Giving thanks to God for all His blessings is an important part of our Christian faith, and especially at Thanksgiving we remember this. The Bible (which we believe is God’s written word) urges us to be “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

Although we’ve been greatly influenced as a nation by the Christian faith, not all Americans take their faith seriously or identify themselves as Christians. Thanksgiving, therefore, is a time for all of us — regardless of our faith — to reflect on the good things we enjoy, and express gratitude for our family and friends.

However, Thanksgiving is a special day of celebration for those of us who are Christians. We know that all our blessings come from God, and everything He gives us is a sign of His goodness and love for us. Most of all, we give thanks for Jesus Christ, who gave His life so we could be cleansed of our sins and go to be with God in heaven forever. The Bible says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father” (James 1:17).

I welcome you to our country, and during your time here I hope that some committed Christians will become your friends. More than that, I pray you will take time to find out who Jesus is, and discover the difference He can make in your life. I encourage you to get a Bible and read about Jesus in one of the Gospels; our website can help you also (BillyGraham.org).

Visit the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in 2015.