Terrific Thanksgiving

To say Tuesday night's Thanksgiving dinner/service was incredible would be an understatement. A lot of prayers and hard work went into the event, and God really blew us away.

There were more than 250 people in attendance, and it was just an incredible night. I like how our Celebrate Recovery Inside Director Emily Hinderliter explained what happened last night. She wrote this in an email late last night.

"More than 10 churches sent volunteers with food, money for expenses, clean up folks, set up folks, serving folks, hugging folks, worship leaders, preachers, families - one fellow drove up from Lakeland, Fla., to have Thanksgiving dinner with his brother, who is in the Work Release program here - children, grandmothers, parents, spouses, nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws, friends and neighbors, poor people, rich people, homeless people, people living in motels, shelters, jails, cars.  Everyone came together to say "Thank You, God, for the blessings You have provided this year."  And there was worship music, praise music, and a wonderful sermon/message."

We had an army of volunteers, and I want to thank each one of them for everything they did to make last night so successful. I want to say a special "thank you" to Angel Drennan. She was in charge of the dinner and she did a spectacular job.There was plenty of food for everyone and it was all delicious. It was a blessing to me to see the homeless fill their plates twice and we still had plenty left for them to take a to-go plate of food with them. Thank you Angel. Your name fits you perfectly.

I want to say another special thank you to Tabernacle United Methodist Church. They sponsor our Celebrate Recovery Inside program and they sponsored last night's dinner. Such an incredible church filled with people who love Jesus and shows His love to others.

Also, a special thank you to Gene and Leslie Oden and the Crossroads Community Church praise team. Gene delivered a wonderful message, as he always does, and once again the Crossroads praise team rocked the house for Jesus! Crossroads does tremendous work in Enterprise, Ala., reaching the lost and hurting.

Last night was truly the Body of Christ coming together once again at the Love In Action Ministry Center to show the love of God to those who are hurting.

What was accomplished through all of the hard work? Plenty! In fact, according to Jesus, in Matthew 25: 35-40, here's what happened last night:

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"

To God goes all the glory. Thank you everyone for supporting this ministry in all of the ways that you do.

Happy Thanksgiving