Now
is the time for prayer! ! !
No
matter what political party, or what Yeshua (Jesus) centered
denomination you belong to, given the state of affairs in the
United States, I think we can all agree, now is the time
for prayer.
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Remember
Who Started Thanksgiving
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Some 100 people,
many of them seeking religious freedom in the New
World, set sail from England on the Mayflower in September 1620.
That November, the ship landed on the shores of Cape Cod, in
present-day Massachusetts. A scouting party was sent out, and in
late December the group landed at Plymouth Harbor, where they would
form the first permanent settlement of Europeans in New England.
These original settlers of Plymouth Colony are known as the Pilgrim
Fathers, or simply as the Pilgrims.
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The
Price to Follow Your Convictions
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More
than half of the English settlers died during that first
winter, as a result of poor nutrition and housing that
proved inadequate in the harsh weather.
After
the winter of 1620 killed almost half of their people the colonists
formed a relationship with the neighboring Wampanoag tribe
who taught them about fishing planting and
hunting. By autumn of 1621 the colonists had
collected enough food to feed the entire community throughout the
winter.
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Giving
Thanks to our Father in Heaven
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Yet
for later generations of colonists Thanksgiving had little to do
with the 1621 Thanksgiving dinner. Theirs was
a religious holiday included, fasting, prayer, and giving thanks to
G-d.
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Some
Just Need a Reason to Celebrate
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Every
Autumn each Governor from each colony would declare
Thanksgiving holidays for bountiful harvests,
victorious battles, or for weather
reasons, ie: drought or rains.
In
1777 the Continental Congress decreed all 13 colonies celebrate a
Thanksgiving dinner that year in celebration of the victory over
the British at Saratoga.
By
the mid nineteenth century many states celebrated the holiday,
although the date would vary by weeks or
months.
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Passion
is a Good Thing
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Especially
if you are a letter writer (Mom). Inside joke.
A
determined magazine editor by the name of
Sara Josepha Hale set about establishing a
National Thanksgiving day, She passionately
believed that such a day would unite a nation
headed toward civil war. Hale began a
one woman letter writing campaign urging
politicians to establish an annual day of
Thanksgiving. Her efforts were finally rewarded by
Abraham Lincoln who saw the unifying potential of
the Holiday. In 1863 four months
after the victory at Gettysburg he declared the last Thursday in
November to be Thanksgiving Day
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The
Point Is . . .
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Just as the Pilgrims and the
Wampanoag people were able to fellowship over a
three day food fest, can't we whether we be Jew,
Pentacostal, Catholic,
Protestant, Independent, Democrat, Republican, or
a Tea Party person find ways to reunite this country that is so
fragmented? Just as Sara Josepha Hale decided it
was time to do something to unite this country,
what are we going to do? What am I going to do?
What are you going to do? This country is too important to
let our fragmented thinking destroy it.
Let's stop looking at the differences and start looking at
what we have in common. Let's change our
attitudes, may we stop being so negative and start
making a difference.
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The
Most Positive Thing . . .
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THE MOST POSITIVE THING WE CAN DO IS TO PRAY! ! !
Are we willing to Fast Football watching? For
this Country? Typically Beki and I send out letters on behalf of
Ghanaians, Ugandans, Africans, or some
child that needs a mother, father, or
next meal. This time we are asking you to
Unite! Unite for the United States! Unite in
Prayer, Repent for our selfishness,
Repent for our materialistic idol-worshiping,
repent for the murdered unborn
babies, Cry out to our Merciful Father
who desires a deeper relationship with each and
every one of us. Cry out and ask what HE would have us do
as His people.
Considering the history of this celebration, the original way it
was first started, the way people of faith saw the Divine hand of
G-d providing ALL their needs, and the hope that those of Abraham
Lincoln and Sara Josepha Hale had it the potential of unifying this
country, it seems to be the most appropriate thing to
do. |
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As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year let us remember
this was a time of people from different backgrounds joining
together, enjoying one another and giving THANKS for a
wonderful God who has provided us so very
much, the GOD OF WONDER!
We thank you for sharing your lives with us in prayer, fellowship,
meals, and support.
Yours for a United States of America UNDER
GOD,
The McConnell Family
God of Wonder Ministries, International
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Pray
as though everything depends upon G-d, because it does.
Greatest man in History, named Jesus, had no servants, yet they
called Him Master. Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. Had
no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings
feared Him. He won no military battles, yet he conquered the
world.
You have to begin with the knowledge that there is nothing perfect
in this world. Our job is not to hunt down perfection and live
within it. It is to take whatever broken pieces we have found and
sew them together as best we can. |
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