Holiday Hurts

I love the holidays.  I especially enjoy thankgiving as it is not too overblown with all the hype of other holidays such as Christmas.  There is much to enjoy about thanksgiving such as turkey, family and football.  I enjoyed some great times today doing all the above. 

We had a thanksgiving feast today at our friends, Ken and Trina Jones.  We invited all those from our church, www.IndyMetro.org , who did not have a place to have thanksgving.  I picked up a lady from the Barton Tower, an apartment building across from where our church.  We regularly minister to people in that building.  But this lady just moved into the Barton Tower in August and began attending our church a few months back.  One of the ways we minister there is through a monthlty gathering and this is how she found out about our church.

Anyway she was sharing her story with me as we drove to our thanksgiving feast.  She told me she has two children and she has not seen or even spoke with them for a long time.  She told me that one of them has special needs and was given up by her father and was now adopted by another family.  As she told me this I could see the hurt in her eyes.  I can’t imagine the pain and especially on a holiday such as today that is suppose to be spent with your children.

Another regular of Indy Metro Church who lives in the Barton Tower has a son whom she has been searching for for years.  Her sons birthday is in November and this is a very painful time of year for her.

My heart hurts for my own brother who is away from home today on Thanksgiving and whos birthday is tommorrow.  He is dealing with some difficult struggles at this stage in his life also!

This is only a few of the hurts of many people in my life.  There is so much hurt and so many people that need to know they are loved.  These hurts are magnified during these times of year that are suppose to be spent with family! I just hope and pray we can be the church to those who are hurting. 

During this time of year when you celebrate with family and friends, remember those who are without family and friends and are hurting.  Remember and invite them into your life to be the church to them!