When the Fridge Is Empty, But the Table Is Full — on the Feasts of the Bible (Rewind)
This Thanksgiving season, we revisit author Alicia Akins' "Invitations to Abundance: How the Feasts of the Bible Nourish Us Today."
It is easy to speak of abundance when the table is full, but what does Thanksgiving mean when it’s a “lean season?”
In a conversation from the Faithfully Magazine Archives (👇🏾), author Alicia Akins shares a powerful memory from a time she was unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. “I didn’t have enough money to eat,” she recalls. “I was just looking for coins and things around my house to go to the dollar store.”
Yet, during a Thanksgiving dinner that same year, a friend asked a question that changed her perspective: “What makes you rich?”
“I thought, with no money to my name, what made me feel rich?” Akins says. “I started to think about how God had sustained me and fulfilled me and sort of been there for me during that time.”
That moment launched her journey toward writing Invitations to Abundance, a look at how the feasts of the Bible — and our own tables today — are designed to transform us. Her conclusion? True gratitude always spills over.
“A deep enjoyment of God’s mercy and abundance leads to us being merciful and generous with others,” Akins says. “If you want a sneak peek [of heaven], widen your tables now.”
Read the full archive interview with Alicia Akins here 🔒.
Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and edited by a human for accuracy, clarity, and context.