Philippians 1:3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It’s a sweet time spent with family. A time to gather around the table, reflect on all of our blessings, share what we are each thankful for, and enjoy our time together while eating delicious food.

Ladies, I encourage each of you to spend quality time with your families and treasure these precious moments with your loved ones. This is what Thanksgiving is all about. Growing up, I was blessed to have loving parents who always made the holiday seasons an unforgettable experience. My mom and dad would always start prepping our Thanksgiving feast the evening before. My dad would season the turkey, prepare the stuffing, and other side dishes while my mom made her signature sweet potato pies. Oh, how I miss those days. I remember just spending time with my parents and our family on Thanksgiving. It was never about rushing to the mall in order to take advantage of a pre-black Friday deal. Thanksgiving is meant to be a day well spent with your loved ones around the table sharing what each of you are thankful for. Aside from our Lord and Savior, the next greatest gift is the love and presence of family. Ladies, each day is not promised, so choose wisely and make a strong effort to spend time with your families. Retail stores and shopping centers will always be around, but none of us can guarantee that our loved ones will. So cherish your family moments and don’t take them for granted.

My parents are both with the Lord now, but they modeled an example of how Thanksgiving should be spent. By God’s grace, I’ve been carrying on their tradition with my immediate family here in L.A. My prayer is that I will continue to follow this tradition when the Lord blesses me with a family of my own. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that black Friday shopping is a curse. I’m simply stating to keep things in their proper perspective. Enjoy and spend quality time with your families on Thanksgiving Day and shop on Friday instead. 🛍 Our culture has commercialized it so much that stores are now open on Thanksgiving Day. This is part of the enemy’s plan to divide and rob us of our family time. Ladies, don’t be deceived. Don’t fall prey to his tactics.

John 10:10a A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. (HCSB)

Make the most of your Thanksgiving holiday by offering up a special thanks to God for all of His wonderful blessings, what He has done for you and will continue to do while enjoying rich fellowship with your families.

Psalm 100:4-5 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations.