Holiday Hurt & Heaven's Thanksgiving Table

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Did you know that Heaven has a Thanksgiving table for us? Yes, often called “the wedding feast,” that table, ceremony, and feast is currently being prepped in Heaven.

Keep reading to learn more!

I had this post completely written, or so I thought, and was running errands today for this new ministry track God ordered up when He totally sideswiped me with a “simple” question. Aren’t you going to talk about the hurt in the holidays? And the hope?

Ahhhhh. Ummmmmm. Do I have to? Grrrrrrr.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I am hosting, and yes, my mama’s heart is a’stingin’ a bit. I know that I am not the only one, and I guess He wants me to be honest with you instead of pretending everything is 100% hunky-dory over here.

(Quite sure those of you under the age of 30, or maybe 40, just said “huh? Hunky huh?”)

I know that some of you have some pain and loss too, and the holidays definitely seem to bring that on home! It doesn’t help, of course, that major losses have happened this time of year in the past. Just when I think I’m over the fact that my former husband passed away on my daughter’s birthday/Thanksgiving (yes, they were the same day that year!), another challenge arose. Just when I figured I was “over” getting “the call” at 3AM, having to wake the kids and tell them, spending the next day in his most recent residence cleaning it out (and bawling), scrubbing his drug-induced paraphernalia off the walls, and moving his things to storage with the help of my brother and Dad, more arose.

Our (adult) children have chosen to spend their holidays elsewhere. Not for the first time. :-( And yeah - all four of them, including the g’kids, of course. And lest you think there are issues or they are mad at current hubby and me, that doesn’t ever seem to be the case. We have pretty good communication and have always had good relationships. And of course, I always check in (again) with them on that to make sure.

I could be wrong- but the only thing I really get raised eyebrows about is that I am “too religious.” Ahem! I have been to Heaven, you know. Twice.

We do see them throughout the year. We visit. They visit. Of course, there are never enough visits for a mama’s heart, but things seem OK as far as the relationships. Everyone is very busy, but that includes moi! Reality is that one of my kiddos (and sometimes a kiddo-in-law) and two of our (adopted) g’kiddos do work in the restaurant/hospitality industry, and Thanksgiving is a hugely busy day.

(What is wrong with Pixabay? I looked up “Thanksgiving” and all I got was squashes.)

I get that. I had those years too.

But to top the salad off with a bit of whiny cheese, things have just not been going so smoothly in the writing and ministry world over the past couple of weeks. And the finances, and the weather, and the… oh wait, I do live in Oregon by choice! HA.

What is going well? My advanced abuse recovery program, Broken Souls Restored (Yes! Yay! The participants are experiencing amazing results! Thank you, Jesus!) and…well, the fact that I can host Turkey Day. We have a rental home, a roof over our heads, a Heavenly Father who adores us, talents He wants us to continue using, employment for hubs, vehicles that are old, but work, YOU, my readers (BLESS YOU!), and much more, of course...)

AND … I am thankful for what lies ahead for you and me! Not just “hope” because remember that the original “hope” word in the Bible actually means “confident expectation.”

Confident Expectation of Thanksgiving in Heaven

I have confident expectation that Jesus has a wonderful Thanksgiving planned for us. Please allow me to tell you all about it, because it is so very cool.

My friend, Mark L., was wrapping up his visit with Jesus when Jesus threw his hand out in a presentation-style roll, and a miles-long table appeared, laden with delicious things.

Another friend visited a building where angels and other people stayed extremely busy prepping glamorous decor and food—all the same things you would prep here if you were hosting over 100,000 people (can you imagine?!). Two other friends also viewed His table during their visit to Heaven.

Does this bring up questions for you? Things like: How do we sit when we don’t have a body? Wait- how do we eat when we don’t have a body? Can people see the food being swallowed and going into my belly? I thought we would never be hungry there? And … what about clothes??? (Do we not usually consider how our clothes fit or don’t fit the day when planning on a Thanksgiving feast? LOL)

Perhaps I am the only one who wonders all the questions but in case I am not, and in honor of Thanksgiving, I decided to share about His Thanksgiving table with you.

