Operation Christmas Child

Last week, Young Life helped out with Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child is when local churches and schools create shoe boxes filled with presents for children who aren't fortunate enough to get presents. Young Life volunteered to go through the boxes to make sure the boxes were safe. It was a great way to serve our community and to bond with Young Life kids. It is so crazy how our world has become so materialistic and take our presents for granted. As I was going through these kids boxes, they had toothpaste and life essential things with maybe a stuffed animal. Most people would be dissappointed if they recieved this gift. However, to these less fortunate children, this can mean the world to them. Be thankful for the things that we do have and how fortunate we are.

On Thanksgiving, I was in constant thanks to the Lord for each and every person in my life. If you really sit down and think about all the things you can be grateful for, there are countless things. Trials are even blessings because you have been given the opportunity to trust in the Lord and grow spiritually. But the number one thing we can be thankful for is Jesus and his love for us. That he died on the cross for our sins so we don't have to carry that burden anymore. That no matter what situation we are in, God will be there with you. Thank God for all things because all good things are from God. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -James 1 :17 Some of these kids pray for presents and you can contribute to this! Help this cause and give someone a gift they will remember.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

Psalm 136 (NIV)

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

² Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.

³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

⁴ to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.

⁵ who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.

⁶ who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.

⁷ who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.

⁸ the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.

⁹ the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

¹⁰ to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.

¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.

¹² with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.

¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea, His love endures forever.

¹⁴ and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.

¹⁵ but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.

¹⁶ to him who led his people through the desert,
His love endures forever.

¹⁷ who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.

¹⁸ and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.

¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.

²⁰ and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.

²¹ and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.

²² an inheritance to his servant Israel;
His love endures forever.

²³ to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.

²⁴ and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.

²⁵ and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.

²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.