Let's talk!

I thought I would just start writing and everything would be great but then I realized that anyone reading this right now has no idea who I am and I thought it a good idea to preface this with a little information about me.

My name is Crystal. I won’t play into the game where I pretend I’m perfect because I am not perfect. I am a flawed and broken person and most of the time I feel like I can’t get my head on straight and that’s if I can even find my head to begin with. I have struggles and insecurities and I see daily that my only hope and reason is in Christ and His love for me.

I also want to preface by saying that I am not a biblical scholar. I read my bible, and I feel like I understand about 5% of it, so please take this all with a grain of salt. If you disagree with me or agree with me or think I am out of my mind… let’s talk. I love discussion and so let’s start one.


What’s been going on lately?

If you’ve been attending the thread lately we’ve been discussing spiritual gifts and let me say that this has really challenged me. I began to think that if God truly gave me a gift it would be selfish and nonetheless a disservice to him if I didn’t use it. (Oh and by the way, he has gifted us all somehow!)


So I began to pray that I would find a practical way to use my gift(s). Enter this blog. It’s funny though that when I was given the opportunity to write on this blog I hesitated, even though I really felt like it was answer to my “practical way to use my gifts” prayer. So why did I hesitate?

Well for one because I am absolutely a terrible “writer.” I’m somewhat good with words but if you ask me where to put, a, coma, I, really, have, no, idea.

Also I feel that a lot of the time using my gifts makes me vulnerable and if I’m being honest, that’s a hard place for me to be. My top gift was Shepherding and if I use that gift it means I have to really invest in people. I have to really care about them and love them. It’s not that I have a problem with doing those things but rather sometimes people can be cruel, even if you know them well and genuinely care about them. It goes back to my problem with being vulnerable.

But even with all the doubts around me, I keep coming back to this idea that God doesn’t give us our gifts because He wants us to hide them or never use them. Rather He gives us gifts because He loves us and wants us to show that love to others. And I believe that it is an act of love to use the gifts God gives you.


Last Sunday it was encouraging/ great to see people use their gifts and talk about their gifts and I hope as a community of believers that we continue to grow in our own gifts and continue to bless others by using our gifts.


If you’re wondering what you’re spiritual gifts are, take the assessment test at www.thethreadworship.com and click the heading “The Pastor.” You should see a link that says “Click here to find your unique wiring.”

If you want to talk about spiritual gifts come out to the Thread. I am sure that anyone there would love to talk more about spiritual gifts.

So…

Let’s talk.


(Remember though, no Thread for the next two Sunday nights instead Life Action Ministries will be in charge of the service. )