The Gift of Giving

For We Have Been Given Everything.

You know how sometimes you don’t really understand something until you live it? That’s how giving has been for me. I used to think giving was mostly about what you hand over, money, gifts, time, and effort, and that's the end. And yes, those things matter. But the older I get, the more I realize that giving is really about recognizing what you’ve already received, and how. Then when you see those things they way you give and receive will change drastically.

And when I look at my life honestly, I can’t help but see how deeply blessed I’ve been, not because everything has been easy, but because everything I’ve needed has been provided.

Giving for me, starts with gratitude. Not the surface level “thank you”, but the kind that really makes you stop and think. How have I been so blessed? There have been seasons where I had very little, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Seasons where I questioned everything. And yet, even in those moments, something always showed up. A person. A conversation. A door opening when I didn’t know how I’d make it through. Looking back now, I see it clearly. Sometimes it’s not more, it’s just enough, right when I needed it. It may not be what I expected, but it’s always what holds me through.

That’s where my faith comes in.

Because I believe, everything I have, everything I am, flows from what was first given through Jesus. Jesus didn’t just give generously, He gave completely. Love without conditions. Grace without a price tag. Mercy without limits. He gave peace to the weary, hope to the broken, and belonging to those who felt unseen. And the wild thing is… none of it had to be earned. That kind of love changes you. It lights a fire in you to give.

When you realize you are loved that fully, it shifts how you move through the world. You stop clinging so tightly to what you have. You stop measuring worth by scarcity. You start living from a place of trust instead of fear. Giving becomes less about obligation and more about overflow. I give because I’ve been given grace when I didn’t deserve it. I give because I’ve been met with compassion in my weakest moments. I give because I’ve been carried through seasons I couldn’t survive on my own. And honestly? Sometimes giving looks small. Sometimes it’s just listening without fixing. Showing up when it would be easier to stay home. Offering kindness when the days feels heavy. Praying for someone quietly when you don’t know what else to do. But those small acts matter. They ripple.

Jesus never asked us to give from perfection, He asked us to give from love. From faith. From trust that what we pour out will be replenished. And it always is.

I’ve learned that when I hold my life with open hands, my time, my resources, my heart, I never end up empty. Somehow, there’s always enough. Enough strength. Enough peace. Enough joy to keep going.

That doesn’t mean life is painless. It means I’m not walking it alone.

The gift of giving is really the gift of remembering, remembering where our blessings come from, remembering that we are deeply cared for, and remembering that love multiplies when it’s shared.

So when I give, whether it’s something tangible or something unseen, I do it as a quiet thank you. Not out of duty, but out of gratitude. Not because I have it all together, but because I’ve been held together by grace. And that, to me, is the greatest gift of all.