“[they] did not honor God or give thanks....” Romans 1:21 (NIV) Dear Friends, Lately I’ve been reflecting on how easily our hearts drift when we stop practicing gratitude. Scripture warns us of this. In Romans 1:21, Paul says that when people “did not honor God or give thanks,” their hearts became darkened. Ingratitude isn’t just a moment of forgetfulness — it slowly reshapes the way we see God, ourselves, and the world around us. When we stop giving thanks, our hearts grow restless. Fear replaces trust. Complaining replaces worship. We start to believe we don’t have enough, or worse, that God isn’t enough. Gratitude is the antidote — a spiritual anchor that restores joy, softens our hearts, and brings our focus back to God’s faithfulness. Even one moment of recognizing His goodness can recalibrate everything. We see this all the time in the teens and families we serve. When they identify even a single blessing — an answered prayer, a caring friend, a moment of peace — hope begins to grow again. Gratitude opens the door for God to work in their hearts. And so today, I want to thank you. Your prayers, support, and generosity help us continue sharing Christ’s love with youth who desperately need it. Because of you, lives are being shaped by the hope found in Jesus. Without you, and God’s love, we can do nothing. As we move forward in this season of “Thanksgiving,” may we all choose gratitude daily — keeping our hearts tender, joyful, and attentive to God’s goodness. Blessings in Christ, Pastor Jim Kilby

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (James 1:7) Friends, I was over at the thrift store recently and overheard a customer chatting with the cashier as she checked out. The conversation was full of gratitude as she shared how many times she’s been able to find — and afford — beautiful things there. What a blessing for me to hear! One of the goals of Second Harvest is to provide our community with quality (and beautiful!) items at reasonable, affordable prices. Mission accomplished. Of course, there is always more to it, isn’t there? God has been so faithful this past year to remind me how He loves to give us good and perfect gifts, beautiful things if you will. He delights in showing His love in ways we could never imagine. I’ve seen it when a friend texted, “God said this was the one — do it right now,” after an urgent rent request was posted online. I’ve seen it in gifts of household basics and warm coats stacked high in my office for a momma of eight who is starting over with almost nothing. I’ve seen it in a grocery pick-up that fed a family for a week. I’ve seen it in bus passes, appliances, kitchen tables, shoes… and as I type this, my eyes fill with tears remembering each of these moments and how we were able to say, “And also — Jesus loves you.” YOU made that possible. Thank you for being part of the beautiful things God is giving our community — gifts that reflect the generosity of Jesus Himself. Blessings, Elizabeth Kilby

"Red Alert, Red Alert!" Imagine you're the captain of a sailing vessel and those ominous words wake you out of a deep sleep. As you jump to grab your radio monitor to investigate what the problem is all the worst case scenarios are running through your head. "What's the emergency?" you ask, and the answer sets you back onto your bunk... "We've sprung a huge leak captain. The bilge pumps can't keep up--we're taking on water fast." As you ask how much time you have left all the possible solutions screaming through your mind are all focused on accomplishing one thing--you've got to stop that water from coming in... Now, imagine you're the God of the Universe (or maybe a pastor, or a parent). You watch as your precious children learn to surf the web for pornography, or begin to flirt with homosexuality, or start building destructive relationships in their lives. The list could go on and on, but the answer is still the same... you've got to stop and do what you can to stop the flow of filth because you know what it will do! They'll stop reading their Bible soon, and then they'll stop praying. Quickly they'll ignore input from godly friends, possibly even trying to drag them down too! You beg them to turn as you present them with the truth, but the damage is already being done so quickly. Will Satan destroy their witness? What will be left of their real God-given personalities once the heart has been flooded with sin. Will another group of hopeful saints become utterly worthless to the Church you love so much? "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Have you ever been really irritated at someone and then after some time went by you felt foolish for being so easily bothered? What about being really angry? Have you ever been angry one moment and then almost forgot what you were angry about in the next? When I look back over the years I can see countless incidents where I wish I had been less easily frustrated. And even the times when my ire was justified, I often wonder if it was the other person's fault as much as it was my prideful heart! At any rate, it's easy to lose focus when we're only focused on ourselves and our "rights." If we're not careful, we'll lose focus on the church, our once close friends, our families, and even the Lord. If you've been irritated at someone or something for far too long, today could be the day healing starts. Even if you've been wronged terribly, remember that God was wronged even worse by us. All that and He went all the way to the cross to regain our relationship. "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,'[a Hebrew term for fool] is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 5:22-24)  Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

Just about everyone has seen one or two of the movies that dramatise the accounts of God using Moses to free His people from slavery in Egypt. Do you remember how quickly they started to complain and how they told Moses they wished they were back in Egypt? It's easy to look at them and think that sounds ridiculous, but I wonder if we don't often do the same thing today. God saves us from ourselves through His Son's blood... then within days, hours, or sometimes even minutes, the enemy gives us something tough to deal with and we start recanting our faith in Christ! "I'm not a Christian anymore!" some will say. Or, "I was better off before I prayed to God!" Does that not sound like returning to slavery to you? And I wonder... have you returned to Egypt in your heart? The Jews didn't turn around and go back because God (through Moses) kept things moving forward, but they did spend the next 40 years in the desert because of their unfaithfulness. They DID, however, return to Egypt in their hearts... and that was where the real damage was done--they were slaves all over again--but this time to something worse. Their own sin! "But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him AND IN THEIR HEARTS TURNED BACK TO EGYPT." Acts 7:39 (Emphasis mine) Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I'm generally described as a "big tough guy" (getting bigger daily if you know what I mean), but the other day I was brought to tears by the gentle whisper of a young friend. She means a lot to me because I was used by God to lead her to Christ many years ago, and today God's love came full-circle through her. She saw me across the isle at church, walked over and whispered that she'd taken a position working with handicapped young people at a local university. I congratulated her and then she stopped me, saying, "I met someone there who knows you! She even carries a picture of you and her together in her wallet!" I couldn't believe that anyone beyond my mother or grandmother would even think of carrying my picture! Not only does God use us in ways we can never imagine, but He speaks through us with His Spirit and as we grow to look more like Him, He can do amazing things through us. So... even my soft-hearted subscribers are probably wondering why such a simple thing made me cry. Well, even though the story of the young woman was moving, at that very moment I also realized that if Jesus has a wallet, He's got a picture of me and Him in it. Not only that, it's a picture He cherishes... and it's right next to the one of Him and YOU! "No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God." Jesus of Nazareth (John 16:27) Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

I don't have my head in the sand about my kids and their ability to sin, but when a neighborhood kid with some baggage of his own came up to me and accused one of my children of something pretty serious, I knew he was lying. So, I promptly looked him in the eyes and told him so! And how did I know? Because I know my children intimately, and although they've all done things that I wouldn't approve of, I know their character well enough to know where they draw the line. Besides that, my child had already come to me and explained what really happend. Not to mention that the accuser had a clear motive in trying to get out of trouble for something he had done. At any rate, if there's something a father really hates, it's a trouble-maker accusing one of his children of something they didn't do. And that's the way God sees it, too! If you are His child, then He simply won't hear anything about it when Satan, the accuser, comes to smear dirt on your good name. Even if you have blown it, God is not surprised and is ready and willing to forgive--just bring the truth to His feet and you'll pull the rug out from under the accuser before He can even speak! "Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down." Revelation 12:10 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate

As my family and I celebrate Thanksgiving this year, we give thanks for all of you, and what God has chosen to do through this ministry. May we all continue to be grateful for His awesome grace! A friend left this acrostic on my desk sometime ago, and I would like to share it with you once again as Today's "Thought4Today." The first letter in each verse goes together to form the word, "THANKSGIVING". THANKSGIVING T ake heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. (Colossians 4:17) H aving therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of god. (2 Corinthians 7:1) A dd to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity. (2 Peter 1:5-7) N eglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. (1 Timothy 4:14) K eep ourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 21) S anctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. (1 Peter 3:15) G od is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:10) I f ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7) V erily, verily I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that send me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24) I n him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Acts 17:28) N ow ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3) G ive, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38) Source Unknown Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate