Thanksgiving is not a spiritual exercise. It’s not just a commandment to be obeyed or a duty and obligation. It is not a worldly holiday tradition or religious activity, but it is the outflow of a heart that is filled with God’s goodness and has learned to see God in every circumstance of life.

Cleveland, TN–The Dixon Pentecostal Research Center recently presented the Spirit of Azusa Award to Dr. Paul L. Walker, former General Overseer for the Church of God. The award presentation and a reception honoring Dr. and Mrs. Walker followed the 12th Annual Azusa Lecture on November 24 at the North Cleveland Church of God Dixon Chapel.

On Sunday evening, November 19, 2017, Margaret Gaines went to sleep in her home in Pell City, Alabama, and awoke in her heavenly home. The veteran missionary had a deep devotion to Christ, a love for the Arabs, and a passionate desire to serve God and to please Him regardless of the cost.

Nominations continue to come to be received from all over the country for the Longest Married Couple Project sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith-based marriage enrichment program in this country. The project honors one national winner and winners from each of the 50 states and U.S. territories.

The 24th Annual National Conference of the Ukrainian Church of God was held in October in Svyatogorsk. With an emphasis on the health of pastoral marriages, much time in the seminars was dedicated to maintaining healthy relationships. Additional time was given to enjoy the mountain scenery and the nearby ancient monastery. The evening services encouraged the delegates to continue the good work of evangelism and discipleship—reminding that some plant, others water, but it is God who gives the increase.

One day before Museum of the Bible opened to the public, a diverse group of faith and secular leaders from around the world gathered at the eight-story, 430,000-square-foot museum in Washington to dedicate the newest museum in the nation’s capital in front of a standing-room-only crowd.

Following several years of researching ancient, medieval, and modern-day records, genealogist Rob Faw uncovered Adam’s birthdate to show humanity’s connections throughout history. His research reveals a 144-generation connection that confirms a lineage beginning with Adam, Eve and God and moves onward to Queen Elizabeth II.

Leaders of the Church of God ceremoniously signed a Memorandum of Agreement recently to transfer the Church of God Chaplaincy and Care Center in Oradea, Romania to the Pentecostal Theological Institute in Bucharest, Romania.

Last week I was preaching in Canada, and my hotel was only two miles from the host church. But it took almost 30 minutes to drive that short distance because road construction crews in Toronto had blocked all but one lane in a major intersection. Orange traffic cones were everywhere. Traffic was at a standstill.