12/27/14 - I have recently finished fasting from ALL liquid. except water. It originally started out as a 40-day fast & turned into a 47-day fast. I had made a decision to start reading The Bible daily & I started by reading from The Golden Book Children's Bible. The majority of this Bible is Old Testament. Even though it is a Children's Bible, it goes into quite a bit of detail & still took some research to really try and understand some of the messages. After I would read an Old Testament story...I would randomly open my New Testament Bible & read whatever story it took me to. A few days into doing this.... "40 days" kept popping up & I just felt led to start my fast.
I learned A LOT from this fast, this Bible time, & I KNOW that I strengthened my relationship with God. The lesson I want to share with you is that 7 days into this fast, I was at an auction. It was a pretty big success (for several reasons) & a very close family friend asked me if they could buy me a beer. I politely declined twice. As they persisted the third time, I told them I really didn't need one, but still allowed them to buy me a beer and drank it. I came home & had my Bible time & dinner as I just sat there and prayed & talked to God about it. I asked for forgiveness, but the whole time...felt an immense amount of joy & peace & thankfulness....for how the auction turned out for everyone involved. I remember thinking how I would have normally been MUCH harder on myself about caving, but....THANKS BE TO GOD....the JOY won out.
Fast forward to Day 40. We were at our friends' house in South Texas. The night before they wanted us all to have a glass of eggnog & I politely declined...kindly passing it off as being tired (which I was), but not sharing WHY I didn't want any. The next day, all us girls went to town shopping & we talked about all kinds of Bible things & my fast included, because I felt comfortable sharing with her. That night...her husband asked me if I wanted eggnog 3 times. I awkwardly turned him down & the third time he poured me a glass. I can tell you that, if I hadn't told my friend earlier in the day & had her support, I am almost positive I would have buckled....on DAY 40. I had mixed emotions about that. Really disappointed that I didn't know how to stand firm, with someone I feel pretty comfortable around....or how to share WHY I was doing it....or being WORRIED about how people would perceive it...or not knowing how to explain it.
So I went to the room we were staying in, started praying & talked to God about the whole thing & brought up the 7th day beer & asked God to just show me if he wanted me to fast 7 more days, or if it should be over. There were two things that popped out to me in my reading for that day. I started reading about Jesus's arrest. The first lesson was about Peter denying Jesus 3 times before the cock crowed. What resonated with me was the number 3 & how bitter he was towards himself. I also read where Pontius Pilate wanted to release Jesus & the third time/chance for him to release Him, he turned to the crowd & condemned Jesus because THE CROWD wanted him dead. (Luke 22:54-23:25) I mean...it was like a reaction...a survival mechanism, but survival from what? I think it was created because of the worry of peoples' perceptions of them. It is so frustrating for me to read stories in The Bible (both Old and New Testaments) where people buckle so quickly from what they feel the need to do(which is The Holy Spirit leading them)...just to please people. Then I turned around and did the same thing. Needless to say.... I decided to go seven more days. Right now, I feel like holding firm a third time puts your feet on solid ground.
A few days later I read about Jesus being tempted in the desert by Satan. Jesus had fasted for 40 days and nights. First the devil said to him: "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Jesus answered him saying: "It is WRITTEN: Man shall not live by bread alone, buy by every word that comes out of the mouth of God." Then the devil says to Jesus: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written that He shall put his angels in charge of you to keep you safe, and they shall catch you in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone." Jesus said to him: "It is WRITTEN also: You shall not tempt the Lord your God," Then the devil took him to the top of a very big mountain & showed him all the kingdoms & said to Jesus: "All these things I will give you, if you will fall down & worship me." Then Jesus said: "Away, Satan. For it is WRITTEN: You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve." Then the devil LEFT him.....after the third test...& the angels came and ministered to Jesus. (Matthew Chapter 4). I also want to point out that even the Son of God uses Scripture when dealing with the devil.
A few days ago as I was cleaning & getting my house ready for Christmas company.....a note that I had typed on my phone back in May popped up. I don't really think anything is random anymore...it may seem like it, but EVERYTHING has purpose. It was a note I had typed during a T.D. Jakes sermon I had watched. I want to start out by saying that I (just a few days before I saw this note) did not agree with something that was posted on T.D. Jakes's social media site. As I read the comments and realized that A LOT of people also disagreed & some had also made the decision to quit following him all together....I remembered how important forgiveness is & not condemning. I thought about all the forgiveness I've been shown by God and people in my life & made the decision that I don't have to agree with everything everyone says, BUT I can take away & apply what I do agree with.
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." -Proverbs 27:17
This sermon really gave me some structure in what to look for, as I started building my TEAM this year. When I say "TEAM," I think about the people in my corner & the people's corner that I WANT to be in.
"You need people with your rhythm. If they don't have your rhythm; they will find you abusive."
"Create a system that supports your rhythm."
"Develop what you need to sustain you."
"You can't explain to a turtle a giraffe decision." (Important to note that turtles can do things giraffes can't & vice versa.) I've also learned that turtles & giraffes can be in the same rhythm carrying out different tasks.
