Keep Your Gift and Use It.

According to tradition this is the rock that Jesus and Peter sat on by the Sea of Galilee when Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. A church, Sancti Petri is built over the rock formation. It is a beautiful calm place located on the Sea of Galilee.

I love the man Peter in the Bible. He is so normal, isn't he? He gets angry, cuts off an ear and then denies he ever knew the Lord. It could have been me! It could have been you! I love the normal people in the Bible.

I guess I love these people because they give me hope... yes, hope. But I have realized that I love Peter for another reason. He spoke normal or maybe lower than normal! I mean... look at and listen to Paul. He was highly educated and probably spoke very eloquently. He wrote extensively and expressed himself so well. I can't imagine him ever trying to come up with words to express what he wanted to say.

This gives me hope also!! There are quite a few "Paul's" around. They write articles, books, poems. columns and yes, blogs. But what about those of us who identify with Peter? Yep! I'm a person like Peter. He was a fisherman and probably not highly educated. I figure the books in the Bible attributed to him were probably cleaned up grammatically. I can see him speaking the words and a scribe (maybe Silas) sitting in the corner writing what he knew Peter was trying to say.

Well, I kept waiting for "my Silas" to come along and help me write this blog. But, guess what? It didn't happen so here I am doing my own writing. The Lord pretty much told me that I needed to write for the everyday person. I don't use big words. Sometimes I don't even think I have deep thoughts! Ha! But I know the Lord uses me when I speak. He allows me to get on the same level where the everyday person understands. I write the way I speak. I guess that's a gift. Imagine having a gift and wanting to give it back.

What is your gift that you don't want? I encourage you to listen to the Lord and then do what He tells you. You will be amazed what you can accomplish. I am writing a book now. It's a silly little book, nothing at all serious but I would not have started it if the Lord hadn't encouraged me to write the way I speak. Use your gift... just the way you are.

With love & hugs,
Janet