All right now, if we're honest, reading the Bible consistently can be a challenge, but it's never

too late to start, and we're in this together. This is the Join the Journey podcast.

Thanks for joining. My name is Lauren Atkinson on the Join the Staff team, and it is Thanksgiving

week. I hope you guys are getting ready to spend time with

family, getting all the prep in for Thanksgiving meals and getting ready to watch tons of

football. Whether you're hosting at your home or traveling to be with family, the importance of

this week can easily get lost in all of the logistics to make it happen. And in a holiday

where the goal is to emphasize thankfulness, it can be easy to focus on productivity or even

image. Did we check off every Thanksgiving tradition with the perfect meal, decorations,

turkey trot and game set list? or are our houses ready to be immediately

flipped for Christmas right after? Or maybe this week just highlights that there's an empty

seat at the dinner table that you wish was still filled by someone in your life. Thanksgiving

week can bring up a lot of things for all of us other than just being thankful.

And today we're in Psalm 147, which is a psalm that speaks to that, and it propels us to

thankfulness despite what our circumstances look like. It's a Psalm of praise, not simply because

of good things going on in life or material things we're grateful for, like

family or the ability to travel, good food, and all the things that come with Thanksgiving.

But those are good things that change.

They're not always constant.

Every year can look different.

This psalm shows us that the ultimate cause for Thanksgiving, not just the holiday, but giving thanks, is the one

who does not change. He is always good. He's always faithful and present, intentional, and loving.

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