November 2025

As the Thanksgiving season approaches, many of us think of the familiar sights 
and sounds – the smell of turkey roasting in the oven, laughter echoing through the 
house, and the comfort of gathering around a table with loved ones.

But for countless men, women, and children in our community, this time of year carries a different 
feeling. For some, the tables are empty, family is missing, or an invitation never arrives. And yet, this 
is where our theme, Loving in the Gap, finds its deepest meaning. 

At TRM, we have come to understand that thankfulness is not something reserved for one day in 
November. It is a way of life. The apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 
“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ 
Jesus.” 

Notice how Paul says “in everything.” Not just when life feels steady, carefree, or when things go the 
way we hoped. Gratitude in Christ does not mean we pretend that everything is perfect. It is okay if 
things are not okay. Faith is not proven by the absence of struggle, but by trusting God right in the 
middle of it. True thankfulness sees His presence even when life seems to make no sense, and it trusts 
that His goodness is still at work in the gaps. 

Thanksgiving at TRM is more than just a holiday because it is an opportunity to live in thankfulness 
through every meal served, every prayer spoken, and every smile shared. Every day, we encounter 
people who live in the gaps of life: 

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• The man taking his first step toward recovery. 

• The woman, struggling with mental illness, who cannot remember her name as she stands at the 

gate in need of help. 

• The child who longs for stability, safety, and their parents’ support. 

These are people we know. They have faces, stories, and names. While the gaps can feel 
overwhelming, they are also divinely appointed opportunities to show up, serve, care, and love. 

Whether it is preparing meals, driving guests to appointments, joining our prayer team, or giving 
financially, that is what Loving in the Gap looks like. It is love that says, “You are not forgotten. You 
are seen. You matter. Have a seat at our table.” 

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One of our staff members recently shared that TRM has become their family because they have no 
other family left. Years ago, they lost connection with their relatives and walked through the doors of 
TRM simply looking for hope and purpose. Through their journey of recovery, stable housing, and now 
employment within TRM, they testify that they have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and belong to 
the family of God, all thanks to the Holy Spirit working through the people of TRM Ministries.

 
That is the power of thankfulness in the gap. It does not erase the hardship, but it opens the heart to 
God’s presence even in the struggle. And it is in that space—between gratitude and longing—that we 
find ourselves echoing the words Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:10, “Your kingdom come, Your 
will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” 

When we pray those words, we are not asking for something distant or far away. We are inviting God’s 
goodness to take root here and now. In the shelters, the streets, and the quiet corners of people’s lives. 
Gratitude allows us to rejoice in the Lord as He is today, even as we long for the day His Kingdom is fully 
come. The two can coexist: joy in what is, and the hope for what is yet to come. 

This season, we invite you into deeper reflection: What does it look like to not just give thanks, but to live 
thanks? For us at TRM, we believe that gratitude moves us outward. True thanksgiving is never selfish 
because it always spills over into generosity, service, and love. Gratitude recognizes that everything we 
have is a gift from God, and the natural response to a gift is to share it. 

Throughout the month of November, we are intentionally reflecting on how we can live out gratitude. 
For some, it is preparing meals. For others, it is sitting with a guest and listening to their story with 
empathy and compassion. For many, it is showing up to pray, serve, or give. 

One of the most powerful images of Thanksgiving is the table filled with food and surrounded by people. 
The table is where the food is shared and where stories are told. It is where belonging takes shape. But for 
many in our city, there are no tables waiting and no family gathered. Yet here is the good news. God calls 
us, His people, to set the wider table. 

As we reflect on this season, let us remember that gratitude is not only an internal feeling, but it is a 
witness to the world. When we live in thanksgiving, even in the midst of struggle, people will notice. 
What they notice is the hope of Christ shining through us. This is what it means to live out the Lord’s 
Prayer: to love and serve in such a way that His Kingdom becomes visible here on earth, even if only in 
glimpses. 

So, this November, may we be a people who not only thank God for His blessings, but also join Him in 
bringing His will to life among us. Through compassion, generosity, and love that fills the gaps. May we 
love in the spaces between what is and what will be, trusting that the same God who taught us to pray is 
also teaching us to live with thankful hearts. 

From all of us at TRM, we want to thank you for walking with us, serving alongside us, and loving in the 
gap. We are deeply grateful to you. 

Happy Thanksgiving! †

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