As the weather cools and we move into the shorter days of autumn, I always think of how much I appreciate the change of seasons. God is at work in nature, and although I will miss the summer the changes remind me of how happy I will be to see it again next year.
Gratitude and giving thanks is a common current that runs throughout all we do at the Mission. I don’t just mean the gratitude that we see in the faces of those we help, or even verbal acknowledgements of thanks. It also means giving thanks to God for what we are given, be it a blessing or a test.
It can be easy to let hardships compound and weigh you down. It can be easy to get discouraged, but I challenge myself to appreciate each one, because they build strength and renew our sense of purpose.
An accidental fire in March and the destruction of our outreach van could have been disastrous. However as a result, the community rallied around us, not only providing a new van but helping to fund the construction of a courtyard. Here is an outdoor space where the homeless can feel safe and spend the day without facing confrontation by police and business owners.
This year, I am thankful for my beautiful family, for my health, but most of all for the kindness of people in our community. Whether they donate, or volunteer, or even just reach out to someone who needs it, they are making what we do possible, and facilitating positive change in people’s lives.
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 2—Corinthians 9:11-12
Blessings,
Randy Benson
Executive Director