I'm already a dancer.

As I was scrolling through YouTube last night, I found myself watching hilarious videos, sentimental videos and just enjoying how beautiful life can be at times. I then watched a video where a chat show host had a little 3 year old girl who can dance (better than I could ever hope to - I might add) on her show. She asked the girl if she hoped to be a dancer when she grew up. The little girl looked puzzled and just simply said, I'm already a dancer. 

And right there it struck me. 

How often I am not childlike in using my gifts and talents. How I find any excuse to not call myself a photographer or an artist or a writer. Am I alone in this? 

I keep thinking well if I just get to this level, then I can call myself that. Or thinking that perhaps I need to be the best at something to have truly arrived, to truly be able to say that the Lord is using that gift in my life.

And that's so silly.     

Because the Lord uses our gifts in our brokenness. And praise Him for that. Because for most of us, we will never be the best at anything. And that's ok, because it shouldn't be our goal to aim to be the best. To compare our gifts to the gifts of others. We have all been given a different mix of talents. So we can't possibly expect to measure up to anyone else. 

We are just called to use our gifts to bring Him glory, to show others Him. If we are doing that, then we are totally an artist. Even if the art gallery never amounts to more than artwork on our own fridge. Our call is to faithful obedience, and the Giver takes care of the rest. So be encouraged if you feel you aren't getting results you are looking for, those aren't for us to worry about, just keeping doing whatever you have been gifted or called to. And if you have been blessed with a gifting, Praise God for using you! What grace that is! 

Trust the giver that He has a perfect beautiful plan for you even if you can't see it. And don't be discouraged friend! Keep shining for Him! 

With Love from the photographer. 

{On My Heart} Mondays. [Each of us is talented, every one.]

'My instinctive impulse was to find my worth in the response of the people around me, and as a result, people became measuring sticks for my goodness rather than unique expressions of God.'

{Grace for the good girl By Emily P. Freeman, p.20}

We had a great discussion as a church body yesterday about many things. 

One of which was talents.

You know each of us has them. 

Not spiritual gifts, but talents.

Things we are good at.

Its a never-ending list of things from cooking, photography, sewing, felt crafts, music ability, painting, landscaping.......

Every single one of us is talented in some way or another.

The Lord has gifted each of us in this way. 

The other thing is that all of our talents are different.

You may not be an amazing photographer, most of us aren't.

You may not be a good writer, most of us aren't.

You may try painting and produce something that looks like a five year old created it, or maybe that's just me.

Anyway you look at it,

God has made you unique.

You don't look as good as she does, you aren't supposed to.

You may not do something as well as she does, you aren't supposed to.

Your walk will look different from those around you, because only you are you.

It's hard in a world where certain talents are held in high esteem. 

In our culture we idolise people who can sing, people who can make 3-pointers with their eyes closed, people who can take pictures that look straight out of national geographic, girls who can make any outfit look amazing.

If God has gifted you in these particular ways, that's awesome!

But just because we don't fit the mold of what's 'in' right now doesn't make us less talented, sisters.

Psalm 139 says,

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 

You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out

    before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

    They cannot be numbered! 

I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

 (v13-18)

 God gifts each of us with different talents for a reason.

Now if the foot should say, 

“Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” 

it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 

And if the ear should say, 

“Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” 

it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  

 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? 

If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  

 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, 

just as he wanted them to be.  

 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 

As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

{1 Cor 12:15-20} 

We are all used for different purposes.

We all have the common goal of using our talents to build and expand the Lord's kingdom.

Whatever area He has gifted you in, and it may be extremely different to those around you, use it for His glory.

If you can cook well, then cook to make much of Him to those around you.

If you can dance, dance for His glory and shine for Him.

If you can sing, Sing for Him & showcase His light to those around you.

If you can do hair well, offer your time and talents to those around you.

If you are good with kids, then help the families around you.

The Lord can open many doors for us to talk about our faith when we reach out in these areas.

I hope to encourage all of you to pursue whatever talents the Lord has given you.

Don't compare yourself with anyone else.

Don't measure yourself against anyone else's God-given talents.

Shine for Him with the talents He has given you.

When we are all in eternity with our precious Savior, 

the only thing that will matter will be relationships. 

Whether or not the people around us get to share in that joy 

of being face-to-face with our Lord. 

Remember that you are loved.

Remember that you are talented.

Shine for Him.

Reach others for Him.

Much Love,

L

 Disclaimer: I am not here to boast about my talents, I do not have a gifting for guitar of any kind. These pictures were totally posed. =)