Thankful

Thanksgiving notes can easily sound pithy, redundant, and self-serving. Especially now. In the midst of war, rumors of wars, politics, economic squeezes, and so much more (and that’s just the part outside of our own families, communities, and lives). Yet, here I am, against all odds and all of that noise, daring to articulate my genuine gratitude for the life I have the privilege to lead and the work I have the honor to do. Let me unpack why.

I am thankful for where God has planted me. I am most thankful for the family God has placed me in. They are a treasure, and for me, I would not be who I am without them.

I am thankful for what I am called to do. Helping Christian organizations is a wonderful and uniquely arduous task. With Kingdom impact in the balance, there is little room for error and less room for mediocrity. I am thankful for the chance to put my shoulder to the plow of this work because I believe in the work that our clients do partnering with God in His work in the world. Any challenge in doing that is eclipsed by gratitude for the privilege of spending my working life committed to helping ministries further accomplish their missions in the world.

I am thankful for who Masterworks has been. I work at a business with a rich heritage of service to Christian organizations. We have done a lot and learned even more about how to excite the hearts of donors and invite them into legitimate generosity. That legacy is the foundation upon which we are built and a reservoir from which we draw daily. I could not be more thankful for that.

I am thankful for the work Masterworks is doing today. What a wonderful time to practice the art and science of communication and marketing. The world is changing, and we get the chance to walk alongside ministries and organizations like yours that are adjusting, pivoting, and adapting to the ways that our present moment is demanding. Again, not the halcyon waters of years gone by, but new waters full of interesting new challenges to be met and bested.

I am truly thankful for who Masterworks is quickly becoming. Our industry is at a crossroads. Masterworks knows this, you know this, and the world knows this. The nature of generosity, the rhythms of giving, and the expectations that the world has of Christian organizations are all in dynamic flux. We are all changing and must continue to change. We must invent, invest in, imagine, and embrace a preferred future where Christian organizations are able to exist in new, better ways — ways that are beautiful, compelling, effective, and influential. Ways that are built from the ground up on a commitment to serving the real needs of people, including donors. Ways that leverage, without fear but with prudence, the bleeding-most edge of communication, technology, and best practices. Ways that honor God, are faithful to the work He has called us to, and are outstretched towards the people, places, and hearts that He loves.

Lastly, I am thankful for you and that we get to be right here, right now, shoulder to shoulder, working together to grow and change and partner with God in changing our world. I pray you can find space this week to step back, take stock, look back and forward, and thank God for all He has done, is doing, and will do in and through you and your organization.

With gratitude,

Bryan