As we gather on Thanksgiving Sunday, I find myself looking back with a full heart. There are blessings in the life of our church, blessings in our family, and blessings that could easily pass unnoticed if we hurried on to the next concern. I want to pause with you and remember. Gratitude deserves a regular place in our spiritual life because it helps us recognize how deeply we depend on God and how generously He has cared for us.
Our Scripture for this Thanksgiving is Psalm 103:1–5. At the heart of the passage is this invitation: “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2, NIV). David speaks to his own soul, calling himself to remember God’s goodness. We need that reminder too. We can remember a disappointment for years, yet become accustomed to a blessing within days. What once moved us to prayer can soon become something we take for granted.
The psalm begins its remembrance with forgiveness. That gives our thanksgiving a firm foundation. Before we count achievements, opportunities, or material provision, we remember the mercy we have received through Jesus Christ. We are loved, forgiven, and welcomed into God’s family. Our deepest reason for gratitude remains even when circumstances are difficult: we belong to Him.
Gratitude is therefore a spiritual practice. As we name what we have received, our hearts learn humility. We begin to see the people who helped us, the opportunities we could not create, and the strength that carried us when our own resources were insufficient. Giving thanks brings us back to the Giver.
Remembering Grace in Our Church Journey
At Stouffville Grace Baptist Church, our building project has given us many reasons to pray and many reasons to give thanks. The journey towards our new church home has required faith, patience, careful decisions, and shared responsibility. There have been financial pressures and periods of uncertainty. As we look back, we can recognize God’s care through the people who have continued to pray, serve, encourage, and give.
Our fundraising journey has been especially meaningful. Through the BRIDGE THE GAP appeal, we saw people respond with generosity as we worked towards meeting the remaining financial need. We are grateful that the fundraising target was exceeded, that bank financing was approved, and that construction was able to resume. These developments have brought encouragement after a demanding season. They remind us to acknowledge God’s provision and the many people through whom that provision has come.
Behind the fundraising outcome are personal decisions to give and a shared commitment to the church’s mission. I am grateful to every member, friend, and church building partner who has supported this journey. Some contributions are visible; much of the prayer, work, and sacrifice happens quietly. God sees it all. Our thanksgiving should make room for these faithful people, as well as for the milestones we celebrate.
We still have work ahead of us. Gratitude gives us strength to approach it with trust and care. Remembering how God has sustained us helps us face the next stage without assuming that everything will be easy. It also reminds us to steward well what has been entrusted to us.
As we prepare for a new church home, I pray that our gratitude will deepen our commitment to the purpose for which we are building. May the new space welcome neighbours, support the nurturing of disciples, and help us equip another generation of leaders. The gifts we have received carry an invitation to serve. Our church’s calling remains to share life together and bring love to others.
Recognizing God’s Care in Our Family
On a personal level, Bernice and I also have so many blessings to count. This year, our daughter Tianne and her two children spent a whole month with us. It was the first time we had enjoyed a visit like this. In the past, being together meant making the very long journey to Singapore. Having them here for an extended stay was a precious gift.
A month together gave us time to enjoy family life without the same pressure of a brief visit. As parents and grandparents, we treasure the opportunity simply to be present with our loved ones. Time together cannot be stored away for later. I am grateful that we were given this season, and I want to remember its value long after the visit has ended.
We are also thankful that our son Jonathan graduated with his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. Completing a doctorate represents years of study, persistence, and hard work. We rejoice with him in this achievement and give thanks for the people and opportunities that supported him along the way.
There was a further blessing in the timing of his next step. Just before his visa expired, Jonathan secured a postdoctoral position at UC Berkeley. The approaching deadline made the opportunity particularly significant. As parents, we are grateful for this timely opening and for the chance he has been given to continue his research and development.
Marijke also received encouraging news this year. After several unsuccessful attempts over the past few years, she was selected in the work visa lottery. We are thankful for this important step after a long period of waiting. When we look at these developments together, we see much to receive with gratitude. We cannot control every outcome, but we can acknowledge the relief and opportunity that these moments have brought.
I share these family blessings with awareness that Thanksgiving may come during a difficult season for others. Some are still waiting for work, immigration decisions, healing, or the opportunity to reunite with family. A favourable outcome is never a measure of how much God loves someone. Those who are waiting are equally precious to Him. Our gratitude should make us more attentive to their concerns and more willing to walk beside them.
Making Thanksgiving a Way of Life
These blessings have reminded me how important it is to pause before moving on. When a prayer is answered, it is easy to feel relieved and immediately turn to the next task. Yet our relationship with God grows as we return to Him with thanks. We learn to recognize His care more readily, and we become less likely to treat His gifts as things we were owed.
Gratitude also helps us live faithfully in uncertainty. Remembering past provision does not tell us exactly how tomorrow will unfold. It gives us reasons to trust the One who has walked with us. We can bring Him our unresolved questions while also thanking Him for the grace already received. Honest prayer has room for both.
This Thanksgiving, I invite you to take a few quiet minutes and name some particular blessings. Who has encouraged you? What has sustained you during a difficult season? Which ordinary gift have you stopped noticing? Be specific. Thank God, and where possible, thank the person through whom the blessing came. A brief message or conversation may encourage someone more than you realize.
Then consider how gratitude might shape your next step. Perhaps it will move you to give, welcome someone, pray with a person who is waiting, or make time for family. As recipients of grace, we have opportunities to become a blessing to others. Thanksgiving becomes part of our spiritual growth when it changes the way we live.
As I reflect on our church’s building journey, the generosity of so many people, Tianne’s month with us, Jonathan’s graduation and postdoctoral opportunity, and Marijke’s visa lottery selection, my heart is full. There are still questions ahead and prayers we continue to offer. Today, we pause to remember the goodness we have already received.
May we carry this remembrance into the coming year. May our gratitude make us more humble before God, more generous towards others, and more faithful in the responsibilities He has given us.
Lord, help us to remember Your mercy and recognize Your care. Thank You for the blessings we can name and for the grace we have yet to notice. Be near to those who are grieving or waiting. Teach us to receive Your gifts with gratitude and to share them with love. Amen.