First – I hope you haven’t thought I’ve fallen off the face of the earth! Summer has been so busy thus far. Forgive my lack of communication in my writing.
Secondly, I really want to share with you about my cheer girls!! I had the privilege and honor to speak a couple of weeks ago at our WLHS Football Cheer camp. Let me just tell you that working with these young women flat out never gets old. Over the past years of this opportunity, a place in my heart is reserved for these young women. I’ve had so many moments with God talking about these women, asking for protection and prudence in their lives. Begging for a safe place for them to land and that they would have the courage to ask for help when they need it. I remember my life at their age so well and it wasn’t the rose-covered garden I portrayed on the outside. I’ve prayed many times, “let me be the person I needed when I was younger.” Pray with me, “God work! In Jesus Name. Amen.”
My cheer friends and I talked this time about a topic God specifically laid on my heart at pretty much the last-minute. Perhaps God whispered a sweet reminder for myself as much as for them, so I figured you (all three of you who read this blog 😉 ) might also need the Godly reminders we covered.
When God made you, He made you right! We must stop comparing ourselves to others. All the skills we need to be exactly what God created us to be are already innately woven into the fabric of our being. He created us specifically for our purpose and gave us exactly what we need to do that purpose. We are His workmanship. Ephesians 2:10 tell us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Workmanship-A work of art put together well. We were put together well just like we are by God our creator. Such a comfort in that, right?
Lay down your own plans and dreams. Basically the key word is “own”. Not that we shouldn’t have dreams, but that we should seek God’s plan over our own. We can’t do it all alone in our own power. In Romans 12:1, we are urged by Paul “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Living for God is not only our spiritual but our physical act of worship to our Lord. In that, we must view all things we do, even the most mundane, as worshiping right where we are in the very day that God placed us.
Make a list of what you are good at or comes naturally to you. “Maximum efficiency and minimum weariness” is exactly where God wants us. Our gifts given by God are not to be difficult. Meaning, we may need to practice and perfect our talents, but the God given talents are what comes more naturally to us. This is where we should focus our work and worship. Romans 12:2-8, “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith (think of this as talents given to us) that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us (again talents assigned), let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Basically, friends, run in our own lane. Find where God wants us and work there.
Whatever your gifts, use them now. Begin to use where we see God leading us right now. Don’t wait for the big thing or the big break or the best idea. The everyday things are never ordinary to God. The person who happens to cross our path may just be a God given “glory moment” for us to make a major impact in that person’s life. When we feel the urge of the Lord pushing you forward, we must act on it. Just yesterday I failed on this. 😦 Someone was sharing a tough time in their life and I felt God saying to me “Pray with her right now” and I did not because of where we were and worried it would make her uncomfortable. SHAME ON ME PEOPLE! I need to go to her and make this right, pray with her now. I promise to do this today. Hold me accountable.
Focus on what is right in front of us. Right now, right here, TODAY. These people and this time. If we have huge dreams and God expands those dreams to enormous impact – WONDERFUL! However, if God choses to deepen our impact on the smaller scale of where we are right this minute, we need to find great comfort where we are and doing what He has given us today. We can’t be handicapped to the good things of today because we are dreaming of the largest things of tomorrow. I like to put it this way, “Don’t be some thing crippled because you are everything minded.” Example – I’d love to write a book. I dream about it. But should I quit writing a blog because I don’t have a publishing contract? Uhm – NO. (Besides, my dream is not ready to be more than a dream. I’m not convinced it’s God’s dream for me. see point two. 🙂 )
We have to stop trying to be what God didn’t make us to be. Here we have to quit looking left and right at all we wish we were and embrace the way we are as the best way God saw us to be. WORKMANSHIP -remember? No matter how much I want to be taller, God saw best for me to be short. All the wanting and wishing will bring me a sadness God does not intend for me to carry.
Lastly, let’s celebrate what God made us to be and allow ourselves to love who we are in Christ.
The reality is God made us in His image and we are in that regard #patternedinperfection.
In His grip, Ashlee
Pray with me: Oh Heavening Father God, thank you for all that you have created in the world including us. Allow us to see ourselves as you do and love ourselves as you love us. Give us complete comfort in your workmanship of our lives as well as give us a desire to seek your plans and work our days in worship of you physically and spiritually with our hearts, minds and bodies. When we fail to see the beauty you see in us, bring along beside us a sister in Christ to lift us and remind us how precious we are to you and your master plan. Give us joy in the day to day things we can to do serve you right now and a vision for how we can impact your kindgom with our lives. We love you and praise you, Father. In your son’s we pray, Amen.
Ashlee Gillis Vickers, CPC 