"It was Your picture"

~Saturday Stories

“I taught you to look at the special gifts and qualities God gave you. ... Actually, we shouldn’t call it self-confidence. We ought to call it God-confidence.” - Kathleen, Here's Lily

"It's not about being good or living a good life. It's about believing that God is God, that he's good and he loves us, and that we need his forgiveness. That's it!" -Gloria, The Fight

"I couldn’t see the whole picture. You did, though. It was Your picture." -Kim, Found in Translation

How about you? Have you remembered that you are in need of God's forgiveness and that He loves you? Have you placed your confidence in God? Have you trusted Him with His picture? 

"Lord, please give me the words" and more quotes

~Saturday Stories~

"Lord, please give me the words." -Gracie, Grace Notes

"Not making a decision is the same as making one. It's like saying you like how things are going, that you want to keep heading in the same direction. But I think that's a bad choice. I mean, why would you want to live a life that makes you miserable? It makes no sense." - Andrea, Harsh Pink

"If it wasn't valuable, why would God waste time giving you the talent?" -Abbie, So Over It

"Oh, believe me, I have no illusions, I'm certain there'll be more hard times ahead - I mean, you just never know what a day might bring. But what I do know is that God can see me through. I can't wait to see what he does next!" -Caitlin, Becoming Me

How about you? Have you made a decision for Christ? Have you ever asked God to give you the words? What talents has He given you? Are you waiting to see what Christ does in your life? 

The Call to Give, Part 3: Talents

~Tuesday Thoughts~

These November Tuesdays I want to explore the theme of giving. The Dictionary of Bible Themes divides it up into four things: giving of oneself, of possessions, of talents, and of time. I'm mixing that order up and we’ll have possessions first, time second, talents third and then –oh, the climax!- the giving of oneself. Two Tuesdays ago we talked about giving possesions and last Tuesday about giving time. Today we'll talk about giving our talents.


God is the one who gave us the talents we have. And, yes, even though it seems sometimes like we're talentless we do have them. 

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us." Romans 12:6a (NIV)

"For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" 1 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)

Talents are different. The talents you have are not the talents I have; the things you do well I might not - and vice versa. 

"But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that." 1 Corinthians 7:7b (NIV)

Talents should be used. Maybe you have heard the parable about using the talents. You can read it in Mathew 25:14-30 (it's in the New King James Version) and a similar one in Luke 19:11-27.

How, then, should our talents be used? Great question.

We should use them for God's glory.

"If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:11 (NIV)

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)

We should use them for the good of those around us.

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10(NIV)

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)


Two more things about talents:

Talents will be accounted for.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them." Matthew 25:19(NIV)

And - great news! - there will be rewards too. Although salvation is given by grace and not for works, God does reward us for what we do later on.

"He repays everyone for what they have done;
  he brings on them what their conduct deserves." Job 34:11 (NIV)

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

How about you? What talents do you have? How do you already use them for God and for the good of others? How can you use them even more?

Accept

~Friday for Friends~ 

Continuing the Friday for Friends post series, we have the word “accept”. Webster’s dictionary (of 1993) defines it “to take what is given; to believe to be true; to agree”. 

We don't have to accept everything our friends think and believe. In fact, if it's contradicting the Bible we SHOULDN'T accept it. What we can accept is who they are. Your friends are unique (as are you). They have different strengths and weaknesses than you do, different talents, hobbies, tastes. 

God accepts each and every one of us when we ask Him for forgiveness. Isn't it amazing?   

Can ministry be for everyone?

Ministry, or any work for God, can sometimes seem unreachable. Really, you might not ever become a pastor and you might have an awful voice and you might not be good with children. So what do you do?

I, for one, think that however “plain” you think yourself to be, you probably have SOMETHING. Maybe you write. Or draw. Or you love to talk. Maybe you know a lot about horses. Or you’re a nurse. Or you love soccer, I don’t know.

But whatever you are good at, it can be used. You can write stories that glorify God. You can try to capture the beauty of His world in your drawings. You can talk to others about Him. You can run a stable and talk about God there. You can nurse people to health telling them of the One that can completely heal them forever. You can play soccer and influence the guys and girls around you. Or if you’ll become a pastor or sing in the choir or lead church service that’s great too.

So think about it. God has given you your talents. Use them for Him. Or at least give it a try.


There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NIV)

Blessings!    

We are all so different....

 Just look around you. There are so many people everywhere. And they're all different. Each and every one of the kids, teens, and adults out there is different. They have their own talents, habits, strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, dreams.

 And that is beyond cool. That is amazing. How wonderfully God has made us! He has such a grand imagination to make us all so unique. Praise the Lord!

 How about you? Do you find it amazing how different we all are? What are some of the special things God has given you?

Love does not boast

Do you do something well? Do you dance, sing, play soccer, play volleyball, write, draw? Are you smart, athletic, pretty? There's lots of other things you may be good at too. It's way too easy to boast. To say "ha! I can do it and you can't!" The Bible has lots to say about boasting. Here are some verses:

May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.
Psalm 12:3

In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.
Psalm 44:8

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Proverbs 27:1

This is what the Lord says:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:23-24

Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:31

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2 Corinthians 11:30

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14

P. S. I want to remind everyone that when I say "we shouldn't boast" or "we should be kind" it doesn't mean we can change ourselves. It means we should turn the One who can and ask for help. :)

How about you? Do you have problems with boasting too much? 

Dedicating talents to the Lord

I'm so glad for communions. It's a time when I can slow down and remember the remarkable thing Christ has done for me: He died and rose.

For me it's also a time to dedicate my talents and desires to Him. I want to write. I love to look back and see the stuff I've written. I want to be published someday. It's something I really want and need to constantly give back to the Lord. It can happen only if He wants it and I want Him to have the praise. I need to remember that. Communions are great reminders.

How about you? What talents has God given you? Do you give them back to the Lord?

Tournaments, Cocoa and One Wrong Move by Nancy Rue

 I've recently read a great book by Nancy Rue - Tournaments,Cocoa and One Wrong Move. It was an amazing story. Here's a review of it.

 Typical Cassidy- "See , I think that's a weird question. I think the question should be 'Why doesn't EVERYBODY want to win? Why would you want to put yourself out there without wanting to be the best?"

 Basketball. It’s her passion. It’s her love. It’s the only time she doesn't feel scared of anything. And it all goes down with one fall…

 Cassidy Brewster, whose love and skill for basketball seem immeasurable, feels lost when a fall on the court leaves her knee swelling to three times its size. Will she ever be able to play again? And when a med student offers her supplements in secret should she take them?

 Cassidy certainly is “real” in this third book of the Real Life series. Her perfectionism and longing to be the best are something many girls can relate to. But as she is rid of the thing she loves most Cassidy learns lessons she couldn't have learned always being the star.

 I certainly recommend this book to all girls who think they have to be "perfect" (I'm there too). God loves us all just the way we are. :)

For more on Nancy Rue, visit her website and facebook page.