed on it as well. These simple and unpretentious vessels are daily reminders for my heart, soul and mind. The words thankful and grateful are similar in meaning and are at times used interchangeably in application but in fact they are somewhat different. Thankfulness represents a present interaction concerning an event, experience, gesture of kindness, gift or even a conversation. Whereas, grateful is an ever improving and ongoing show of appreciation as the result of a deepening relationship. The new cup that will complete my trinity of morning messages, BLESSED, means the experiencing of divine kindness, mercy, or goodness. This month is a time that we have as a nation set aside a day to be thankful, grateful and to acknowledge how blessed we truly are. I believe this is a wonderful holiday and should be celebrated and expressed as fully as possible. Yet, from my experience, this is an attitude and action that should be incorporated in our daily lives and not just on a single specially designated holiday. One of my favorite contemporary worship songs that we sing at Rhiza Church, where Sabrina and I attend when I am not preaching at another church, is entitled “The Goodness of God.” The first verse and chorus are written here. I love You, Lord For Your mercy never fails me All my days, I've been held in Your hands From the moment that I wake up Until I lay my head Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God And all my life You have been faithful And all my life You have been so, so good With every breath that I am able Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God It is the chorus that speaks to me with such intensity and expresses the truth of God and the experience of my life. He has always been faithful even when I have been faithless. His goodness has remained even in the midst of my wickedness. It is because of these and so many other reasons that I am THANKFUL for HIs many provisions and never-failing supply. This is why I am GRATEFUL for His continual, ever-present, endlessly expanding love for me and the unfathomable relationship He wants with someone like me. To say that I am a BLESSED man is inexpressible. There are not enough words or languages in the world to verbalize that fact. So on my worst days and my best, I drink from my favorite cups and warm my heart with the truths with which they remind me. I am THANKFUL and GRATEFUL to be such a BLESSED man. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Patterson is Executive Director/Treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Elected unanimously in May of 2015, Patterson formerly served for 9 years as pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla. He also served as trustee chair and national mobilizer for the North American Mission Board. #NOVEMBER23

PLYMOUTH – Many of us have similar Thanksgiving traditions that can be worshipful. After scanning the four family-centered rituals, would you continue to read and discover three rhythms of life that can build a scaffolding of gratitude in your life? A scaffold, because wise believers are always under construction removing the pollution of cynicism to reveal the divine gifts, from the Father, of gratitude and joy which are implanted into our believing lives at that second of salvation. Before serving the meal, ask each person at the table to share one thing for which they are thankful for this year. Invite each person to express gratitude for another person at the table until each person has been appreciated aloud in front of others. Give opportunity for each person at the table to say 2-3 sentences of thanksgiving in a continual circle of prayer before eating the meal. Have a large stick-it poster on the wall near the dining table where before sitting down for the meal, everyone is invited to write down 1-2 words that will prompt them to testify about their subject of thanksgiving before they eat from their plate. The following three statements and three scriptures will bring renewal to your soul teaching you once again how gratitude and joy are expressions of worship to our Lord. A Grateful Attitude Leads to Happiness Ephesians 5:20 says, “Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” During the late 1960s when life was simple and we were naïve about a lot of dangerous things, my dad would go to work about three o’clock in the afternoon at the car factory, and my mother would slip a few dollars into my hands with the following instructions, “Tony, for supper, would you walk over to the little store and pick up a gallon of milk, some brown and serve rolls, some eggs, and a carton of cigarettes?” My ten-year-old reply to my precious mother was, “Sure Mom, I will.” I marched to the store with money in my hand and in less than ten minutes returned home with the goods to hear my mother’s kind words of appreciation, “Thank you, Tony, for doing that for me.” Add my mother’s “thank you,” to the store owner thanking me for shopping at her store, and me saying thank you to the store owner for bagging my groceries and you discover there was a lot of appreciation in just ten minutes. Today, all of us are wiser and not as naïve. We stopped buying those “cancer sticks” a long time ago. Mom is still with us. In our daily lives, there should be a chasm of difference between saying a courteous “thank you” to a restaurant server and expressions of gratitude to our Heavenly Father, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the sacrificial Jesus Christ. On the scaffold of your life can you see the distinction? My wife and I share life every day. We speak graciously to one another using words like, please, thank you, you’re welcome, and more words of courtesy and appreciation than I have space to list. But the favorite moments of our days, is when we listen to one another speak prayers of thanksgiving to the Heavenly Father expressing our gratitude for his care, his company, and his continual guidance. As a result, even when times are disappointing, when others let us down, when outcomes are not as pleasant as we desire, we can honestly say that we are happy. We live by the words in Ephesians 5 when it says, “Give thanks for everything to God the Father.” From our personal Bible studies and diet of sound preaching and teaching at our local church, and our frequent sessions of prayer throughout the day we continue to learn what is good for us and what is bad for us. We are careful to give thanks to a generous and righteous Lord who knows what is best for us when we don’t know ourselves. Our attitude of gratitude leads us into a joy that accompanies us daily. Successes in Our Lives Are Shared with Others 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” My childhood in