During the dark days of the United States depression a group of pastors had gathered together in a restaurant. Among them was the evangelist William Stidger. They were talking about the detrimental effects that the depression was having in their church and community.
A minister in the group said, "I have to preach a sermon on
Thanksgiving Day. I want to say something affirmative, but what can I say at a
time like this?"
As the minister spoke, Stidger said it was like the
Spirit of God spoke to him: "Why don't you give thanks to those people who
have been a blessing in your life and affirm them during this terrible
time?" He thought about a schoolteacher very dear to him, who had gone out
of her way to put a great love of literature and verse in him. It affected all
his writings and his preaching. So he
sat down and wrote to her.
It was only days until he got
a reply in a feeble scrawl. "My Dear Willy" -- Stidger says at that
time he was 50, and no one had called him Willy for a long time, so just the
opening sentence warmed his heart.
Here's the letter:
"My Dear Willy: I can't
tell you how much your note meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a
small room, cooking my own meals, lonely, and like the last leaf of autumn
lingering behind." Listen to this sentence, will you? "You'll be
interested to know that I taught in school for more than fifty years, and yours
is the first note of appreciation I ever received. It came on a blue, cold
morning, and it cheered me as nothing has done in many years."
Stidger says, "I'm not sentimental, but I
found myself weeping over that note." Then he thought of a kindly bishop, who had recently retired and who had recently faced the death of his wife. He was now was all alone.
This bishop had given him advice and counsel and love when he first began his
ministry. So he sat down and wrote the old bishop. In two days a reply came
back.
"My Dear Will: Your letter
was so beautiful, so real, that as I sat reading it in my study, tears fell
from my eyes, tears of gratitude. Before I realized what I was doing, I rose
from my chair and I called her name to share it with her, forgetting she was
gone. You'll never know how much your letter has warmed my spirit. I have been
walking around in the glow of your letter all day long."
We can never under estimate
what a simple thought of kindness can do in the life of someone who has touched
our lives or we care about. In these days leading up to Thanksgiving, think of someone who has impacted your life and write them a note expressing your gratitude for the imprint their life has had on you.
Have a Happy
Thanksgiving! - RLE
THINGS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ….
FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP: Create a bookmark on your device for the online
LifeWay Church Resources 2017-18 catalog - http://www.lifeway.com/LifeWay-Christian-Resources/Y/c/N-1z141jlZ1z10gjr
FOR DISCIPLESHIP: “The Three Ways to Disciple Someone” - http://www.lifeway.com/groupministry/2017/10/02/the-three-ways-to-disciple-someone/?ecid=131458159&bid=1098774113
FOR DISCIPLESHIP: The Balanced Discipleship
Plan: A Catalog of Studies to Develop Disciples - http://ministry-group.s3.amazonaws.com/groupministry/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2017/05/74038_At_A_Glance_FINAL.pdf
FOR
DISCIPLESHIP: Pray Like This by Steve Gaines - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/pray-like-this?emid=BH-95617-1-2017&ecid=PDM71821&bid=1056511677
FOR SMALL GROUP MINISTRY: Free “How to Lead a Small Group” workbook - http://www.lifeway.com/groupministry/2017/07/31/how-to-lead-a-small-group-free-workbook/?ecid=PDM57450&bid=1004181173
FOR WOMEN’S MINISTRY: “10 Ways to
Encourage Discussion in Bible Study” - http://www.lifeway.com/womensministry/2017/10/20/ten-ways-to-encourage-discussion-in-bible-study/
FOR WOMEN’S MINISTRY: She Reads Truth - http://www.lifeway.com/Keyword/she+reads+truth
FOR WOMEN’S MINISTRY: 2018 Events calendar - http://blog.lifeway.com/womenallaccess/2017/08/08/announcing-2018-events/?ecid=PDM57450&bid=1004181173
FOR MEN’S
MINISTRY: Audio CD Devotions for Men on the move - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/devotions-for-men-audio-cds-P005632528
FOR MEN’S
MINISTRY: 33 the Series - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/33-The-Series?intcmp=33-the-series-erdr-314
FOR MEN’S
MINISTRY: Family: Leading a Family by Kenny Luck - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/family-leading-a-family-dvd-leader-kit-P005469698
FOR STUDENT MINISTRY: New resources for True Love Waits - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/True-Love-Waits?intcmp=LifewayStudents-MTX-ButtonHero-TLW-20140613
FOR STUDENT MINISTRY: D’Now resources - http://www.lifeway.com/Keyword/D'Now
FOR STUDENT
MINISTRY: My 8: Embrace and Engage the Wonder of Evangelism by Ed Newton - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/my-8-embrace-and-engage-the-wonder-of-evangelism-leader-kit-P005737563
FOR PRETEEN MINISTRY: FLYTE, a curriculum
for preteens and recommended by preteens - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/FLYTE?intcmp=LifewayKids-MTX-Image-FlytePreteen-20151001
FOR KIDS MINISTRY: 2018 Georgia Kids Ministry Summit, February 1 –
2 - https://gabaptistgroups.org/2018-kids-ministry-summit/?utm_content=buffer4adf9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
FOR KIDS MINISTRY: “5 Biggest Influencers on Your Child’s
Spiritual Health” by Eric Geiger - https://ericgeiger.com/2017/10/research-reveals-the-5-biggest-influencers-on-your-childs-spiritual-health/
FOR KIDS MINISTRY: ZIP for Kids,
an adaptable curriculum for Wednesdays, Day Camps, retreats, anytime! - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/Zip-For-Kids?intcmp=LifewayKids-MTX-Image-ZipForKids-20151001
FOR KIDS MINISTRY: TeamKID for Kids in
Discipleship, a year’s curriculum for discipling kids - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/TeamKID?intcmp=LifewayKids-MTX-Image-TeamKid-20151001
