10 Things I'm Thanking God For This Thanksgiving
By Joel Settecase / 25 November, 2021
Joel Settecase shares things that he is grateful for this year, in hope that it will inspire your own gratitude toward God.
Thanksgiving: A Holiday At The Crossroads
Thanksgiving is a holiday that sits at the crossroads of American culture and Christian worship, and (unlike its December cousin) has not been all-but-completely commercialized.
Thanksgiving is one day of the year when everyone—native-born and immigrant, Christian and skeptic, conservative and leftist alike—pause to reflect on all the abundant blessings they have received and give thanks for them. Some of the aforementioned groups do so more consistently than others, of course, but pointing that out is the purpose of another article, like this one from the Colson Center..
Of course it only makes sense to give thanks if you believe God is there, which makes this a great holiday for apologetics opportunities, as well!)
So, whereas the Think Institute is a Christian organization, and whereas we have much to be thankful for in 2021, be it hereby resolved that we are thankful for the following 10 things.
The List
Our New Studio. We recently changed relocated to the bottom level of our home, and the studio is not only fully equipped for podcasting, but also adjacent to what is arguably the most epic basement bar in the Tri-Cities. Perfect for gatherings and conversations. God is gracious.
Books. The library continues to grow with titles from some of the greatest Christian thinkers from the past and present, writing on topics that matter.
Our New, Sharpened Ministry Focus. We’re here to help men lead their families in answering current cultural challenges with timeless, biblical truth—a focus we arrived at after much prayer and thought.
The Grace Pointe Plainfield Men’s Ministry. I had the distinct pleasure of teaching an Apologetics of Jesus and Paul class at Grace Pointe Plainfield this year.
Ministry Partners. Our team of likeminded supporters share our vision, cover us in prayer and help keep our ministry funded and our family fed through their generous giving.
The Brothers of the Hammer & Anvil Society. The men who have completed courses through the Think Institute’s applied discipleship wing continue to encourage me.
Signal. This messaging app is the home of the ThinkSquad chat group, double-encryption adding a level of security to the ongoing philosophical discussion happening in there.
The Tri-Cities Enrichment Co-op. I have been teaching my new apologetics curriculum for 8th – 12th graders there. The students are intelligent and a lot of fun to teach.
Podcast Guests and Co-Hosts. In the last 12 months, I have had rich, inspiring and educational discussions with 34 different guests, co-hosts, and even my wife Aliza and our kids (have you heard their Catakids! episodes?).
The Bible. Without God’s inerrant, perfect word, we’d all be up a creek. Holy Scripture contains the Good News about Salvation and is the sound foundation upon which the Think Institute and my own life are established.
This List Could Have Been (A Lot) Longer.
There are many, many more things I could have mentioned (for example, I could go on and on about how much my wife and number-one supporter Aliza means to me and what an incredible gift from the Lord she is).
This is just a small sampling of all the things—seen and unseen—that God has given over the last year.
Thanksgiving and the Good News
James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” And the greatest gift God ever gave was His own Son, Jesus Christ.
Just like the Pilgrims we remember on Thanksgiving felt lost in a hostile land, facing death—and they would have died if God hadn’t provided—so we too need help, because apart from His grace we are all facing death. The Bible says “The soul who sins shall die” (Ez 18:20), and we “all have sinned” (Ro 3:23). Yet that wasn’t the end of the story. “while we still sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro 5:8).
God raised Jesus to life and seated Him on the throne in Heaven. God provided salvation for us! Now everyone who trusts in Him will be saved and have everlasting life
I hope this list inspires you to think about what you can thank the Lord for this year. Why not take a minute right now and express your gratitude?