Flint, Michigan was filled with failures and successes. I knew the difference between failures and successes because I saw others succeed where I failed, and I saw others fail where I succeeded. During fifth grade our school’s teachers became obsessed with spelling bee contests between the different classes. I discovered I was good at memorization and spelling. One day as competing classes stood across the room from one another, students were dropping out one after another on this particular day of the spelling bee championship because the teachers selected some tricky words. The word that defeated most of us was the word, “depot.” Everyone tried with d-e-p-o-e, or d-e-p-o-w, or d-e-p-o. As my turn came, I recalled that one of the drives to our favorite fishing spot in the next county was through Durand, Michigan where there was an old train depot that was never used. I saw the sign each time we went fishing which was often, so I planned on spelling the word, d-e-p-o-t when it came my turn. However, at the last second, I was afraid to spell it with a “t,” because it didn’t make sense to me. So, I let my fear of embarrassment lead me to misspelling the word just like someone else had done two turns before me. I can still recall the look of disappointment on my teacher’s face when I misspelled the word. Moments later, she whispered to me, “Tony, I thought you would know the word and win the year’s championship for us.” My fear of embarrassment overcame my rational observation of a word on a train station sign in Durand. To the world we will look strange giving thanks to the Lord in difficult times; but it is what the Bible teaches us to do. 1 Thessalonians 5 says, “Be thankful in all circumstances.” In a world where others will cast the spotlight of success on themselves it is tempting to ignore the influence of those who helped us get to where we are: the Lord and those he places into our lives. As Americans surrounded by capitalism, we need to be careful that we do not look for profiting from transactions with the Lord. You know what I am saying. Our prayers sometimes contain outlines like this, “Lord, if I do 1, 2, and 3, I know you will bless me with blank.” Instead, we should be praying, “Lord, if nothing changes, and you don’t move the mountain before me, and if you don’t split the water of trial drowning me, I will still trust in you.” Our thanksgiving will grow immeasurably when we trust the Lord in every circumstance rather than seek a transaction. I recently told someone waiting on the improved health of his precious daughter, “We are grateful for doctors who help our children, but the people who become our lifelong friends are the ones who calmly sit in the hospital waiting room sharing our fears, crying with us, waiting for the outcome, then pressing forward into the outcome. That is what we do when we express our gratitude in all circumstances to the Father and those around us. Gratitude Makes Us Feel Rich, Complaining Makes Us Feel Poor Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” I discovered that I have a life-long allergy to complainers, moaners, faultfinders, and problem-makers. They do not cause me to sneeze or give me a rash, but I find an uncontrollable urge to get away from them, to stop visiting with them, to avoid them. I grew up lavished with encouragement and support. Yes, my mother would say, like yours, “If you don’t have anything good to say, be quiet.” I enjoy feeling rich in the Lord’s love and care. I savor meaningful relationships with people who are gracious and thankful. I feel like I am covered in a warm blanket of love when I voice the blessings in my life. When I express gratitude, I am not bragging on me. I am boasting in the Lord’s merciful love for a sinner like me. I love telling stories about my life and the lives of others where the Lord is the obvious hero. Sometimes you have to watch that you don’t drift out of the freshwater of gratitude into the swirling current of complaining. During the 1980s, while studying for my master’s degree in Kentucky, I commuted to work with another seminary student to save money for baby formula and diapers for two daughters. Let’s pretend the other student's name was John because his name was really John. In a matter of weeks while pursuing my degree to help me become a pastor, I discovered that John’s constant mood was critical of others, and he could complain about everything. Before I knew it, our commute transformed me from a student excited about learning to a student grumbling about every professor and every expectation. One day during a quiet time of Bible study and prayer, I was led to try and redeem our conversations in the car to words that were uplifting. Sadly, the mood never changed for the two weeks I tried, until I finally said to John at the end of the week, “I will not be commuting with you to seminary anymore, I cannot take the complaining and fault-finding you talk about all the time. It brings out in me something I don’t want to become.” Yes, our friendship ended on that day, but it was worth it. From the scaffold of my life, I removed a man who would have helped me perfect a cynical outlook and instead chose to focus on the Father who took a nobody from Flint to learn about his love from many teachers. I was taking Colossians 3 as fact when it said, “Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” I did not want to become poor like John, I wanted to be rich in gratitude and joy. Those who are focused on craving the wrong things and not receiving them are miserable, while those of us who reach to be embraced by the loving arms of our Heavenly Father while feeling the breath of his spiritual voice on our necks are the happiest of all. My prayer for you and your family this Thanksgiving is that you will find your next steps to increase your gratitude so that the Lord’s joy will fill your minds, your hearts, and your hopes for a bright future. Gratitude leads to happiness. Ephesians 5:20, “Give thanks for everything to God.” Successes in our lives are shared with others. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Be thankful in all circumstances.” Gratitude makes us feel rich, complaining makes us feel poor. Colossians 3:15, “You are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” Happy Thanksgiving from Tony and Jamie Lynn. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Tony L. Lynn is the State Director of Missions for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before coming on staff at the BSCM, Tony served as lead pastor for more than six years at Crosspoint Church in Monroe, Michigan. He and his wife, Jamie, also served with the International Mission Board in Africa and in Europe. #NOVEMBER23