God's Gifts

Today, I'm reminded of God's Gifts.  It's Laila's 5th birthday.  She is an amazing gift in our lives.  Her arrival into our family was very unexpected.  It was one of the very big lessons that God is in control and I am not.  As we were trying to prevent adding to our family, God was planning to bring increase to our family.  Yes, He does indeed know better than I!  Laila has brought much increase to our family. Laila is such a gift to us all, but, at times, I feel that she was a gift just for me.  She is so much like her mother it is scary sometimes.  Jared calls her "Mouth Jr." and says God must think since he could handle me that he could handle another like me. God has used her to teach me more about myself than anyone else on this earth. Her birth has brought amazing life to our home and our lives.  Her birth also brought new direction.

When Laila was born, we were in a time of transition.  Jara had started school in all day kindergarten.  We had moved from the community that we had been living and working in for 5 years.  Jared was seeking other employment.  It was a time of change.  It was a time that God started moving in our hearts and lives.  Looking back, He began then the process of moving us into full time ministry.  As we moved from one community to another, we sought a new church home.  We found that home at Horizon Christian Fellowship where we still attend and are being sent out from.  It was here that God revealed to us the gifts that He had given us to use for His Kingdom.  We have both known our personality profiles and our strengths (and weaknesses) in the world.  (These things were taught to us early on in college and in our business and professional careers.)  But God revealed how He had bestowed upon on gifts through His Spirit.  We gained new perspective on those "strong personality traits".  Not just a "this is how God had made us" mentality, but these were gifts given to us by Him to be used for Him.  We also became aware that the talents that God has given us (like Jared's drum playing and Lora's decorating) were not just talents but gifts given by God...Why weren't we using these talents for Him?  God revealed His gifts literally almost overnight to us.  His Spirit moved and we moved in obedience to use our gifts and talents for His glory.  We became involved in the ministry at HCF in a much different capacity than we had been involved in the ministries in Greenwood.  It wasn't about our gifts and talents but more about God's gifts and talents He displayed through us.  It wasn't about being good at something, but it was about glorifying God with something.  God's gifts have changed our lives.  God's gifts allow us to be an integral part of His body.  God's gifts enable us to serve Him not on our own ability and strength but in His. "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." (1Cor.12:4-6 NIV)  What are God's gifts in your life?  How are you receiving and using the gifts that He has given to you? God's gifts are priceless...especially His gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.  And that's only the beginning of the gifts He wishes to give you!