Hopefully I’m not too late to join the Thanksgiving chorus and I can throw in a quick message of gratitude for my local church. About this time last year I was wrestling with some difficult issues relating to problems at my church. I loved the people there and much of what went on there, but after much prayer, counsel, and consideration, I decided I needed to leave.

By God’s grace I wasn’t in that awkward place of seeking a new church home for very long. Evangel’s own Fred Sanders was preaching at his church, Grace EV Free in La Mirada, CA, and I decided to go support my friend while checking out the church. Thankfully, I never had to look at any other church.

Grace EV Free is a place of deep fellowship, discipleship and worship. Looking over the past year as I’ve attended and become involved in a Grace Group (small group) there have been so many blessings through Grace that I can’t begin to count them. Every elder serves with strong humility that flows throughout the congregation as we grow in understanding of the gospel and what it means for our lives. In the coming months I’ll be stepping into a formal role to serve the body of Christ at Grace, so I’ll no doubt have much more to be thankful next year. But even now I have so much to be thankful for through Grace that it brings tears to my eyes. Thank you, Father, for such a beautiful manifestation of your Son’s bride.

PS- Grace just released a new Christmas album called “So Much Joy” that’s fairly awesome. Listen to it at www.SongsofGrace.org.