Articles having to do with gratitude, giving thanks, and the American holiday of Thanksgiving Copyright https://www.crosswalk.com 2026, Crosswalk.com Thu, 08 Jan 2026 03:29:12 -0500 https://www.crosswalk.com/headlines/contributors/elizabeth-delaney/7-tips-for-navigating-the-first-year-of-holidays-after-losing-your-spouse.html https://www.crosswalk.com/headlines/contributors/elizabeth-delaney/7-tips-for-navigating-the-first-year-of-holidays-after-losing-your-spouse.html Elizabeth Delaney https://www.crosswalk.com/author/elizabeth-delaney/ One of the most painful losses a person can experience is the death of their spouse. So, for those who are in that situation, you’re not weak. The intensity of the pain you feel is very real and runs profoundly deep. Some might say it feels like half of you has been violently ripped away, especially if the loss was sudden and unexpected. If you have young kids, your first thoughts are often for them, and are they going to be okay? Interestingly, they often wonder the same thing about the parent who is still with them. All that being said, surviving and walking out the healing from such a close loss is made up of a lot of small, wise choices. Don’t be afraid of what others think if you choose to get counseling. People don’t understand a loss this profound unless they have walked here for themselves. Here are 7 tips for navigating the first year of holidays after losing your spouse. Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Kerkez Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/how-to-practice-gratitude-during-deep-pain-and-uncertainty.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/how-to-practice-gratitude-during-deep-pain-and-uncertainty.html Cindy Collier https://www.crosswalk.com/author/cindy-collier/ Facing an incurable brain disease diagnosis, this article explores how to cultivate gratitude through faith and practical steps. Discover a spiritual framework to find appreciation even in life's most challenging moments, relying on God's presence and promises. Thu, 27 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/6-ways-you-can-work-through-grief-this-thanksgiving.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/6-ways-you-can-work-through-grief-this-thanksgiving.html Gabrielle Sellitti Holidays are often coined as the "most wonderful time of the year," however, oftentimes, for those grieving, holidays can be the hardest time of the year. Thanksgiving is a time when we should be feeling grateful, but instead, we may feel lonely if we just lost a spouse or are not up to celebrating if our loved one who made the holidays special is gone. Coming from someone who has experienced all seasons of grief, I've learned a few ways others can grieve through this Thanksgiving that won't make you miss them less but may bring a little more peace to your heart and home this holiday.Here are 6 ways you can work through grief this Thanksgiving.Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Halfpoint Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/prayers-when-family-members-cause-anxiety-this-holiday-season.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/prayers-when-family-members-cause-anxiety-this-holiday-season.html Michelle S. Lazurek https://www.crosswalk.com/author/michelle-lazurek/ With difficult family members, we may need God's help along the way. Here are six prayers to pray when family causes anxiety during the holidays. Wed, 26 Nov 2025 15:08:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/holiday-rules-all-singles-need-to-have.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/holiday-rules-all-singles-need-to-have.html Liz Lampkin https://www.crosswalk.com/author/liz-lampkin/ The holiday season is the most anticipated time of the year. It’s the time when love, joy, and laughter fill the air, and spirits are filled with glee. For many single Christians, it can also bring unique pressures, emotions, and expectations for marriage and dating. Between family questions, couple-centered gatherings, and moments that quietly highlight what you don’t have, it’s easy to feel out of place. That’s why having clear, personal rules for the holidays, or any day, matters. Creating personal rules for the holidays isn’t restrictions; they are healthy boundaries to help you protect your peace, stay grounded in truth, and move through the season with confidence and purpose. So, singles, as you navigate through this holiday season, here are 10 rules every single person should live by to stay centered, joyful, and rooted in who God says you are.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Antonio_Diaz Tue, 25 Nov 2025 19:48:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/ways-couples-can-help-others-this-thanksgiving.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/ways-couples-can-help-others-this-thanksgiving.html Carrie Lowrance https://www.crosswalk.com/author/carrie-lowrance/ Being a couple is an awesome thing. You’re always there to help, support, and love each other. Still, we need to look around and see who else could use some help this Thanksgiving. Here are some ideas where you and your spouse can help others with your talents and gifts. Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:04:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/kind-responses-to-uncomfortable-conversations.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/kind-responses-to-uncomfortable-conversations.html Liz Lampkin https://www.crosswalk.com/author/liz-lampkin/ Being a single Christian in today’s society is both a blessing and a hardship. For many single believers, singleness is a sacred time of life, marked by many seasons filled with love, laughter, and life. However, at the same time, singleness can often feel like a complicated burden. The church and society often celebrate marriage more than singleness, and in that celebration, many single believers find themselves working towards meeting unrealistic expectations and responding to endless questions regarding their relationship status, receiving unsolicited advice, and being overwhelmed with assumptions that their singleness is a problem waiting to be solved. Whether it’s a well-meaning family member asking about your “timeline,” a recently engaged friend asking about your “biological clock,” or a fellow congregation member inquiring about your practices in abstaining, single Christians often find themselves navigating uncomfortable conversations that delve too deep into personal territory. While many of these uncomfortable conversations may elicit a myriad of emotional responses, it’s best to stop, breathe, and think before engaging in an uncomfortable conversation. Why? To protect your character, create respectful boundaries, redirect the conversation, and possibly shift the way someone approaches your singleness. So singles, if you are looking for a few ways to respond kindly to uncomfortable conversations, take a look at the list below.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/skynesher Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/7-thanksgiving-traditions-for-families-to-grow-closer.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/7-thanksgiving-traditions-for-families-to-grow-closer.html Elizabeth Delaney https://www.crosswalk.com/author/elizabeth-delaney/ About a generation ago, all the stores closed on Thanksgiving Day. Now, black Friday sales begin taking place during the month of November, even before Thanksgiving. Rushing through dinner to jump on sales has become a common activity for many families. But slowing down a bit and taking time to nurture a Thanksgiving tradition or two can make the Thanksgiving holiday much more meaningful. Here are 7 ideas to consider for growing closer as a family.Photo Credit: ©Getty/Drazen Zigic Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:22:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/10-psalms-of-thanksgiving-and-how-they-apply-to-us-today.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/10-psalms-of-thanksgiving-and-how-they-apply-to-us-today.html Candice Lucey https://www.crosswalk.com/author/candice-lucey/ With attention fixed on organizing a great Thanksgiving dinner for loved ones, sometimes we forget to actually give thanks. Gratitude is more difficult for some than others, but it is healing in so many ways. Psalms of ThanksgivingWhen we find reasons to give thanks, we also find reasons for hope. And, as Christians, we have someone to thank who cares deeply for us. Scripture is filled with examples of how we can express gratitude to God. Here are ten Psalms of Thanksgiving which apply to us today.Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Kristen Prahl Mon, 24 Nov 2025 09:39:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/growing-pains-jeremy-miller-must-have-dishes-for-thanksgiving-dinner.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/growing-pains-jeremy-miller-must-have-dishes-for-thanksgiving-dinner.html Lynette Kittle https://www.crosswalk.com/author/lynette-kittle/ Jeremy Miller, the widely loved actor who played the youngest son, mischievous Ben Seaver, on the classic 1980s hit show “Growing Pains,” and its two reunion movies, is cooking his three must-have dishes for Thanksgiving Day dinner.Beginning his acting career at 5 years old, Jeremy is best known for cooking up his boyish, trouble-making schemes on our TV screens week after week to the delight of millions of young viewers. Nowadays, though, Jeremy is cooking up delicious holiday dishes, rather than childhood pranks.As well, he’s also a motivational speaker and popular guest at events and conventions across the nation for his role as “Linus” in the beloved Peanuts animated Charlie Brown specials “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown,” “Snoopy: The Musical,” and “This is America, Charlie Brown.” Still, when it comes to cooking, “I got my passion for cooking from my Grandmother, seeing how she loved feeding people, including her family, friends, and neighbors,” says Jeremy. “Cooking was truly her love language, and I grew up cooking at her side.”As Jeremy’s cooking inspiration and mentor, he learned every tip he could from his grandma about how she cooked everything, and seeing how much love she put into everything she did for those who meant the most to her.Where Jeremy’s Thanksgiving Food Traditions Began“When it comes to the holidays, my family’s food and traditions always started with my maternal Grandma,” explains Jeremy. “Thanksgiving was her favorite, and the dishes that hit our table were very 1950s and 1960s traditional.”His grandma’s dishes included mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, turkey, and ham. Although Jeremy loved her dishes, his first two must-have dishes are his own creations of Creole Garlic Soup and Ham with Spiced Apples and Pears, the first two of his recipes that his grandma allowed him to add to their Thanksgiving meal.“They have become staples for our family and are a wonderful reminder that my Grandma trusted me enough to add my own touches to our Holiday celebration,” explains Jeremy.“The most special Thanksgiving memories I have are of cooking with my Grandma,” shares Jeremy. “She would have upwards of 150 people come through on Thanksgiving Day, and we would cook for days beforehand. I spent as much time in the kitchen with her as possible. Listening to stories of her childhood, arguing about who was better, my Dodgers (da bums) or her beloved Cincinnati Reds.” “The best Thanksgiving tradition is everyone gathering around the kitchen,” describes Jeremy, “Some people cooking, some people tasting, with family and friends laughing, telling stories, and reminiscing.”Jeremy’s third must-have dish is the Candied Yams, his favorite way to have them, and a dish he craves all year long. The following are the recipes for Jeremy’s three must-have dishes for Thanksgiving dinner.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/ ABC Photo Archives / ContributorHere Are the Recipes for Jeremy’s Three Must-Have Dishes for Thanksgiving: Fri, 21 Nov 2025 20:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:29:12-05:00