Series Description:
This Thanksgiving season, we’re slowing down to see what God’s been doing all along.

Grateful isn’t just about saying “thank you” — it’s about discovering grace in every corner of your story. From the table where Jesus gave thanks before the cross, to the moments we learn to sing through our own battles, this two-week series will remind you that gratitude isn’t a reaction — it’s a revelation.

When you finally see how much grace God has already poured into your life, you can’t help but live grateful.

Join us as we rediscover the beauty of grace, the power of thanksgiving, and the joy of living with hearts full of what we never could have earned.

Message Description:
This Sunday, we’re launching a new two-week series called Grateful — and it starts with a message that will open your eyes to what God’s been doing behind the scenes in your life.

In “The Grace You’ve Been Looking For,” you’ll discover:
✅ How to see God’s hand in your past instead of your pain
✅ Why Jesus gave thanks before the cross — and what that means for you today
✅ Simple ways to live in daily gratitude that brings freedom, peace, and joy
✅ How Communion reminds us that God’s grace isn’t just a story — it’s something we can experience right now

No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve walked through, there’s a seat for you at the table of grace.

Key words: Fasting, Faith, Prayer, Grateful, Thanksgiving, Communion

“Grateful” - comes from the Latin root gratus, which means:
“pleasing, thankful, favorable, agreeable.”

THANKSGIVING is born out of grace:
- “to give thanks.” …eucharisteo (εὐχαριστέω)
- word for grace is charis (χάρις) — unearned favor

The early church called the Lord’s Supper the “Eucharist” — meaning "thanksgiving."

TALK IT OVER

1. Trusting God’s Victory Over Your Defeats
- Psalm 20 was sung before battle; Psalm 21 was sung after victory.
Why do you think David wrote his thank-you song before he saw the win?
- What “battle” in your life do you need to start singing victory over right now — even before it’s finished?

2. The Grace You’ve Been Looking For
- “Grateful” comes from gratus—meaning “thankful for favor received.”
When was the last time you truly recognized God’s grace at work in your life?
- What’s one way you’ve seen God working behind the scenes — something you didn’t notice until later?

3. Grace Before Gratitude
- Scripture says charis (grace) is what God gives, and eucharisteo (thanksgiving) is how we respond.
How could your daily rhythm change if gratitude became your first response to grace?
- Jesus gave thanks before the suffering of the cross.
What would it look like to thank God before the breakthrough instead of just after it?

4. Remembering His Grace, Not Our Guilt
- Jesus told us to “do this in remembrance of Me.”
What’s the difference between remembering your sin and remembering your Savior?
- How does Communion invite us to bring the past into the present — not to relive shame, but to re-experience grace?

5. Set Apart for God’s Purpose
- 2 Timothy 2:20 says those who keep themselves pure become “useful to the Master.”
What’s one thing God may be asking you to let go of so He can use you more fully?
- How would your week look different if you believed God could still do something special through your story?

6. Write Your Song of Thanksgiving
- David wrote victory psalms before the battle.
If you were to write a “Psalm of Thanksgiving” today, what would the first line say?
- Who in your life needs to hear that song — to see gratitude lived out before their eyes?

7. The Cross as the Center
- Psalm 22 ends with the phrase “He has done it!” — echoing Jesus’ words, “It is finished.”
Why do we so easily forget that the work of grace is already complete?
- What helps you bring your heart back to that truth when you start living like it’s not finished?

8. From Grace Received to Grace Revealed
- Being grateful is the bridge between grace received and grace revealed.
What’s one tangible way you could reveal God’s grace to someone else this week?
- How might that simple act of gratitude point someone to Jesus?