Using Your Gift

Have you ever tried to fit in someone else's pants only to realize that you are a size bigger or smaller than they are?  When I was 13, I got baptized (for the second time).  I wasn't planning on getting baptized, but felt strongly about doing it.  I didn't have a change of clothes, so someone told me I could borrow their extra pair of jeans they happened to have.  The problem was that those jeans were two sizes too small for me.  I was trying to put on too small jeans on wet legs.  

I think our gifts are the same way.  God gifts each of us differently, and even people with the same gift have different means of delivery.  God has given me a gift to encourage others through written words, but I have the hardest time saying them out loud to people.  I have a friend who has the same gift of encouraging others, but can't write worth a lick.  

The point is that we can't all wear the same gifts in the same way, and we don't all have the same gifts.  If the jeans don't fit, we need to stop trying to force ourselves into them.  Sometimes walking in our gift means we have to step out in faith and start using them.  What is your gift?  How can you use your gift(s) to glorify God and point others to Him?

Let me encourage you today to take one step in what God has anointed you to do.  Could it be that He is pressing on your heart to bring a meal to someone?  Do you feel like you could help organize your church office, clean the toilets, or take out the trash?  Whatever it is, step out in faith and start using your gifts.  

Father, thank you for giving us good gifts!  Thank you for loving us even in our weaknesses.  I ask that you would help us to identify the areas where you have gifted us, and to reveal to us what you would have us do with those gifts.  Thank you for every good and perfect gift is from you.  I praise you and thank you for all that you are doing!  In Jesus name, Amen!

Sowing on Good Ground

Five Minute Friday

When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a mom and wife more than anything else in the world.  I wanted to be a missionary wife and mom on top of that.  I wanted to have 7 kids, both naturally and adopted.  I thought I would open an orphanage in Russia and live as a missionary.  I had all these thoughts and plans for my life, but it wasn't the course God had for me.  At least not in the way I imagined.  

Sometimes God changes the course of our plans and directions to best suite HIS plan and purpose for our lives.  My 20 year old self would not have been ready for that kind of challenge.  I had no real idea of what it was like to be a mom, to run a non-profit, to face real adversity.  My non-Type A personality would have caved and drowned in the demands of all of that.

However, God has a way of meeting us right where we are to show us that those dreams were really from Him.  He has a way of bringing us full circle without having to do it our way.  Psalm 18:30 "This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him."  Is that great hope, or what?  His way is perfect, his word proves true.  Those dreams I had as a teenager, they are coming true today.

How?  Well, I've been blessed to be part of this wonderful blogging community over with Lisa Jo Baker.  Every Friday for the past year (at least for me it's been a year), I've joined up with this community to blog on a word prompt.  Today, we are joining arms to raise $150,000 for The Maubane Community Center in South Africa.  The goal is to raise this money from Valentine's Day through Mother's Day, and I believe we can make that happen.  

This is good ground to sow into.  In Matthew 13, Jesus told the parable of the sower.  I will be a witness and say that this is not thorny ground, or rocky ground.  The birds will not come and eat this seed up.  It won't get scorched because it is not deep.  No, this is deep ground.  This is good ground, ready to receive these blessings and do important work for the kingdom here.  

The definition for sow as defined by Merriam-Webster is "to scatter upon the earth for growth; to set in motion; to spread abroad".  I love that "set in motion".  Let's set this project in motion by our sowing.

The first phase of this project is for a community vegetable garden.  This is why we are "sowing" this time around.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to know that as you are feeding your children each night, you are also feeding 400 mouths in South Africa?  Let's work together and make this first phase a reality for these 250 orphans and 150 adults.  Would you consider this?  God has blessed us with an abundance.  We have everything we need at our disposal.  All He asks of us is to love Him and love our neighbors.  This is a great opportunity to do both.  You can click on the box to the right to donate to this first phase to bring food and hope to a community who needs us.  

Father, I thank you for this opportunity to serve you through giving.  Thank you for loving us and giving us the opportunity to love you in return and to show your love to others.  I ask that you would multiply these gifts and cause them to be more than enough.  Thank you for your promise that you can do exceeding, abundantly above all that we could ask or think, and I ask you to do that now.  In Jesus Name, Amen!

Fan into flame the gift of God in you

This week started off very discouraging for me.  Sunday night, I broke down and literally felt like I was losing all sanity!  I was speaking in circles and couldn't make a clear thought come out.  I love my boys, but they are, well, BOYS.  They are perfectly funny, active, sweet, active, loving, active, tenderhearted and active boys.  Notice I said active?  By the time bedtime rolled around Sunday night, I was spent.  My two year old, who has taken to jumping off his brother's bed face first, had said "no" and "stupid" one too many times.  My five year old was caught between laughing at what he considers his brother's "funny" antics, and listening to me.  Brother's funny stuff beat my directions.  It does every time.  After a couple of minutes of hearing me stressing out, my tag team partner came up and gave me the relief I needed.  I think it took me a couple of hours to come down from the adrenaline rush I was on...  Motherhood has made me realize that I'm not as unselfish as I once thought I was.  I like "me" time, and I love quiet time.   Thank God for loving, compassionate, on-time husbands!

That was the first day of the week!  I started meditating on 2 Timothy that night.  Our bible study group is starting a study on this book, and I'm familiar with it since I grew up in church and have done lots of studies on the ministry of Paul.  As I've said in earlier posts, I've felt stagnant in my relationship with God recently.  However, knowing that we were getting into 2 Timothy, I knew of one verse that was going to stick out to me, and boy has it!  In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul instructs Timothy "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands."  When I read this, it instantly jumped out at me.  I've read it many times before.  The awesome thing about God's word is that it never changes, yet there is always something new to learn no matter how many times you read it.  There is always new revelation, greater growth and change.  Interesting dynamic! 

Our group did a short study on gifts at the end of our first year together.  I have seen gifts in my own life, during my walk with God.  I have operated freely in the gifts of exhortation, wisdom, faith, giving and mercy.  Some are stronger than others, but those are what I see most in my life.  I haven't used most of those gifts regularly in the past 10 years.  I've had moments of great faith or great wisdom, but have not pursued that.  I am feeling re energized to fan into flame those gifts!  James 1:5 says "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."  I pray that I have wisdom in every aspect of my life, but especially in using the gifts God has blessed me with at the right time, with the right people.  As a mom of boys, I need to be able to put that gift of mercy to use...daily!  I need the gift of wisdom to know how to answer my boys with confidence, and with the Word. 

When I think of fanning into flame, I think of a fire that is dying out, and you have to lightly blow on it or fan it to cause it to flame up again.  When we spend time with the Lord, we are just getting breathed on by Him, He's fanning us so that we grow hotter and hotter for Him.  WOW!  That's an awesome visual!  I am fanning the flame with God's word, prayer, quiet time to meditate on what God is saying to me, and writing!  Let me encourage you to fan into flame those gifts in you, too.  What if we all operated in our gifts all the time!?!  Could you imagine what we could get done for the Lord?  If you're stagnant like I've been, or you just feel complacent, turn off your computer and spend a few minutes talking to your Father.  Read what He says in His word to find some direction or peace.  Fan into flame the gift that is in you!  Stir it up!