Simple Expressions of Love

Proudly waving the Norwegian flag in my new sweater.

     Because my practical needs feel more tangible in the mission field, I tend to only ask God for the necessities and skip the rest, but last week I really felt that God was challenging me to ask Him for my heart's desires. While my "heart's desires" cannot be summed up in a nordic sweater, this was the one token of my time here that I really wanted, so I asked for it specifically: white, pull-over style, loose and comfy with the traditional silver buttons. To my surprise (and it's sad that it was a surprise) God didn't respond with "Seriously, Laken? I'm kind of trying to deal with the whole mass-famine-across-Africa thing right now. " Instead, I simply heard, "Faithfully look in the boutique every day until I provide your sweater." So every afternoon I've gone down to look for my sweater in the boutique (a room in the YWAM base where people can leave behind clothes to bless others with). Today I went down, and sure enough, there was my sweater neatly folded on top of a pile of t-shirts. It's exactly what I requested! I was told later that a sweater like this would normally cost around $175, and mine looks like it might never have been worn. It was such a good reminder for me that, like my earthly father (and I have a great one), my Heavenly Father wants to provide more for me than just food in my stomach and a roof over my head, that sometimes He wants to give me something just because He can.