Words of Encouragment from a Greeting Card

My birthday was a few weeks ago and my dad sent me the best birthday card ever.  It was so thought provoking and timely.   You may have noticed that many of my past blogs are about searching and wondering what is next.  Trying to hold tight to God's unchanging hands and moving forward at the same time.  When I got the card, I was once again reminded that my personal journey was created with me in mind.  The Potter has carefully picked out just the right clay, and as I go spinning on the wheel into my new creation.  He's got is hands all around me.  When the Potter creates he uses his hands and takes time to gently mode us and then he bakes us in the oven for a bit to make sure that the finish product  will last. 

So be encourage as you read these words sent to me in a greeting card.

You are the author of your own life. 
It's up to you to dream it, imagine it, sketch it, shape it,
build it, go after it, and make it happen.
And then color it in with bright, shining shades of joy and deep,
lasting shades of meaning that are yours and yours alone.
No one else can know the dreams you dream
or the strengths yo uhave within you that will help you make
your dreams come true.
No one else needs to. 
Because they're yours.  And so is today. 

To be passionate or to be gifted that is the questioned?

Tonight I was watching a show that Steve Harvey the comedian was on with Donnie McClurkin.  It was such a powerful show, because I hadn't seen Steve Harvey share his testimony about how good God has been to him.  One of the things that he said is that we have to take the scriptures that we know and put them in to practice.   Which means that you have to believe that He has come so you can have life and have life more abundantly.  You have to believe that God has a plan for your life.  You have to believe that He will give you the desires of your heart. You have to believe that you are a joint heir with Christ.   You have to know that your worth it.  God already loves you.

The thing that I truly desire to share which is simple and to the point that was stated on the show was this:
We all have passions that tend to inspire us to move forward, however it's not the passion that God gives you that should propel you forward it is your gift.  


What unique gift has God given you that not only are you good at it, you enjoy doing it?   If you discover what gifts God has given you and pursue those things, then you will begin to use the tools that were given to you and you will begin to experience the fullness of your life in Christ.    Now I am not saying that you can't be passionate about your gift.  But I agree with Steve Harvey that sometimes the things that we are passionate about are not necessarily the gifts that God has given us.    Just to drive home the message, Steve Harvey said that when he was younger he was very passionate about being in the NBA.  However, not only was he not good at basketball, it was not his gift.

In my life I know that I am passionate about many things, but I have to admit that some of my gifts have nothing to do with what I'm passionate about.  The statements I heard where the kind of statements that make you go  UMMMM..........maybe........  And I leave you with that idea, maybe.............