Gifts, strengths, talents

Well I ended last night's LONG LONG blog writing about my talents and gifts. I really want to find out what talents God gave me, and then continue to strengthen them so my specific purpose (how I'm supposed to use my gifts and talents) will become very clear! ........ and as usual God reinforced what I was thinking through my reading today. Here was my email from Joel Osteen's website this morning:

Pursue Your Strengths
“Do not neglect your gift…” (I Timothy 4:14).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
God has equipped each one of us with specific gifts and talents. It’s up to you to not only to identify those gifts, but to be disciplined to develop those gifts. You have to learn to stay in your strength zone. What are you naturally good at? What do you enjoy doing? Take the time to identify your strengths and weaknesses and as the scripture says, give yourself to your gifts. In other words, don’t spend all your time trying to improve your weaknesses. Don’t waste valuable days pursuing things that are outside your main gifting. Focus on your strengths. There is something that you’re good at naturally—something you can do that comes easy to you. Step out into your area of gifting. Are you good with people? Are you good with your hands? Do you have a great voice? Find ways to develop those gifts. Know that your gifts and talents are a part of your divine destiny. If you’ll be comfortable with who God made you to be, and thank Him for your unique gifting, you’ll not only enjoy your life more, but you’ll be ready to receive the abundant blessing God has in store for you!

A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for equipping me with everything I need to be successful in this life. I ask that You show me how to develop the gifts within me for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen


Doesn't God just work in amazing ways!??!!?! I almost couldn't believe it when I started reading this devotional email this morning.

Some of my thoughts on the questions posed are:
What are you naturally good at? smiling, talking to people, reading, organizing, making people feel welcome, being enthusiastic, being a student, listening, making people feel appreciated, being passionate, not being scared to speak my mind, standing up for what I believe in

What do you enjoy doing? all of the above... plus playing the piano, singing, dancing, sports, competition, any sort of game, spending time with my family, coloring, swimming, enjoying nature

Are you good with people? I think so! I love people and love to make them feel like they are loved.

Are you good with your hands? I think I'm good with my hands - but I don't think I'm GREAT with my hands.

Do you have a great voice? Although I really feel like I was MEANT to have a GREAT voice... to be honest with myself it's only good...or maybe even not that good haha. I am soo moved by music - singing, dancing, playing the piano --- I can honestly say I WISH I had a really great voice. Sometimes I wonder why God gave me such a heart and love for music - but didn't really bless me with a lot of musical talent haha. Or maybe He did and I just don't know it... I don't know.....

Some things I am extremely passionate about are the elderly, babies in the womb, orphans, all little children actually..... I keep thinking about Ghana when I think of what I want to do with my gifts.... after spending time with and learning to love all of the nurses that took care of grandma, that were all from Ghana, I want to help them and their families somehow. I did quite a few lenghtly studies during college on Ghana - and have seen first hand through these ladies what life is like there. They have so many needs in that country that I wish I could help with.

but all these causes I feel so passionate about require financial assistance! I wish I was totally financially independent and could teach others to do the same so we could all help others more!! Imagine if lots of christians had as much time and money as billionaires in our country do -- or even those celebrities in Hollywood? We could do so much good. Not saying we couldn't do a lot of good now --- but just thinking of how much MORE good we could do is incredible!

But we sure could do a lot of great things NOW as well without all being financially independent.... Did you know that if everybody in our country that claimed to be a christian tithed 10% of their income like the Bible says we are supposed to do --- it would be enough money to eradicate homelessness and starvation in America with LOTS left over to spread to other countries. Anyway.. that was a digression...

Mom and other people who know me.... do you have any other insights into what some of my strengths, talent, gifts might be?!?! Anybody!? :)