Grateful – Building the Beloved Community
2 Corinthians 4:15
“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
A grateful heart is contagious.
In the midst of a pandemic, families and friends must keep their distance, the health and wellness of those whom we care about are a top concern and the financial stability of our communities and neighbors are in question. It can be hard to feel grateful.
BUT God has been faithful. We are still here. We have been blessed to see today – a day that we’ve never seen before and one that we’ll never see again. What we choose to do with that day and how we choose to rejoice in that day is a decision we can make. What a blessing!
What’s also a blessing is that when we have the posture of gratefulness, regardless of circumstance, not only does our disposition change, but we can also impact those around us. Racism, sexism, classism and all the other human-created systems are ones that can and will be dismantled, and it will be done by a people mentally, spiritually, and emotionally prepared to do so. Let’s spread some love, joy, and gratitude in this new season. Peace and Love.
Qu’ran Reflection 14:33-34
“[Allah] has ‘also’ dedicated for you the sun and the moon, both constantly orbiting and has subjected the day and night for you. And He has granted you all that you asked Him for. If you tried to count Allah’s blessings, you would never be able to number them. Indeed humankind is truly unfair, ‘totally’ ungrateful.”
On the Thursday night of the Thanksgiving holiday, I sat with my immediate family at the dinner table. Food was abundant on the table, and everyone had a pile of food on their plates. In amidst conversation, my father suddenly was overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude. “Can you believe we have this much food on our tables when there are so many in Lebanon going to bed hungry tonight?” He said in a hushed tone that caused everyone at the table to stop speaking mid-sentence. I sat there, questioning, “Am I not grateful?” I thought I was. I thanked Allah for the food before I began eating. I thanked my mother and sister, who helped make the meal. I thanked the cashier that rang up the ingredients earlier that week. Then I realized the question was not “Am I not grateful?”, rather “I am grateful enough?”
Allah has the sun and the moon to work for us. Do I remember to thank the Creator for every sunrise and sunset? For every victory and every failure? For every second that I have the ability to breathe. I have an able body, but do I thank Him for it? We live in a country where we have a chance to claim our voices, where we have a role to play in who we get to swear into office. A country where we can go to the state capital and speak with our representatives to ensure that they are creating a state that works for us. For many in our community, this is anything but the norm.
Allah has given us the chance to live in such a country, in such a state as Minnesota. Would we not be ungrateful for denying what Allah has granted to us? Gratitude comes in many forms, and I believe one of the more powerful shapes that gratitude takes is when you take advantage of the opportunities that Allah has placed for you. Remember Him in every step you take and go forth with grace and gratitude.
ISAIAH’s We Make Minnesota Virtual Launch!
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021 | 2-5pm
Join us for our bi-annual ISAIAH-wide event! You and a few thousand of your closest and most powerful friends will get clear about how we will create the state we need to thrive and the steps we are taking in 2021 to get there!
ISAIAH’s We Make Minnesota Virtual Launch is your chance to build power with our elected leaders and provide your vision of a government #WhoCaresForUs.
ISAIAH Leaders’ Son Taken by ICE
Mario, the son of long-time ISAIAH leaders, was detained by ICE on November 24th. He is the father of two daughters and a survivor of a shooting that happened last year. As he is still healing from that tragic incident, and now in another, being detained in Kandiyohi County Jail is harmful to his health and his family. Please donate and/or share Mario’s story to help him fight to stay here in Minnesota with his family.
ACTION ALERT – Live, work or worship in Mpls? We Need to Make This Call
Every Minnesotan—regardless of our skin color, religion, or income—deserves to live with dignity and respect.
After the murder of George Floyd people around the world came together to say enough is enough. Through the summer, Black Minneapoltans with ISAIAH led Listen and Lead sessions and began to imagine how we can transform public safety. Those ideas are clearly present in the proposed Safety For All Budget.
We know that our government and elected leaders have the duty to create solutions that serve all Minnesotans, no exceptions. The Minneapolis City Council is deciding the 2021 budget, a moral document, and will finalize their decision by December 9th.
It’s important that your city councilmember hears from you by TOMORROW, Monday, December 7th. We invite you to call them between now and Monday to make sure we pass a budget that treats everyone with dignity and creates safety for all.
We’re Hiring! Join Our Team
We are seeking a financial management leader who can help scale ISAIAH’s accounting practices with our growth while carrying out our values around racial justice and equity.
