James C. Mathews

1110 Grand Pass

Canyon Lake, Texas 78133

(830) 906-2996

[email protected]

November 25, 2008

To my adopted family in Christ Jesus:

This has been a great year.  Even though things have not always gone the way I would have liked for them to go, I am thankful to God for all that He has done for me and my family.  I am taking this time to Thank God personally, because I haven’t always thanked Him when I should have been giving Him praise with everything that is within me. 

I thank God for what I am, and I thank God for what I am not.  I thank Him for what I have, and I thank him for the things I do not have.  I thank Him for my being, and my existence.  God is just an awesome God.

When you sit at your table this Thanksgiving day, there are some things that you should know. 

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare, even in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.

If you can read this letter, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and further more, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

As you can see, you are truly blessed.  Just to be adopted into God’s family is Good News.  Look at how He sent His only Son into this mean and unforgiving world, just for you and me. 

Take a few minutes to thank God for His grace and mercy.  Then, it won’t hurt to just silently sing Amazing grace.

1.                  Amazing grace-how sweet the sound-That saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see.

2.                  Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved, How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!

3.                  Thru many dangers, toils and snares I have already come; ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

4.                  When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.

May God richly bless and keep you is my prayer. 

I’m thankful to have you as a friend,

James C. Mathews,

God’s servant