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines. Isaiah 25:6

~~~

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Luke 14:15

Although it goes against the grain :-) of what we may have been taught growing up, we will have a type of body in Heaven, we are clothed, we are fully satisfied (not necessarily needing to eat), and may even get hungry at designated times. Because who really wants to eat when one is not hungry? Hmmm. The best of meats will be presented and served - we do not know if that is turkey, steak, pork chops, chicken, buffalo, ostrich, salmon, crab, all of those options, or a new meat altogether. I guess if I had to choose, crab would be it for me. (Sorry, vegan and vegetarian friends, but I am sure there will be abundant garden fare for you!)

And yes, the scriptures speak of our Heavenly bodies.

I Corinthians 15:45-49 says, If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

And Philippians 3:20-21 confirms, But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

See also: 1 Corinthians 15:51–53, 2 Corinthians 5:1–4 and 1 John 3:2 — let’s not forget that Paul, the Corinthians writer, also went to Heaven and came back before his actual earthly death.

There are even hints that our heavenly bodies might similar to His resurrected one. Two things to note there - He floated through walls. Yup. And, it is possible that He also was able to change forms (Road to Emmaus Luke 24:13-35). And this, my friends, might explain why He appears differently sometimes to people who visit Heaven and return. It would also explain the four accounts I have read of people meeting relatives in Heaven who were easily able to change form in front of their visitor.

God hints that we won’t be drifting spirits or upgraded versions of our old aches, but something wholly healed: sturdy with eternity and bright with Christ’s own life.

Heavenly Food and Fellowship

Dean Braxton attests that our gathering times, including meals, are really for fellowship. ¹ But when Randy Kay visited, he admits to feeling a bit of hunger when Jesus showed him the overflowing table prepared for us. ²

Many accounts also talk of the fruit on the trees. Large fruit similar to what we eat now, but different. Some even say the trees are all the same, but they produce 12 different fruits (one at a time).

My friends, do you see this correlation? Our Father has developed everything in Heaven to meet our needs and desires. Everything. In fact, because we were made in His image, He understands our desires deeply. Can you imagine being invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner at someone’s house, only to never have a meal? Can you imagine coming to visit and chat, but never being offered coffee, tea or water?

No? Neither can He.

No matter your hurts this season, LOOK UP. His eternal Thanksgiving feast is just around the corner. Where all hurts will be completely obliterated, and where we will experience nothing but contentment, fulfilled moments, and everlasting JOY all day long.

Join me?

Love, Jules (your Heaven Reporter)

~~

P.S.- OK, now you’ve heard the ministry announcement. Thanks to two lovely pre-donors, I have started the process of registering the business as a nonprofit, as a start. Wow! I am grateful that God has already given me education and skills so that I will not have to pay for any marketing, website, graphics, copywriting, etc. GOT IT!

However, the process to become a 501(C)3) is huge, and does cost quite a bit. It is important so that donations can be a write-off to those who give and also helps people build trust.

And of course, your support, if you become an invested/paid subscriber here on the Stack, also helps! I also deeply need and appreciate your prayers!

Any donations now are not an official write-off because it takes so much time to get this 501C3 status, but if you are feeling led to donate to my advanced abuse healing program, Broken Souls Restored (scholarships for attendees are needed), my Heaven talks/writings or my healing prayer ministry, please let me know.

I am so very grateful for however God is leading you. Thank you, friends.

POIGNANT!
Forgetting what is behind and reaching toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13–14

1. Dean Braxton, speaking at the Heaven Encounters Conference 2025 from onstage.

2. “Heaven Stormed: A Heavenly Encounter Reveals Your Assignment in the End Time Outpouring and Tribulation,” by Randy Kay, Destiny Image Publishers, 2024, page 192 (paperback)