Gathering to give thanks
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Growing up in a Christian home, I learned from a young age the importance of grace, the blessings given to us by God, and the importance of giving thanks to Him for all things.
Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, His mercies endure forever.
It surprises some to hear that giving thanks is a natural and important part of Native American culture. Long before Pilgrims sat down with members of the Wampanoag tribe on that “first” Thanksgiving, Native Americans understood the importance of giving thanks.
My Pawnee ancestors would gather daily and speak to Atius Tirawa (Father Above or Creator) in order to give thanks (Na-Wa-i-ri) for the gifts of the sun and the stars, for fire-building, hunting, agriculture, speech, clothing, and all things.
As Thanksgiving approaches, one of the blessings that comes to my mind is you.
You are one of the most important blessings of this ministry! There are simply no words to express the fullness of my thanks to you for your prayers, your passion, and your generosity. You lift us up, encourage us, and sustain us in our outreach to our Native brothers and sisters.
2018 has been an amazing year for Lutheran Indian Ministries. Because of you, we have expanded our ministry to the reservations in and around Phoenix and put into motion plans to add an LIM missionary on the Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska. Because of your faithful ministry in prayer and giving, many Native American people are coming to know Jesus as their healer, their hope… their salvation.
Now, with your help, we are poised to end this year strong!
Generous friends of Lutheran Indian Ministries have offered to match your gift during this month of thanksgiving, meaning your gift in November can go twice as far!
Between now and November 30th, our benefactors will match all gifts, up to $23,500. You have the opportunity to double the impact of your gift to help our missionaries proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
More than ever, Native people need the resources Lutheran Indian Ministries provides to pull them from the deep, dark hole of despair, in which too many of them live, and to walk alongside them towards of Light of eternal life which is Christ, Jesus. Your gift to our ministry enables us to do that.
Vicar Rick McCafferty (Inupiaq), serving on the front lines of our healing ministry, recently shared:
“The people we meet every day in the mission field are hungry and hurting, and they are ready for us! We have a huge job ahead of us, but we have a God who never fails!”
As you gather with loved ones at Thanksgiving, please remember Lutheran Indian Ministries in your prayers and the precious souls we have been called to help lead to the grace of God, through Jesus Christ.
Together we pray and give thanks to our God who never fails. I simply can’t overstate my thankfulness to God for bringing us together in this mission partnership and pray you will be inspired by our generous friends in Native ministry to make a gift in both thanksgiving, for those the Holy Spirit has reached this past year, and in supplication that these gifts would help us reach those we have yet to meet.
Our number one goal in ministry is to share the saving love of Christ with our Native brothers and sisters. You can help us reach that goal with your gift, today. Na-Wa-i-ri! I pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you always in His tender and loving care!
In Him,
Tim Young Eagle (Pawnee)
P.S. Remember, the matching gift challenge expires on November 30.
Your prompt response will be matched to provide twice the support for the hope and healing of Native American peoples through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Please consider a year-end gift today and your gift will be doubled thanks to a generous matching gift!
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