#god's gifts

[walkswithmyfather]

James 1 :17 (AMP). “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].”

Thank You Heavenly Father for all Your wonderful gifts. Amen! 🙏🕊️🙌

[momentsbeforemass]

“I could never…”

One semester I filled in as an academic advisor at a junior college. To help cover a friend’s maternity leave.

I really enjoyed helping students figure out where their strengths lay, what they wanted to do. Helping them sort out what programs and courses would best build on their talents and position them for the future they wanted.

One of the questions I had been told to ask students was about their heroes/role-models. To find out who inspired them. And how.

There was an odd dynamic that I saw in a lot of students when they answered that question.

They would tell me about someone famous they looked up to, who inspired them. With a genuine enthusiasm for doing something with their talents. Inspired by that person.

Then almost immediately follow it with “but I could never…”

Like they were embarrassed. Embarrassed to be excited. Embarrassed because they wanted to do something with their talents.

They were looking the achievements that had inspired them. People at the peak of their performance. Then talking themselves out of doing anything at all. For fear that they might not measure up to that inspiring ideal.

There’s nothing wrong with being inspired by someone’s use of the talent that God has given them.

But there’s a lot wrong with comparing yourself and your use of the talent that God has given you to someone else’s use of the talent that God has given them. The consequences of that sort of unhealthy comparison is one of the main points of today’s Gospel.

God gave you your talents so that you could be you. Not so that you could be someone else.

If God had meant for you to be them, God would have given you their talents.

Instead, God has given you everything you need to be who He called you to be.

Which means if there’s a talent you don’t have, then you don’t need it to be who God has called you to be.

It also means that you have an obligation to use the talents that God has given to you (which is the other point of today’s Gospel).

In the words of John Paul II, “talent is a gift from God, whoever discovers it in himself has an obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.”

Today’s Readings

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Warning: do not become so enamored with God's good gifts that you fail to worship the Giver.

A.B. Simpson

[quotesfromscripture]

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

2 Timothy 1:6-8 NIV (2011)

[lionofthegoldsun]

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening. It is painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

-Hebrews 12:11

[mysteriouslyjollyheart]

Beautiful Hummingbird!

[samantabrzozowska]

“Spring beauties”

[yeslordmyking]

By the grace given me I say to everyone of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you..... [ Read devo thought and prayer for this Bible verse ]

[greykolla-art]

Unstoppable villain, meet immovable agent of friendship!

I was wondering in what circumstances Charlie would just OFFER her soul to Al.

And he would short circuit as all his manipulation plans become unnecessary.

Cause Charlie cares about her friends and if they need help she won’t hesitate.

[psalmsofhope]

God is the Giver...

[teaboot]

Not to be absolutely unhinged but I think that if I buy enough tiny plastic tubs to continue breaking down every possession I own into discrete categories then eventually I will live in a home where I don't constantly have a large pile of completely miscellaneous nicknacks in the middle of the floor constantly and forever until I die

Current box count is 56

[momentsbeforemass]

Family

There’s family. And then there’s family.

This is what Jesus is talking about in today’s Gospel. And He’s drawing an important distinction.

What Jesus is telling us is that there are people who say they’re your family. And then there are the people who truly are your family.

The people who say they’re your family? Get out the birth certificates and the family trees, and they’ll prove it. They in fact are your parents, your siblings, your relatives.

The people who truly are your family? They’re the people who are there for you. The people who support you, encourage you, and even call you out on your BS – because they love you.

The people who truly are your family? Some of them have the receipts to prove it. Some of them don’t. But all of them have this in common – they do what they do for you, because they love you.

The people who say they’re your family?

Be kind to them. Treat them like you want to be treated.

But the people who truly are your family?

Never let them go. They are God’s gift to you.

Today’s Readings

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Irrevocable

For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. — Romans 11:29 | New English Translation (NET Bible) NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved. Cross References: Romans 8:28; Romans 11:30; 1 Corinthians 1:26; Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 4:1; Ephesians 4:4

[quotesfromscripture]

My prayer is to see your face

“With your hand, ADONAI, from human beings, from people whose portion in life is this world. You fill their stomachs with your treasure, their children will be satisfied too and will leave their wealth to their little ones. But my prayer, in righteousness, is to see your face; on waking, may I be satisfied with a vision of you.”

- Tehillim (Psalms) 17:14‭-‬15 CJB, 1998

“From men with Your hand, O LORD, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes. As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.”

- Psalms 17:14‭-‬15 NASB, 1995

[lionofthegoldsun]

[mysteriouslyjollyheart]

Bright and pretty flowers