(un)Disciplined Writing, Grateful & What I Heard Sunday

First Grade :)

I am on a journey. I am learning. I am growing. I am being confronted with self. I am changing.

"People change when the pain of remaining the same becomes greater than the pain of changing" (John Maxwell).

Although I have always had a love of words, it was not until recently (within the past year) I gave in to what I feel is part of my calling in ministry. It required releasing some of my plans and dreams and surrendering to God and His purposes for me by acknowledging and embracing what He has placed in the very core of my being. He pursues me still, and I am being overtaken.

For the next couple of weeks, I am cutting back on my social media outlets (fb, twitter, and even some blogging) to focus and finish an important writing project and a few smaller ones. I have found that the art of writing - no matter how much God is in it - requires one to be disciplined. I am naturally undisciplined. But I'm growing and changing, remember? ;) 

Now...about what I heard Sunday.

My spiritual parents have arrived from Australia for some meetings in the US and I was able to attend one this weeked. I was challenged, encouraged and empowered by what God spoke through them.

Briefly...(because I'm on a mission...)

God has placed gifts - made deposits - within each of us. We must guard the deposits and stir up our gifts so that they are used for the purposes God intended.

"O Timothy! Guard what was commited to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge (false doctrine) - by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith..." I Timothy 6:20.

"Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of hands" II Timothy 1:6.

We must know and firmly believe what the Word of God says about us. Remove self-imposed ceilings and limits and dare to be who you were created to be.

Let us stir up our gifts. Let us guard our deposit so that we can give it away, influencing all who cross our path. (We cannot do this if we are sinning, walking in unforgiveness and not pursuing the presence of God.)

Don't let anyone define who you are outside of what the Word of God says about you.

Is there something I can pray with you about today?

Linking with Jen at Finding Heaven, Michelle at Graceful and Shanda at A Pause on the Path...

continuing to count my gifts with Ann V.

#46-55 of graces embraced and gifts undeserved but given anyway...

46 words that fill

47 gifts placed on the inside

48 deposits made by the Creater

49 growing, stretching...changing

50 strength to confront and overcome obstacles

51 first day of school jitters

52 waiting in car pick-up lines and seeing my first grader's eyes light up when he sees me

53 imperfect teenagers who love God

54 fluffy white comforters and air conditioning set on 69

55 a class full of third and fourth graders hungry for God's Word and ready for a challenge