Never let anyone tell you different.

Every single good and perfect gift- comes from Him. 

I remember singing the worship song, "Father of Lights" on a college mission trip to Costa Rica in 1998. I remember the little 'living room' in the house on stilts YWAM base we were using. I remember where I was sitting next to new friends and being in awe of the truth of this verse in James. I remember all the gifts I was given on that trip. The trip I thought I was going to 'help' other people and share the gospel with, but really received a boatload more to take home and unpack(still unpacking today). God gifted me there with waking up to the reality of who He was to me in a different, more tangible way. I was given the gift of falling in love with God like I didnt know was possible. ...The gift of a radical Jesus loving group of friends/mission team that challenged and loved each other well.... The gift of seeing radical faith by our 4(fellow college students) leaders, (who all went on to be pastors or marry pastors!) that were mature beyond their years and also led us all to see Jesus physically heal someone on the spot( the first miracle I had ever seen with my eyes, because someone took Jesus at His Word) Then there was the gift of learning to hear God's voice. The gift of seeing God create something through me for the first time in a way only He could do. The gift of a safe group of people to wrestle with tough questions about God. The gift of seeing God radically show up in my biggest moments of doubt.

 This verse from James 1:17 'haunts' me, in the best way, and I cannot really even describe why. Do you have any verses that seem to speak to your spirit, seem to whisper something really important in your ear that your mind hasn't discovered, or caught up with fully yet? I am not talking about knowledge, and what a verse might literally be speaking about, but some kind of connection to a future meaning or experiential knowledge of it that you haven't encountered yet? May you soak in the truth of how good our Father is today as you contemplate all the good and perfect gifts He has laid in your path.

Original mixed media watercolor on 140lb Canson watercolor paper with imitation metallic gold leafing. Unframed

size 11x14”