Last Sunday, our worship service included a time for people to give testimony of what they are thankful for. Though it seemed like a typical thing to do on Thanksgiving, the response of what was shared was anything but typical. There were unexpectedly deep and personal testimonies that I was moved to tears.
I think everyone was surprised that a man who comes to the service and always immediately slips out without talking to another came up to the podium to speak. Even more surprising was his testimony saying that the Lord healed him of a cancerous tumor within the the last month. Wow! We had no idea the work of God in this man who quietly comes and goes each week.
A young man said he was pretty sure, in fact 100% sure, that God gave him the start of a new college group at our church to encourage him during this difficult time of his life. I echo that thanksgiving to God because that college group is to me a testimony of God’s faithfulness to our little church. We’ve tried to start a college group before, but for various reasons it didn’t get off the ground. But this year, there’s been tremendous support and energy. It is truly God’s work in God’s timing, not our own effort.
A young lady shared that the pain she’s carried around for years has been lifted. Now she understands God’s love in a real and personal way. I’ve known her almost all her life, and to hear that she had such a breakthrough in her spiritual life and her relationship with God moved me to tears.
A high schooler thanked the Lord that after 11 years of separation from his sister, he is finally going to see her next year in January! He is also thankful that despite his parents’ objections to him coming to church, he’s been able to come and be encouraged by his friends here.
Sometimes I look around and think: a little church like ours, does it make any difference to anyone if we exist or not? Perhaps we could better use our resources by closing the church and we can just all go to different churches.
But for some reason God in his plan allows our little church to be here. It’s home to us to come; we are fed, we laugh, we help each other out, and we grow a little stronger in our faith. Sure, there are probably other churches we could go to. But as long as this little church is here, it is God’s church, and He is at work making a difference in people’s lives, and for that I am thankful to Him.