Prayer of Thanks

With just a day and a half before we shut down to celebrate the things we are grateful for with dear family and friends, we have already shared more than 700 Thanksgiving meals with families who are struggling this holiday season to make ends meet. Today and tomorrow we will serve another 100 or so families which is a miracle in itself as just a few weeks ago, there was just one frozen turkey in the NAM freezer but the community heard the call and rose to the occasion.

So it is only fitting and just that we at NAM give thanks to all those generous volunteers, donors and hard working NAM staff that have chosen to participate in the time honored NAM tradition of Neighbors Helping Neighbors. I offer the following prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity to serve here at NAM. We ask your blessing on all those who share their time, talents and treasures to make our work possible. We ask you to let their light shine so that others may see their example. For they truly know, it is in the giving that we receive.

We ask you to give patience and strength to those who are struggling and we thank you for a generous, loving community that knows the importance of NAM that has been a beacon of hope to thousands throughout the years.

We are a nation that is still struggling to recover from this latest economic downturn which has created hardships and despair for so many. Even though we are hurting, we are resolved to do what is good, and right, and just. We know that in serving others, we are serving You. We also know that despite the hard times, we have much to be grateful for in our country.

Help us to remember what it means to be Americans, a people endowed with abundant blessings. Help us to cherish the freedoms we enjoy and inspire us to stand with courage, united as one Nation in the midst of any adversity.

Lord, accept our praise and thanks for your steadfast love. Lord, may you bless the meals we share this Thanksgiving in the name of the Father whose love sustains us and of the Holy Spirit, whose guidance maintains us, we ask a blessing on this meal.



Amen.