Patience

I had the opportunity to share with Olivia while traveling from Chicago to LA a few weeks ago.  I had been reading James in my bible and sketched the above drawing.  When I finished I felt God's tug on my heart to give the drawing to Olivia, the passenger sitting next to me, and share with her what I had been reading in James.  She told me it was exactly what she needed to hear and it opened the door for a rich conversation about her 74 years on this earth.  I am thankful for that conversation and pray that Olivia continues to grow in her faith.

James 1:2-8

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Family

family (from Latin: familia) is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity (by recognized birth), affinity (by marriage), or co-residence/shared consumption (see Nurture kinship).
Christ had a much broader view of family.  He said in Luke 8 ²¹  “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”  Christ welcomes all to the family, excluding know-one.   I am very thankful to be counted as part of Christ's family, and rejoice in the strength he provides.  I pray that I would hear God's word, see others through God's eyes, and that I would have compassion to love the unlovable.  

Mark 9:36-38

³⁶ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”