The start of a new decade, marked by 2020, has certainly not unfolded the way any of us anticipated. Between the pandemic, wildfires, and a challenging election year, it is easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. However, Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:17, “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” When the Lord Jesus becomes the lens through which we labor, we cannot help but look back and give thanks with grateful hearts for all He has done.
Since the humble beginnings of Arma Dei Academy, this has always been our hope. As we prepare to finish the new building and open the School of Rhetoric school next year, we reflect anew on the gracious faithfulness of our Lord. We are grateful for the amazing growth that Arma Dei has been blessed with even in this challenging year as we look hopefully towards what He will do in the future.
As Thanksgiving approaches, and with it our Grateful for Growth campaign, we invite you to reflect with us on the theme of gratitude. To be grateful is to see the world through a larger lens; one that traces the fingerprints of the Lord Jesus throughout our lives, even and most importantly, in seasons of difficulty. It is an opportunity to refocus our hearts and remind ourselves of His presence in our lives that we may be encouraged to “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” in everything we do (Colossians 3:23).