Not Sorry

I asked a question about spiritual gifts in a study I wrote a couple weeks ago and tried it out on a small group of women, super women. Women I love and adore, who uphold me and entertain me and fill me up. Women with talents and gifts that are as beautiful and wonderful as gold and jewels and tacos and all the precious things on earth. So the question was posed and...
Crickets.
Then a few reluctant shares.
Then I moved on quickly, because I felt bad putting people on the spot to share what they are good at...

...

WHAT?! Why did I feel that way!? Why didn't I call it out in my friends the things that I see are great in them? And why is everyone so afraid to call it out in themselves?

Including me.

I think that a lot of this is done in the name of humility. We don't want to brag about the gifts and talents that we have.
Another is that, maybe, we simply don't value ourselves enough. I certainly hope that isn't the case; but I fear it is.

I get it, good Jesus People aren't boasters or braggers; but that's not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about owning and living the talents that we are given by the Lord.
This whole bowing our heads and being ashamed to flourish...

I'm calling bull crap on that right now.

Listen up people. 
Introverts
Extroverts
Both-a-verts...:)
Listen to me, tired moms
and tired dads
and old people
and young people
and GIRLS - seriously....girls....listen to me.

OWN YOUR STRENGTHS.

I'm watching too many bowed heads and bent shoulders and not enough glittering eyes and uplifted hands. If you are good at something, do not be afraid of it; own it. Create, Preach, Teach, Love, Write, Cook, Bake, Paint, Sculpt, Photograph, Tinker, Build, Fix, Care, SHINE. 

I'm not afraid of who God made me, but I am almost always afraid that who God made me won't be acceptable to others. Terrifying, right? So I'm done with that. 

Ready?

I'm a kick butt mom. Seriously, I screw up a thousand times a day - but I'm doing so much better than I thought I would.

I can cook something fierce. And I love using that talent to fill bellies and hearts and bring people together.

I'm a writer, I love talking to people and writing allows me to talk to lots of people all at once. WIN.

I'm a teacher. I have the patience to dissect something until it's easily explained to others.

I am all of these things, and I'm dang good at all of these things. And I am PROUD (scary word) of these things. Because I know that these things, these things are from the Lord. And when I flex these gifted muscles He gave to me, I get even better at them. And when I get better at them, the Kingdom benefits.
Because of that fact alone, there is no end to my striving to be better, and be in action, and to be using these gifts ALL THE TIME and for anything that He calls me to.

When we boast about these beautiful things that make us fascinating creatures. Boast in the Lord.
Boast in His creativity, in His power, in His beauty, in His might.
Boast in His faithfulness, His generosity, and His love.

When you boast about the things you excel at, boast in the Spirit - giving credit to God. God's army isn't a bunch of ho hums who doubt all the time and blush and bend their heads. God's army is a ragamuffin band of scrappy warriors that know their strengths and flex them on the front line.

I'm not sorry I'm good at these things.
I'm not sorry about my goals and dreams.
I'm not sorry about my pursuit towards honing my skills.

Because at the heart of all of it.

I'm not sorry about Jesus.

Own it. Stop being sorry about being awesome at stuff. You're looking the wrong way when you are looking at your feet, He isn't down there. 

Eyes up Ya'll. 

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash