The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set. The Lord is known for justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.
(Psalm 9:15-16. NLT)
Things are getting expensive, aren’t they? I’ve found that I have to go without some things I used to buy at the grocery store—the little treats or the specialty items that are not necessary for survival but things I wanted.
I often feel that life is unfair when I have to pass them by. Like a child, I think, “I’ve been a good girl. I deserve this.”
Reflecting on where this selfish way of thinking comes from, I realize I’m not thinking as a child of God at that moment but as someone who’s fallen into a commercial trap. What sparked those selfish thoughts?
A new lifestyle
When my husband retired, he had a good pension from working for the same company. We weren’t rich, but we had what we needed with some to spare for simple pleasures like a day trip, a celebratory dinner in a nice restaurant, or a donation to a worthy cause.
Now, we find that monthly income doesn’t stretch as far, and we must be careful of extraneous spending. But I need to keep in mind that I still have riches.
As my grandad said in his later years–
“We don’t have much, but we have more than most.”
He and my grandma were living on government assistance at the time. But he didn’t compare his life to those around him who had bigger houses and fancy cars and vacationed in Majorca. He saw the people on the news who were displaced by war or homeless because of natural disasters.
He had the love of his family, a roof over his head and fish and chips every Friday. He considered himself rich in blessings. And always found a few pennies to treat his grandkids to a bag of sweeties.
Now it’s my turn
Will I be remembered as an older woman who groaned about not having money for fancy restaurants and two cars in the garage, or will I be the one who sets an example to my grandkids that it’s ok not to have all the things the television and social media tells us we should have?
Will I fall into the trap I’ve allowed around me or follow my grandad’s example and the God he trusted in for all his needs?
Lord, help me to choose the best—the path you have for me and your provisions to help me walk it well and not stumble.
Til next time–remember you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
On the following pages, you’ll find the Spiritual Gifts Evaluation. Complete it to discover which Spiritual Gifts God may have given you.
As you willingly accept your gifts from God, ask Him to reveal how He wants to use them to accomplish the special assignments He has for you to fulfil your purpose for His Kingdom on Earth.
Legal Stuff you need to know –
You may print out this evaluation for your own personal use or in a group setting but the evaluation is copyrighted as it’s been published in a book, so please don’t use it for any monetary gain such as asking a fee from others to use it or copying it into another book for publishing purposes. If you’re unsure if you can use it for a purpose other than those, please send me a short comment on my website and I’ll be happy to help. Helps – one of my gifts! 🙂
Are you ready to unwrap your Spiritual Gifts?
Let’s begin –
How much do you agree with each statement? Be totally honest as you are right now, not as you want to be. God can use you right now for His Kingdom, so start where you are now in your life – warts and all! Hold on to the person you want to be – that person will emerge as you seek God with all your heart and trust His leadership. You may see other gifts unwrap as you grow in your faith. Put your answer beside each statement. And don’t be shy – if you know you fit the statement – say it confidently in the realization that it’s not anything you’ve done but what God has done through you. Give Him all the glory!
Score as 0 = Not at all. 1 = Sometimes. 2 = Often. 3 = Usually. 4 = Almost always.
__ Q1. I effectively organize people and projects to reach goals in ministry and work.
__ Q2. I have specific plans for reaching defined goals.
__ Q3. I easily delegate tasks to make things run more smoothly.
__ Q4. I seek out opportunities to make decisions.
__ Q5. I understand what must be done to accomplish a goal.
__ Q6. I feel driven to start new projects for God.
__ Q7. I enjoy new challenges and taking risks.
__ Q8. I enjoy making a difference in other people’s lives.
__ Q9. I would like to work as Christ’s ambassador.
__ Q10. I am willing to work hard to see churches reach their full potential.
__ Q11. I can usually tell immediately what a person’s character and abilities are.
__ Q12. I usually know if something is from God, Satan or human.
__ Q13. I recognize inconsistencies in people.
__ Q14. I realize peoples’ true motives for doing something.
__ Q15. I perceive when something is twisted in communication.
__ Q16. I am driven to impact other people’s lives for Christ.
__ Q17. I rejoice with people who have put their trust in the Lord in difficult times.
__ Q18. I seek out opportunities to help people reach their full potential for Christ.
__ Q19. I like to be able to inspire people and encourage them.
__ Q20. I rejoice at other people’s success.
__ Q21. I seek out opportunities to bridge the gap between myself and people not of my faith.
__ Q22. I sense when a person is open to the message of salvation.
__ Q23. I have helped many people come to faith in Christ.
__ Q24. I believe love, not logic, wins people to Christ.
__ Q25. I’m deeply burdened for those who don’t know Christ.
__ Q26. I welcome taking risks for God.
__ Q27. I get excited by overcoming obstacles with faith.
__ Q28. I readily accept a challenge that seems like a ‘mission impossible.’
__ Q29. I have a passionate prayer life.
__ Q30. I have a great sense that God is in control of all things.
__ Q31. I eagerly give more than the ten percent tithe in my offering.
__ Q32. I usually give anonymously when I can.
__ Q33. I look for ways I can increase my income in order to give more to the church.
__ Q34. I see my resources as belonging to God so I give beyond what is asked of me.
__ Q35. I know everything belongs to God, and I am a steward of His bounty.
__ Q36. I firmly believe that people can be healed supernaturally.
__ Q37. I pray specifically to be used by God to heal people.
__ Q38. I believe healing occurs only by God’s will.
__ Q39. I view medical science as a means God sometimes uses to heal people.
__ Q40. I give God all the glory when He uses me to heal someone.
__ Q41. I like to serve behind the scenes.
__ Q42. I rejoice in the success of others.
__ Q43. I like attention to detail.
__ Q44. I seek out ways to assist others in their tasks.
__ Q45. I don’t need recognition for the work I do.
__ Q46. I’m known for making people feel welcome and comfortable.
__ Q47. I seek out people who are alone in a crowd.
__ Q48. I have a strong desire to make people feel loved and accepted.
__ Q49. I see my home as belonging to God and welcome visitors in His name.
__ Q50. I try to promote fellowship in believers when I can.
__ Q51. I clearly understand what the speaker is saying, even if the language is unknown to me.
__ Q52. I can translate messages in a way that edifies and exhorts believers.
__Q53. I can convey the meaning of words spoken by other believers to glorify God.
__ Q54. I can interpret messages when given by a speaker in a language unknown to the audience.
__ Q55. I am eager to interpret when someone starts speaking in an unknown language.
__ Q56. I devote much of my time to reading scripture.
__ Q57. I love to share biblical insights.
__ Q58. I love to help others understand God’s Word.
__ Q59. I feel strong benefits from studying the Bible.
__ Q60. I delight in answering difficult questions about scripture to glorify God.
__ Q61. I motivate others to work towards accomplishing visions for the future of the church.
__ Q62. I am naturally drawn into leadership roles.
__ Q63. I find it easy to inspire people to work together for the benefit of God’s kingdom.
__ Q64. I easily see the vision for the church.
__ Q65. I am happy to release responsibility to others who are qualified.
__ Q66. I am drawn to meeting the practical needs of others.
__ Q67. I devote much prayer time for the sake of others.
__ Q68. I grieve with those who grieve.
__ Q69. I generally place the needs of others above my own needs.
__ Q70. I feel fulfilled when I visit the sick, homeless, orphans or those in nursing homes.
__ Q71. I recognize prayer as a supernatural way God acts in the lives of people.
__ Q72. I give credit to God alone for supernatural works.
__ Q73. I fully understand that miracles happen only by God’s will.
__ Q74. I believe I am an instrument for God’s work on Earth.
__ Q75. I pray and look to God for His will when I encounter an impossible situation.
__ Q76. I feel driven to help others reach their full potential in Christ.
__ Q77. I look for opportunities to serve others.
__ Q78. I enjoy developing a trusting relationship with a small group of people.
__ Q79. I am happy to give my time to help people with their spiritual needs.
__ Q80. I believe people take precedence over projects.
__ Q81. I am known for communicating God’s Word.
__ Q82. I enjoy sharing my strong biblical convictions with others.
__ Q83. I view myself as an instrument to be used by the Holy Spirit to change lives.
__ Q84. I find it easy to confront others’ motives if they don’t live up to biblical standards.
__ Q85. I frequently receive and share messages from God that comfort and challenge His people.
__ Q86. I spend many hours studying scripture to apply the truth.
__ Q87. I enjoy explaining God’s Word to others.
__ Q88. I seek out opportunities to speak biblical truth and principles in situations.
__ Q89. I enjoy helping people learn to study scripture.
__ Q90. I believe God’s Word can be effectively taught by several means.
__ Q91. I believe God prompts me to convey His messages through a language I don’t know.
__ Q92. I often pray for others in utterances using an unknown language.
__ Q93. I desire opportunities to pray for the church in an unknown language that glorifies God.
__ Q94. I share words and messages God gives me using an unknown language.
__ Q95. I often comfort or encourage others using an unknown language inspired by God.
__ Q96. I enjoy speaking biblical insights into life situations.
__ Q97. I am often sought out by others for advice or wisdom.
__ Q98. I take great pleasure in counselling others.
__ Q99. I am known for making correct decisions and judgements.
__ Q100. I recognize God as the primary source of all wisdom.
Now tally your results:
Qs 1-5 =
Qs 6-10 =
Qs 11-15 =
Qs 16-20 =
Qs 21-25 =
Qs 26-30 =
Qs 31-35 =
Qs 36-40 =
Qs 41-45 =
Qs 46-50 =
Qs 51-55 =
Qs 56-60 =
Qs 61-65 =
Qs 66-70 =
Qs 71-75 =
Qs 76-80 =
Qs 81-85 =
Qs 86-90 =
Qs 91-95 =
Qs 96-100 =
Now record your highest marks and discover which Gifts God may have blessed you with.
Record your highest three scores. Your supportive scores are listed as your fourth, fifth and sixth.
If you score the same on more than one Gift, write them on the same line, then go to the next score.
If you scored the highest on Qs 1-5 it means you likely have the Spiritual Gift of Administration, and so on;
Administration is the Gift that serves and strengthens the body of Christ by effectively organizing resources and people to reach ministry goals efficiently.
Apostleship is the Gift God uses to launch and lead new ministries to expand His kingdom.
Discernment recognizes truth or error within a message, person or event.
Encouragement helps others live a godly life through inspiration, counselling, and empowerment.
Evangelism is the Gift that enables believers who are blessed to share Christ’s love in a way that draws people to accept the gift of salvation.
Faith helps those who have this Gift to see God’s purposes accomplished, trusting God to overcome all obstacles.
Giving encourages people to joyfully offer more than the usual tithe to further God’s kingdom.
Healing restores health beyond traditional and natural means to those sick and suffering.
Helping offers assistance to others in reaching their goals that glorify God without thought for their own gratification.
Hospitality provides others with a welcoming environment for fellowship and comfort.
Interpretation is the Gift of understanding a message from God spoken in a language unknown to them or others in attendance.
Knowledge is the ability to communicate God’s truth to others for the purpose of promoting justice, honesty, and understanding.
Leadership is given to believers to relay visions of God’s will for spiritual growth and achieving specific goals.
Mercy is the ability to minister to those who suffer physically, emotionally, spiritually, or relationally. Their acts are characterized by their love, compassion, and kindness.
Miracles are supernatural acts that bring validity to God and His power.
Pastoring is the responsibility of a group of believers to equip them in Christ-centered living.
Prophecy offers messages from God that comfort, encourage, warn, and reveal truths that lead to repentance and spiritual growth.
Teaching is imparting sound doctrine in relevant ways, empowering people to grow in their faith.
Tongues communicate God’s message in a special language unknown to the speaker.
Wisdom is making wise decisions and counselling others with sound advice in accordance with God’s will.
Now you have an idea of the Spiritual Gifts God may have given you, pray for His will and guidance to use your gifts for His glory and to serve others as you minister to them in love that flows from Christ.
How Do We Use Our Spiritual Gifts?
If you try out a gift that doesn’t fit, go on to your next Gift and pray for clarity.
It will help you most if you have, or can find, a local church or one online which preaches the full gospel of our Lord Jesus. Together, we build up each other, love and care for one another with the love of Jesus, and minister to the local and global community in His name. If you cannot find a local church, leave me a comment and I’ll send you the link to an online church.
A more comprehensive look at Spiritual Gifts and how we can use them to further God’s kingdom can be found in my book THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE KING. The book also contains this Spiritual Gifts evaluation.
The Fellowship Of The King – a Christian Geek’s Guide to Kingdom Purpose
Many Blessings, my brothers and sisters, as you live and serve in your giftedness.
Before you begin the Spiritual Gifts evaluation, you’ll need to understand what Spiritual Gifts are. These passages from scripture help us see how wonderful our Heavenly Father is, that He would give all His children such special gifts!
What Spiritual Gifts Are
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 New International Version (NIV)
4.” There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity.
What Spiritual Gifts Are Not
Because Spiritual Gifts are freely given by God, they cannot be earned or merited. Though working through individuals, they operate and are manifestations of the Holy Spirit, not of the gifted person. They are to be used for the benefit of others and are given to the church as a whole not given solely to individuals. There is diversity in their distribution because the purpose of a Spiritual Gift is to edify (build up), exhort (encourage), and comfort the church by each person using their gifts to glorify God and further His work on earth.
The Difference Between Spiritual Gifts, Natural Gifts and Acquired Talents
Natural gifts (abilities) are innately given by God to all mankind at birth through creation. Everyone has natural gifts even if they don’t recognize them or use them.
Acquired gifts are talents learned through education, training and experience. Most people have access to these at some point in their life.
Spiritual Gifts are given by God through His Spirit and are for the purpose of ministry. They can be developed over time to enable believers to make a unique contribution to the kingdom of God.
Who Gets Spiritual Gifts?
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 New International Version (NIV)
8 “To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 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.”
Every believer, at the moment they accept Christ into their heart, receives at least one Spiritual Gift.
Do We All Get The Same Spiritual Gifts?
Romans 12:6-8 New International Version (NIV)
6 “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
Why Do We Get Spiritual Gifts?
Ephesians 4:11-13 New International Version (NIV)
11 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Do We Get More Than One Spiritual Gift?
Everyone receives at least one Spiritual Gift at the moment they receive Christ. Some may receive more than one. In this evaluation, we look at receiving multiple gifts and how they may be used together for God’s glory. If you think you only received one gift, ask other believers who know you what they’ve seen in your life since you met Christ. Be patient. You may only need one gift right now and possibly others will follow later.
What Do We Use Spiritual Gifts For?
1 Peter 4:9-11 New International Version (NIV)
9 “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 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.”
How Do Spiritual Gifts Differ From The Fruit Of The Spirit?
All believers are called to bear the ‘fruit’ of the Holy Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22).
Spiritual Gifts are about ‘doing’ while the ‘fruit’ of the Holy Spirit are about our character.
How Do We Unwrap Our Spiritual Gifts?
In my next blog post, you’ll find the Spiritual Gifts Evaluation. Complete it to find out which Spiritual Gifts God may have given to you.
As you willingly accept your gifts from God, ask Him to reveal to you how He wants to use them to accomplish the special assignments He has for you to fulfil your purpose for His Kingdom on Earth.
A more comprehensive look at Spiritual Gifts and how we can use them to further God’s kingdom can be found in my book THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE KING –
“Do you ever dream of being more than you are? Being a super-hero who can do marvellous feats for others and for God? Someone who can vanquish evil by a spoken word? Well- You Are! …We are all part of something bigger than ourselves; a supernatural world which exists parallel to ours and which few of us see but which interacts with ours in a constant battle for Mankind.”
This is the introduction to my new book —
‘The Fellowship of The King – A Christian Geek’s Guide to Kingdom Purpose‘
Click the book to find out more.
Find Your Christian Life Purpose
What on earth does that mean? That’s a leading question because not all of the book is about this earthly realm. Half of it is about youin a differentrealm! The first part of the book is discovering how God uniquely designed you before you were born, to be an ambassador (a representative) for His Kingdom. How He gave you specific natural abilities, a specific personality, and ultimately Spiritual Gifts chosen for you to carry out the assignments He has for you on earth—should you chose to accept them.
Find Your Fantasy Alter-Ego
The second part of the book is a fun spin about who you might be in a fantasy realm, your uniqueness translating into a world of fiction and what your missions would be there for the king. It takes you through discovering your race, your choice of weapons, your class (occupation), creating a shield, and your code for the kingdom. Who do think you would be and what mission would you accept for the king?
Lynne Collier –my fantasy alter-ego
The book’s a prelude to my upcoming Speculative Fiction novels set in a fantasy realm but written from a Christian perspective. More about those in the coming weeks.
I wrote this book with my son, Benjamin T. Collier, also a published author, who writes amazing novels of fantasy and science fiction (mum’s bragging rights). We had a lot of fun writing this together and putting the different aspects of humankind and fantasy characteristics together to explore the seen universe and the unseen realms of fantasy. He’s the one who wrote most of the second part of the book, and a good friend of ours, Kirstie Shanks, designed the cover and the artwork. It’s a blessing to be able to work with such talented people who are dear to me and follow after God.
If you’re not inclined to geekdom yourself hopefully you’ll still enjoy the reality half of the book and discover what God has for you in His divine wisdom. It also makes a great gift for a geeky friend. The ensuing conversations could be quite hilarious! You may find you have more in common than you think.
Til next time, know you are loved by the One who created you in His image—and remember:
I wish all of you a very happy day today, be it Valentines Day, Love Day or Tuesday. I don’t for one moment profess to be an expert at any of the above (well, Tuesday I could handle, I guess), so I’m going to hand you over to the experts:
What Is Love?
For the Christ followers out there, here’re a few scripture verses from 1 Corinthians: (not only for weddings!)
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a New International Version (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
Just a recap; this was written by Paul to the church at Corinth and is for all believers to remind them that Christ taught us to love one another. It’s a beautiful passage but it refers to the love of all people, not just romantic love. However, I still think it goes well with a couple starting a life together, don’t you?
For The Lovers
I’ve met this amazing speaker in person and had the privilege of taking a few of her classes at a writer’s conference. She’s a straight-talking Christian woman who doesn’t mince words. So if you’re looking for that little something extra today, well here’s Sheila’s award-winning book.
And, if you’re single and you’re wondering where that leaves you, here’s an honest post by a single guy on how he feels about being single in a church full of mostly couples.
If you landed on my blog looking for articles on Autism I have a super blog for you. Ben speaks about growing up on the autism spectrum and, yes -love in the autistic world.
In my first blog post of this series I told you about my transition from blogging about writing, I wrote about how I discovered my Kingdom Purpose. In my second blog post, I wrote about how God created all of us with a Unique Design. So in this third and final blog in this series of my transition, I’d like to show you how God put both of those together to shape a wonderful future for me.
WriteCanada Conference 2016 with one of my clients, Melanie.
Part Three
My Ministry at Church and in the Community
I no longer try to serve at church or in the community in a position I’m not gifted for nor have the natural talents to carry out. Having said that, if there is ever a time when no one else with the gifting or ability to do a certain task is available, I will do my best to muddle through because ‘Helps’ is one of my stronger gifts. But it will, most likely, be a muddle. I volunteered to serve in the kitchen once – and only once!
Coaching and hosting workshops is my ministry in the church as a life coach (my gift of encouragement) and workshop host on various subjects I’ve learned through the years. This utilizes my personal experiences to help others go through similar times in their own lives.
At my church, I started the SHAPE ministry using Erik Rees’ videos and study guide. I enjoyed this immensely, though I was not expecting to be the team lead and I don’t have the gift of leadership. But other leaders and helpers I worked alongside were wonderful and because of their patience with me, we managed to work well as a team. I was overjoyed to see many participants realize God’s purpose for their lives too. The coach in me was thrilled to hear someone say she realized God had been calling her to the worship team.
I don’t like being a leader, (did you get that impression?) and I don’t like public speaking, but I know God wants me to share what I experienced with others so they may experience the same joy I have been blessed to experience. So I’ve led workshops at women’s retreats and women’s groups such as MOPS where I can sit on a stool, and it’s ok to speak from notes. I like to have the participants interact and have fun, and it saves them from listening to me ramble for an hour. God opened these doors for me to share and I’m happy to do that rather than be the keynote speaker.
My Service Through Business
White Rose Writersis a website for writers and authors, and writing service providers to connect with others in the business. I started the website to help authors promote their work, and we now have talented artists, editors, social media experts and more, who use their natural talents to help authors publish their work. Starting this was my service to God’s Kingdom here on Earth through helping writers.
My Long Term Assignments:
Christian LifeCoaching
Coaching in an office was good training but turned out to be only a temporary assignment for me. I had offices in two locations, but God closed those doors after only 10 months. He had a broader clientele for me.
Now I coach here on my LynneCollier.com and through White Rose Writers, and occasionally host workshops through business and church venues.
Author
I write about what I have a passion for; my Lord, my simple life in the country, my coaching. This is my second (actually more like fourth or fifth) career later in life, and it was a bit of a struggle at first to accept that this is what God is asking me to do now. I never saw myself as an author. But now I write novels of fantasy and fiction, and online courses to help authors tell their stories well. I can’t imagine not writing now. I get very cranky if I have to go a day without writing something. I would never have guessed.
I wonder what God has in store for me next. Do you know how God has designed you?
When I forget: 1 Peter 2:9 “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.” – NIV
Till next time, know you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
In Part One of my self-discovery posts I told you about questioning my identity as a Christian and what God wanted me to do with my life after my children had grown.
In the books I read and the classes I took at church, I came to realize I’m God’s unique design; a one-of-a-kind human being created in His image for a specific purpose at this moment in time. It’s no accident I’m here right now, writing these words, and knowing that makes a world of difference to how I live my life. God made me with a specific intent – and you too! If you’ll bear with me for a while I’ll bring it full-circle.
What I Do – When I Can
My Unique Design – part two
So here’s who Lynne is in a nutshell, from my studies:
My Top 3 Spiritual Gifts
Faith
Encouragement
Service/Helps
I have 4 supportive Gifts which aid me in using my top 3, according to most online tests which are an indication and not an absolute, and which we all need to try out to see if we agree and if others see these Gifts in our lives too.
My Passion
To help people who are searching for identity and purpose, who may have lost direction or feel disheartened and hopeless.
My Natural Abilities
Here are my 5 strongest abilities:
Encouraging
Writing
Networking
Counselling
Creating
I’d like to list them all but I don’t want to brag 😉
My Personality
INFP – with a quirky twist, I’ve been told
Introvert
Intuitive
Feeler
Perceiver
My Personal Experience
Christian Writer
Lay Pastoral Counsellor
Workshop Leader
Kingdom Purpose Coach
Mentor
Helper in church ministries, community events and in public schools
I’ve listed only a few things here, but there’s a reason for that (it has to do with age…)
How I Discovered God Had Been With Me All Along
As part of my Kingdom Purpose Coaching, I help my clients bring all their attributes together to discover how individual they are and what they can do for God’s Kingdom by His unique design for them. I do this by asking them to take note of the repetitions in each category. Here’s what I learned about my own Kingdom Purpose:
‘To help others see the hope in Christ; encourage them to discover their purpose for God’s Kingdom on Earth, and equip them for their assignment’.
Do you see the repetitions?
So with that in mind, how did I apply it to my life moving forward? I’ll blog about that in Part 3 – Redefining My Life.
Till next time, know you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
I now know about God’s purpose for my life, but in early adulthood, I attended a church which didn’t speak much about the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. The congregation was taught the laws and rules of ‘being a good Christian’ and entrance into heaven, it seemed, was by doing more good deeds than bad ones so the scales ‘tipped in our favour’. The atmosphere was one of perfection and judgement. I often thought God must be very disappointed with me and I felt that I let Him down constantly. The overwhelming feeling of falling short of God’s grace led me to fall away from the church and it was several years before I felt strong enough to try another church. Maybe you’ve experienced this too.
So I sought the Lord and He heard me. I was invited to a church for a dedication of a newborn, a baby born to friends of the family, so I happily attended. The difference between my previous church and this one was like night and day and I was drawn to follow Christ again. This new church spoke about the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Trinity works together. They also had classes I could take during the week to study my faith more and find a deeper relationship with my Lord.