"There are people that feed you & people that deplete you."
"When you need to get fed....get fed. Then go out and feed others. Go back and get fed when you need it."
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 speaks to this. It discusses how people are given different gifts, but they all work together as one....even though their skills and talents are different.
In many books throughout The Bible (Romans, 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, Psalms...) we are reminded of the importance to take care of ourselves....mind, body, soul, & spirit. I think one of the key things to doing this (that I didn't really understand, or know how to go about getting there) is creating a support system that can suffice the UniQue needs that you have. The right people are put in our lives for that very purpose.
As this year winds down & I reflect back on my spiritual growth, my growth in relationships closest to me, & growth in my business - which is also part of my ministry & maybe my mission...I really am left in awe. I have to battle different things daily, like: people pleasing, fear of all kinds, judgement of myself and others, learning to forgive - even when I don't want to, letting go of control....amongst other things. However, I am MOST thankful this year, for my courage to leave the working for someone else world to enter the working for myself world. That decision has helped me to really focus on all the things that REALLY matter and allowed me the freedom to do it. I'm still figuring things out, but I will be for the rest of my life. I'm thankful for my awareness. Pay attention to things: talents, the people that fill you up, the people that deplete you, the people that need you, the gifts God is giving you...just be aware.
Buck Up Baby & ride with Jesus.
Showing posts with label spiritual gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual gifts. Show all posts
Monday, December 30, 2024
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Day 31:"Understanding Your Shape"
Thanks guys for hangin' in with me! Its been a BusY couple weeks. Tonight I felt EXTREMELY compelled to write this blog. I've fallen behind, so hopefully everyone that needed to catch up with the posts, has & we will carry on to Day 31 of the book: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Pastor Rick Warren. In the last post, we STARTED discussing our SHAPE. We discussed our Spiritual gifts & listening to our Heart.
Today we learn how to uncover, determine, figure out, & think about the rest of what creates our SHAPE. There is SO much in this book & so many ways this book can reach you, so PLEASE read it for yourself. I will share the things that just FLEW off the page at me.
We'll start with applying our Abilities. First off, the book says: "Your abilities are the natural talents you were born with." Let me tell ya...sometimes you don't even know you have'm. THIS is the most helpful thing for me (in terms of the guidance I was seeking) that this chapter had to offer: (Pastor Warren is discussing some people's ability to run a business.) "First, realize your ability came from God and give him the credit. Second, use your business to serve a need of others and too share your faith with unbelievers. Third, return at least a tithe (10 per cent) of the profit to God as an act of worship. Finally, make your goal to be a Kingdom Builder rather than just a Wealth Builder."
I have said before (in a number of different settings) that the MAIN reason I CONTINUE to pursue this whole auction career is because, through PRAYER, the thought came to my mind, I pursued it....cautiously at first, then proceeded to LEARN more about it & get my license. Many other "God" things have happened regarding it, since then. Here is what I strUGGle with. I WANT to give God the glory, but I don't know how.... I mean YES.... I SHARE my story with people, BUT I want to give him the glory in the act & I have not figured out HOW. I mean....how to do it where it will be EFFECTIVE.....where people will be RECEPTIVE to it....where people will KNOW it is GENUINE & where all the.....static of this world doesn't cloud...or hinder my actions.
Here's the part I'm struggling with: "Second, use your business to serve a need of others and too share your faith with unbelievers." - Here is how I see it & what I have a HARD time CONVEYING to others: (I will just speak plainly.) In the small communities, surrounding my hometown, I have WITNESSED how support systems (communities, families & friends, cause supporters, local business owners, etc.) have come together to shine light in the darkness & GENERATE life-changing funds for causes, organizations, and individuals that NEED it....through the LIVE Auction method. BELIEVE ME...there is an overwhelming need EVERYWHERE for what a LIVE AUCTION can bring & every single one of us has a web of connections that can be used to SUPPORT any NEED out there.
Where I struggle is ACTUALLY sharing my faith...IN THE ACT. It is not that I don't want to...it can be a number of different things such as: the intensity of event day & all the announcements that need to be made, all the people that want/need to make announcements, the numerous small fires that have to be put out like equipment malfunctions, lack of connectivity, people not showing up, etc. I KNOW the MAIN part of this is me though....& how (& why) I'm holding back.....it's the "unbelievers." Not JUST the unbelievers of CHRIST, but the unbelievers in WHAT I'm doing, WHY I'm doing it, HOW I'm doing it, WHEN I'm doing it..... This whole "doing something MOST people don't get" business is the hardest thing I've ever done. NO DOUBT....but.....I would do it over AGAIN in a heartbeat....and it seems like most people just don't get that. This whole MINISTERING to others business ain't easy. I mean....you THINK you are a believer...& THEN...you come to a VERY EVIDENT crossroad...that makes you talk to people, go places, & do things you either didn't want to do OR had NO IDEA you'd have the time or ABILITY to do them......and you just stand there, looking in both directions KNOWING which way you HAVE to go, but not wanting to...& you take the step anyway. That is FAITH my friends & you will be rewarded for it. Just typing this has revealed to me how much CONTROL outside things have over us & how much work I have to do on myself to not let the "unbelievers" hinder the vision that I see & the use of MY God-given ABILITIES.
