A few years ago, my family went through a difficult time as my mother battled breast cancer. Going through that kind of suffering is always difficult, but going through it while living on the opposite side of the planet is its own beast.
At some point, I made the decision to travel back to the US alone to surprise my parents and be there for my mother’s first week of radiation. I had never done anything like this before, and it would be the first time I had ever traveled internationally without my children since we moved to Rwanda. I would be leaving them with my husband in-country while I went back alone. And even though he was completely capable and so incredibly supportive, I was a ball of anxiety about the trip for weeks before I left.
During that time, I had a call with my spiritual director during which I relayed my apprehension over the trip. As we chatted, she challenged me—what if this trip is a gift from the Lord? What if, in the midst of this difficult season, he is finding a way to whisk you off and bless you, just because he loves you?
My spiritual director encouraged me to carry this attitude with me through my trip and so I did. Everything that came up I decided to just treat like a lavish gift of the Lord’s love for me. I prayed as my first flight took off. Lord, I don’t know what you have for me here, but I’m ready to receive it with gratitude.
And in between the difficult moments of being present with my mother through this trial, I got to experience some beautiful, unexpected blessings: a soft, early winter snowfall, a timely sushi lunch with a dear friend, a night at a nostalgic beach hotel, shopping at an American outlet, lazy morning coffees with my grandmother, long car rides with my sister, a gorgeous sunset over the Lincoln Memorial in DC. I felt the intimate love of the Lord in the way things fell into place, things only he would know would feel special to me. It was so beautiful.
Unexpected gifts from that trip? Confidence and vision. Much of my long-term vision for my ministry involves solo travel, and the trip confirmed that desire in my heart—and the ability to travel alone successfully! My family thrived and so did I, and I knew that it was good and right to pursue the path the Lord had laid on my heart. To this day, I am grateful for that.
Since that trip, I’ve tried my best to carry this “all is a gift” posture with me through each day. Not just the fun trips abroad or the flashy moments of ministry, but the mundane moments too. The unexpected warm water when I go to wash my face in the evening. The timely visitor who brings cheese just as we run out. The pair of turacos flying above my driveway as I arrive home from a long day. The few moments of space to read a novel while my kids are in class. The new leaf on my monstera plant. Running into a friend I haven’t seen in a while. Soft rain on the roof as I lie down to take a much-needed nap. An extra financial gift we weren’t expecting. Being able to find my matching socks in the dark. A heart-shaped stone on the driveway. The perfect pair of Nikes for sale on the street. One last bag of my favorite tea in the bottom of the drawer.
Suddenly, when I look for the gifts, they are everywhere. I feel the outpouring, the overflow of the Lord’s love for me in the ordinary, everyday moments. And when I do, it makes it so much easier to trust him in the moments that feel challenging or downright impossible. It makes it easier to trust that those moments, too, are gifts from him, just in ways I can’t see yet.
If you find yourself in a season where God’s love and presence feel like a trickle rather than an overflow, I encourage you to take a moment each morning, breathe in deeply as your cradle your favorite hot beverage, and ask the Lord to show you the gifts as you go through your days. Keep your eyes open. He is with you and his presence is a gift in itself. You’ll be surprised at the places you’ll find it when you’re looking.
What gifts have you received from the Lord today?
This was so beautiful thank you and a great reminder too. This birthday we spent in my husband’s rural village. One morning he went into town and I just asked God if he could send a chocolate bar for me. I didn’t say anything to my husband but that day he came back from town with a chocolate bar (the first time he did that) for me and the kids to share. Such a sweet gift.
Thank you.
“Not just the fun trips abroad or the flashy moments of ministry, but the mundane moments too.” And the really awful stretches of time, too. I’ve really been looking for the gifts in the midst of horror. Sometimes I find them. More often lately, I find that even looking when I don’t find anything brings hope.
Today’s gift for me is a wonderful spring snowfall. I love snow, and we’re getting a few days full of it, even now.
Thanks for sharing Karli! As I reflect on my recent travel (and I’m sure that you can relate), making it through an entire day being sick. I had 10 hours to wait for the flight, and then another 5 of travel, I just wanted to lie down, but where? But the time passed by quickly with a friend that had come to visit that day, and he had a car. God’s grace. And God’s grace again, when my newly bought suitcase on the trip didn’t show up on the turnstyle and I had 30 minutes to find it and make the last connecting shuttle bus. God provided at that moment a woman and her family who had the same questions at the same time as me, as we ran through the huge airport, getting lost, I was grateful that the Lord put on my path this woman, because we were running the race together, and that makes it easier. We found our missing luggage and made it on the bus with 10 min to spare. I’m grateful for the helpful woman who made sure we were going down the right hallway. And God’s grace arriving in time to catch the last tram of the evening. He really is there.
Thank you for this!!!! So beautiful!
I just got back from an amazing trip to Spain that I didn’t think I had time for but ended up to be such a gift from God I am left having a hard time talking about it without crying! Thank you so much for this encouragement and view point!!!