It was at one of these classes I learned about Spiritual Gifts and I was astonished to hear I had been given special Gifts by God and didn’t know it! I took every class I could to learn about God and spoke often with believers who had been involved with the church for many years. Through their guidance and mentorship, I gradually realized the unique way God has designed me for a specific purpose. I’m not just here to live then die and hope the in-between is good enough to get me into Heaven. I’m here for a reason! We all are. God has a royal assignment for me and every believer. Yes, royal; He is the King of Kings and we are His children, princes and princesses in the Kingdom of God on Earth. How cool!
I learned to realize my Kingdom Purpose by studying about my Spiritual Gifts and how God, my Heavenly Father, has also given me a heart passion for his work for me, a personality that works well with what I need to do, natural abilities which help me to carry out specific tasks, and life experiences to help me grow in my faith and calling. These are all in a book I studied at church, called S.H.A.P.E by Erik Rees. This book has played a major role in every aspect of my life, as you’ll come to know if you follow my blog. Another great book to study is The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
I tried to fit everything I could into one blog, but there are so many areas of my life I had to work on to find my Kingdom Purpose I’ve decided to blog about each aspect separately, so you don’t need to read a ten-page blog. I hope you’ll join me as I share with you how God brought clarity and purpose to my life.
My next blog was going to be about compiling a playlist to inspire you as you write your fantasy novel. Instead, I’m letting you, my fellow bloggers, know I’m switching my focus on this site. I’ll let you know how you can still read the playlist post later.
I’ve completed the series of posts I wanted to share with you about Writing Fantasy and the steps I’ve taken on my own journey writing my first fantasy novel. I’m very excited to start the actual writing process this November for my second NaNoWriMo! If you’ve followed my posts over the past few months I hope you’ll join me in November as we fire out 50,000 words together.
As most of you know from reading my profile, as well as being a writing coach I’m also a Christian Life Coach and Certified Lay Pastoral Counselor with many years experience coaching and encouraging believers in their walk with God. This will be my main focus on this blog going forward.
I’ll be blogging about Your Sacred Path, Finding Your Life Purpose, Hearing God’s Voice, Choosing Careers and possibly sharing a few gardening tips along the way. I love to network so I’ll be giving you links whenever I can for you to explore further.
My newsletter will be about the books and courses I’ll be writing, plus I’ll let you know when I’m launching something new, and I’ll have giveaways and social media events exclusively for my blog readers. If you choose to continue following me here that would be lovely, if however, you’re interested in continuing to follow my posts on writing, head over to White Rose Writers and follow my posts there, along with branding and marketing tips from my social media partner, Kirstie Shanks.
Thank you for taking time out from your busy life to read and comment.
“The point of a manifesto is that it makes you draw a line in the sand, which forces you to clarify your message. But before you do that, you have to know what you’re about.” – Jeff Goins
I was challenged this week to write a manifesto as part of a writing exercise created by Jeff Goins, a writer and best-selling author. In the exercise we’re called to write a few hundred words about our worldview; the problem, the solution, and what we see as our part in that solution. So here you go…
The problem as I see it is that, like many others, I didn’t know how to do what I felt ‘called’ to do. Just how do you help others? There are so many needs in the world. We can’t possibly remedy all of them as one individual. That realization brought me to find just one way I could make a difference in just one life. I had felt like a tiny boat being tossed around, lost in a sea of helplessness, without a compass to give me a sense of direction in life. I no longer felt that way. I could start there. How did I rise above the relentless waves? How could what I had been through serve as encouragement to someone else?
The solution for me came while visiting a Christian counselling centre. I had rededicated my life and I was talking with a life coach there. She told me to write down all my attributes, educational and life experiences and see if God had already put a pattern on my life. Yes, He had! I decided to study the way God creates us all with a specific purpose in mind and see if I could realize what His assignment was for me.
The next step was to accept that assignment and put it into practice helping others to do the same. People need to know they have worth and purpose. The solution for me was to help others find their own answer to the question, “What on Earth Am I Doing Here?”
If you’re asking yourself – or God – this question, there is an answer waiting for you. You just need to pick up your oars and start paddling in the right direction.
‘
Lynne Collier 