“Dear Heavenly Father,
Today is officially Thanksgiving Day. As we gather with the friends and family that we love and hold so many memories with, I ask that you impart your presence with us today.
Over the years, our family has endured many heartaches and offenses. Today, we are focusing on Thanksgiving. I ask that you help each one of us to have a heart of tenderness and forgiveness for each other. Help us to bury the offenses of the past and leave them there. Heal our emotions and relationships so we can embark on a new mind-set and work on developing good memories built on genuine forgiveness.
Each one of us are simply imperfect human beings. Every person that has come to know Christ as their personal savior has been forgiven of much. Allow each one of the one’s who have been forgiven by you to be so thankful for your forgiveness that we cannot fathom the idea of holding bitterness or un-forgiveness against another.
When we forgive others, we open our hearts for the supernatural experience of a true Thanksgiving. We are then open to see the blessings that were with us all along but were hiding under the shadow of bitterness.
Thank you for shining the light of your love and forgiveness upon us so we may be able to do the same.
Let this Thanksgiving be a fresh start. We are turning over a new leaf and we are choosing to be thankful for every good thing that God has given us.
Bless this meal as it nourishes our bodies and bless our hearts as we digest the meaning of what it is to be truly thankful everyday.
In Jesus’ precious name, God bless every person here with the warmth of your presence and the love of God, Amen.”
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan