“Learning the art of living is learning the art of giving.”- Ann Voskamp
“Do you hesitate, man, to go this way, when this is the way that God came to you?”- Saint Augustine of Hippo, “Exposition 11, Sermon 1 on Psalm 30”
In Chapter 5 (“Becoming the Gift the World Needs and You Need”) of The Broken Way, Ann Voskamp quotes a Mr. Bender. Mr. Bender, who lives in the town nursing home and prays daily for Ann’s boys, once told Ann:
“Never live for battles won or for the end of your run. What matters is how you live ‘the along.’ . . . people care more what you share with them than what you say to them.”
Therefore, Ann encourages, on hard days of wrestling with time and the broken pieces of your past, be intentional in reaching out your hand. Just turn on the light.
Quoting John 3:16, Ms. Voskamp believes no more powerful word exists than the word giving — “Thanksgiving. Forgiving. Care-giving. Life-giving. Everything that matters in living comes down to giving.”
Consequently, Ann asserts, there’s an ache in us that needs the love God always gives. God’s love always breaks itself and gives- joy. In addition, that ache provides the beginning, and the way, to something more than enough.
Furthermore, Ann encourages, “God is most glorified in us when we are most enjoying Him — and giving others the joy of Him.” Also, you possess abundantly enough to enable you to generously give enough. Without Christ’s presence, no gifts exist in the world- given or received.
Today’s question: How have you learned the art of living during your desert, land between time? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The blessedness of possessing nothing”
