Hey Friend,
Even this is hard to type, but here goes...I am a good writer. (long pause)
I think that is a sober assessment (after all God does not want us to sell His creativity short). However, I'm not great...I've read great, but I'm not awful either.
I can remember as a young girl how I loved to write poems about the antics of my two playful Westies. I would sit as a teen for hours at the piano thinking up lyrics to the music I had swirling around in my head. So lost in thought, I would go without eating until the words were birthed onto the blank page.
I think I have always had the gift of encouragement (or exhortation). If Hallmark or DaySpring made a card for the occasion, I sent it. I love writing notes to people. Some friends have said that I "have a way with words". A hesitant learner, I had to hear that for many years plus be sidelined with a surgery that left me unable to walk for a month, in order to finally hear God's calling to start writing my blog. Talk about a head case...God really had to spell it out for me. Oh how I love that He is a patient God.
Enter fear. What if I fail? What if I fall short? Am I going to look silly? What will those who read think of me? What if no one reads my blog? Insecurities and excuses rose up like dandelions choking out the pretty flowers of enthusiasm. I was reminded of what happened when God asked Moses to lead His people out of Egypt.
Then Moses said to the Lord, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."
The Lord said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" (Exodus 4:10)
In short, God said to Moses, "I've got this covered." I am learning that, like Moses and Jonah, I can run from God's calling, but eventually the big fish will catch up with me.
Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift. You cannot say I have no gift. God gave you a gift(s) to be used.
Spiritual Gifts: (Must be employed in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in the self-energy of the flesh in order to please God and bring positive results)
Apostle
Prophet (prophecy)
Evangelist (evangelism)
Pastor-Teacher
Administration
Leadership
Faith (visionary faith)
Knowledge
Wisdom
Exhortation (encouragement)
Discernment
Ministering
Service (helps)
Giving
Tongues (kinds of languages)
Interpretation of Tongues
Miracles
Healing
Mercy
Hospitality (love of strangers)
There are many mediums or talents through which we exercise our gifts. A photographic eye for beauty, speaking, or creative expression in the arts are all examples of natural talents and abilities we have. Spiritual gifts, however, are a supernatural enabling by the Trinity (now we're getting into some deep waters).
Two questions I challenge you to ask God:
Q: Father, will you reveal my spiritual gift(s) to me?
Q: How can I use my spiritual gift(s) and talent(s) to bring glory to You and to advance Your Kingdom?
"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord (Jesus Christ); and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God (the Father) who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." (1 Corinthians 12:5-7)
You ARE gifted my friend...If you proclaim Christ as your Savior, God is waiting to do a great work in you. You can run, like me, but what joy can be found when we hit that "sweet spot" in saying "Yes, Lord. Here I am. Send me."
Speaking of sweet spots, God and I, together marked a milestone on (not coincidentally) September 11th. Blogger speak for number of readers is "page views". On September 11th I reached 20,000 page views. I think I started with perhaps a half dozen of my closest friends lol. At the time the meter turned over to 20,000, there were readers tuned in from the US, Turkey, S. Africa, Ireland, Germany, Pakistan, Canada, China, France, UK, Ukraine, New Zealand and Hungary.
That, my friends is NOT me...that is the working of God and the Holy Spirit!! And, it blows my socks off!! That's what God can do if we will just say, "Yes" to Him and engage the gift(s) He's given us. So now it is CELEBRATION TIME of God's goodness!!! This is my way of saying thank you for your encouragement.
GIVEAWAYS: For my loyal (already subscribed) readers I will be having a drawing for giveaways. There will also be a drawing for NEW SUBSCRIBERS in the months of September and October. Your subscription is your entry in a chance to win :) **Note all you receive in your inbox is one email (my post)per week. Lists are not sold.
Giveaways: 365 day perpetual calendars by Holley Gerth - "God's Heart For You" (every day reminders that you are loved, cherished, chosen, blessed and valuable). Also, Starbucks gift cards - I love coffee...what can I say??
Thank you...I am blessed and humbled...may we all spread God's word because it never returns void.
In His love,
Bev
ps. Next week an update on what love is doing through you for Redeemer Christian School in Pakistan and what is still left to be done. Please pray for us won't you??
