Day Thirty-Four

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ~ I Corinthians 10:31


Faith and doubt are both needed - not as antagonists, but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve. ~ Lillian Smith


To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself. ~ Soren Kierkegaard


When Amanda asked if I would contribute to her blog this week in her absence my brain pulsed with a myriad of reasons to run fast & far from her request.
I haven't written anything in months...I've never written a devotional piece...This is her audience & what if they don't dig my voice...I'm busy...I have a 3 month old baby!
In her email to me she wrote of the posts, "it just has to come from the heart." My heart, yeah. The answer was revealed in that same open spot. At times my thoughts are posioned & pocked with I can't so often I am convinced they are right. Their dirge is loud & I believe them. I forget my brain is fueled by ego, the part of Me that is unable to tell the truth out of fear of... whatever, everything, all of it.
God did not make me a ballroom dancer (I'm incredibly klutzy) or a scuba diver (water is kinda creepy) and he did not bless me with a green thumb, but He has given me the gift of shaping words, crafting sentences, coloring pages with paragraphs. I had to write this week - because she asked, because I'm able, because I'm scared, because my insides are bubbling right now, frenzied with freedom & wild with this opportunity.
I believe God has sprinkled us all with amazing, unique, beautiful gifts. They help us learn who we are & are what make us God's individual children. There is no better way to honor Him than to utilize these talents & put his blessings to work in the world. We each have a story & a responsibility to share it. To Express. Relate. Connect. We accomplish this best when we step out on faith, use what we've been given.

I envision God's smile, filled with sunlight, when I write my thanks & prayers to Him. I feel closest to Him when I take that time. I'm able to communicate my feelings & be the most honest & vulnerable in a letter, rather than a conversation. My words don't shake like my voice - they don't stumble or stutter or sweat. The words God gifts to me make me free.

What talents has God blessed you with & how can you use them to honor Him? Don't allow your brain to hold you hostage with lies. Let your heart be warmed by God's Love for & Confidence in you. Ask God to relieve you of your fears & begin to use your strengths to bear spiritual fruit.

Sing so we can hear you - Dance so we can see - Teach us what you know.
We are all waiting!
I'm overflowing with gratitude for this chance to write while Amanda is away, playing with other fabulous poets. I'm grateful to share my journey with you & melt in your spirit. LoveLoveLove.