Susan Nikitenko Owner
A Prayer for Our Church
Lord God,
We thank You for the gift of our church—a place of refuge, worship, and fellowship.
You have planted us here with purpose, and we ask for Your Spirit to dwell richly among us.
Strengthen our leaders with wisdom and grace.
Renew our hearts with compassion and courage.
Let our worship be sincere, our teaching be true, and our outreach be bold.
Where there is weariness, bring rest.
Where there is division, sow peace.
Where there is doubt, shine Your light.
Make us a people who love deeply, serve joyfully, and walk humbly with You.
Let our church be a beacon of hope, a sanctuary of healing, and a testimony of Your goodness.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
🙏 Prayer of Thanksgiving and Comfort
Heavenly Father,
we thank You for the gift of this season — for family, for friends, for the blessings seen and unseen. We are grateful for the laughter around the table, the warmth of fellowship, and the daily mercies that remind us of Your love. Even in simple things — a shared meal, a kind word, a quiet moment — we see Your goodness shining.
Yet, Lord, we remember those who cannot join the celebration because of sickness, sorrow, or pain. We lift them before You, asking for Your healing touch, Your peace that passes understanding, and Your presence that comforts in the night. Teach us to be merciful, to weep with those who weep, and to carry one another’s burdens in love. May Your light shine in every heart, and may gratitude and hope rise even in the midst of trials.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thanksgiving Afterglow
The dishes are washed, the pies are crumbs, and the laughter has quieted into memory. But in the hush that follows Thanksgiving, something sacred remains — a glow not from candles or ovens, but from hearts that have remembered what matters. Gratitude doesn’t end with the meal; it begins there. It stretches into the ordinary days, lighting them with the warmth of shared stories, humble prayers, and the quiet joy of enough.
In this afterglow, we see more clearly: the miracle of breath, the gift of family, the grace of second chances. Thanksgiving is not a holiday — it’s a posture. And when we carry it forward, we become living echoes of the goodness we celebrated. The table may be cleared, but the spirit of thanks lingers, glowing softly in every act of kindness, every whispered prayer, every moment we choose to see beauty instead of lack.
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Blessed Are the Merciful – Weep with Those Who Weep
Mercy is more than a kind act; it is the heart of Christ beating within us. When we choose compassion, we reflect the Savior who forgave freely and loved deeply. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7, KJV). Mercy is not weakness but strength — the strength to forgive, to embrace, and to lift others when they cannot stand alone.
And mercy is never silent. It listens, it feels, it weeps. Paul reminds us to “weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15, KJV). To share another’s sorrow is to honor their humanity and to echo Christ’s own tears at Lazarus’ tomb. In this holiday season, when joy and pain often mingle, let us be merciful enough to laugh with those who rejoice and tender enough to weep with those who grieve. In doing so, we become living witnesses of Emmanuel — God with us.
🌟 ✝ 💧 ✝ 🌟 Blessed Are the Merciful 🌟 ✝ 💧 ✝ 🌟
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Encouragement for the Sick at Thanksgiving
Even when illness keeps you from the table or the celebration, the spirit of Thanksgiving can still fill your heart. Gratitude is not limited to feasts or gatherings — it is found in the quiet moments when you feel God’s nearness, in the kindness of those who care for you, and in the hope that tomorrow can be brighter. Your presence, even in weakness, is a gift to those who love you.
The holidays remind us that joy is not measured by strength or circumstance, but by faith. Just as the shepherds came weary yet rejoicing to the manger, you too carry a testimony of courage and belief. Even in sickness, you shine with the light of Christ, showing that gratitude and hope are stronger than pain. May this season bring you peace, comfort, and the assurance that you are deeply loved and never alone.
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Christmas Bulletin Story
One snowy Christmas Eve in 1914, during the First World War, weary soldiers on both sides of the trenches laid down their weapons and began to sing “Silent Night.” The haunting hymn carried across the battlefield, and soon voices joined together in harmony. Men who had been enemies only hours before stepped out into the cold night, shook hands, exchanged small gifts, and even played a game of football. In that moment, the power of believing in peace and hope overcame fear and division. It was a glimpse of heaven breaking into earth — a reminder that the birth of Christ brings light even into the darkest places.
Christmas teaches us that believing is not naïve, but courageous. The shepherds believed the angel’s message and ran to the manger. Mary believed the impossible promise and carried the Savior of the world. And those soldiers believed, if only for one night, that love was stronger than war. The true story of Christmas is that faith transforms chaos into harmony, despair into joy, and enemies into brothers. When we choose to believe, we open our hearts to miracles — and we see Christ born anew in us.
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10 Life Quotes That Apply to This Story
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” — Charles R. Swindoll
Like the cheesecake shoe, it’s not the mishap but the joyful reaction that people remember.
“God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.” — Unknown
Even crooked halos and forgotten lines can be used by Him to bless others.
“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” — Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)
The laughter over invisible fire and cheesecake shoes was healing joy for the whole audience.
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)
The candle’s weakness became the stage for God’s strength to shine.
“Joy is not in things; it is in us.” — Richard Wagner
The program wasn’t perfect because of props, but because of the children’s joy.
“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” — Ernest Hemingway
Every program, like life, is practice — and God is the true Master who makes it whole.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” — Romans 8:28 (KJV)
Even cheesecake mishaps and crooked halos worked together for good that night.
“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” — Henry Ford
The candle blooper became a chance to improvise with invisible fire and laughter.
“The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” — John 1:5 (KJV)
Even when the LED candle refused to glow, God’s true Light was present.
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” — Vince Lombardi
The children didn’t deliver perfection, but they caught excellence in joy, unity, and faith.
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