The next part of our SHAPE this chapter discusses is our Personality. We all know what our personality is like, but let me explain how I applied this part. As a licensed auctioneer there are ALL KINDS of auctions that I could call: auto, livestock, benefit/charity, real estate, estate liquidations, business liquidations, storage units...you get my drift. The simplest way for me to know what direction my SHAPE is taking me is to look at all those options & go to what I would like to do. It doesn't have to be just one & it could change throughout my life. I will use my SHAPE: Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, & (later we'll talk about Experiences) to continue to share my MINISTRY with others. Another way to look at is this way: 2 Auctioneers, selling in the same industry....let's just say...2 estate auction companies... Each auctioneer can bring totally different gifts to their customers by their personalities. One may bring knowledge, guidance, & services & be very well-respected, while the other brings fresh marketing ideas, enthusiasm, & has a unique way of connecting with a crowd.
The last part of our SHAPE is our Experiences. Here are the experiences the book asks us to examine: family experiences, educational experiences, vocational experiences (jobs you were good at), spiritual experiences, ministry experiences (ways you've served God), & painful experiences. Yeah...go ahead and make that list & say a prayer. It'll sure help you connect the dots. Also know this: "Only shared experiences can help others." The book goes on to discuss how God uses those painful experiences to stretch us & grow us & our need to share them with others. I know....they are the toughest ones to share.
Here's our daily stuff:
"Point to Ponder: Nobody else can be me."
Daily Bible Verse: "God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings." 1 Peter 4:10 (LB)
Daily Question: "What God-given ability or personal experience can I offer to my church?"
From my journal the first time of reading: Blogging, writing, sharing open & honest experiences, auctions, asking tough questions
Yeah....now I know that I can offer all kinds of gifts, abilities, & experiences to my church, my family, my friends, & complete strangers.
God BLESS you all! Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus! LEARN your SHAPE. It takes a little deep-diggin,' but you'll be glad you did.
Heather Schoenst Kaspar
TXL 17037
Today we learn how to uncover, determine, figure out, & think about the rest of what creates our SHAPE. There is SO much in this book & so many ways this book can reach you, so PLEASE read it for yourself. I will share the things that just FLEW off the page at me.
We'll start with applying our Abilities. First off, the book says: "Your abilities are the natural talents you were born with." Let me tell ya...sometimes you don't even know you have'm. THIS is the most helpful thing for me (in terms of the guidance I was seeking) that this chapter had to offer: (Pastor Warren is discussing some people's ability to run a business.) "First, realize your ability came from God and give him the credit. Second, use your business to serve a need of others and too share your faith with unbelievers. Third, return at least a tithe (10 per cent) of the profit to God as an act of worship. Finally, make your goal to be a Kingdom Builder rather than just a Wealth Builder."
I have said before (in a number of different settings) that the MAIN reason I CONTINUE to pursue this whole auction career is because, through PRAYER, the thought came to my mind, I pursued it....cautiously at first, then proceeded to LEARN more about it & get my license. Many other "God" things have happened regarding it, since then. Here is what I strUGGle with. I WANT to give God the glory, but I don't know how.... I mean YES.... I SHARE my story with people, BUT I want to give him the glory in the act & I have not figured out HOW. I mean....how to do it where it will be EFFECTIVE.....where people will be RECEPTIVE to it....where people will KNOW it is GENUINE & where all the.....static of this world doesn't cloud...or hinder my actions.
Here's the part I'm struggling with: "Second, use your business to serve a need of others and too share your faith with unbelievers." - Here is how I see it & what I have a HARD time CONVEYING to others: (I will just speak plainly.) In the small communities, surrounding my hometown, I have WITNESSED how support systems (communities, families & friends, cause supporters, local business owners, etc.) have come together to shine light in the darkness & GENERATE life-changing funds for causes, organizations, and individuals that NEED it....through the LIVE Auction method. BELIEVE ME...there is an overwhelming need EVERYWHERE for what a LIVE AUCTION can bring & every single one of us has a web of connections that can be used to SUPPORT any NEED out there.
Where I struggle is ACTUALLY sharing my faith...IN THE ACT. It is not that I don't want to...it can be a number of different things such as: the intensity of event day & all the announcements that need to be made, all the people that want/need to make announcements, the numerous small fires that have to be put out like equipment malfunctions, lack of connectivity, people not showing up, etc. I KNOW the MAIN part of this is me though....& how (& why) I'm holding back.....it's the "unbelievers." Not JUST the unbelievers of CHRIST, but the unbelievers in WHAT I'm doing, WHY I'm doing it, HOW I'm doing it, WHEN I'm doing it..... This whole "doing something MOST people don't get" business is the hardest thing I've ever done. NO DOUBT....but.....I would do it over AGAIN in a heartbeat....and it seems like most people just don't get that. This whole MINISTERING to others business ain't easy. I mean....you THINK you are a believer...& THEN...you come to a VERY EVIDENT crossroad...that makes you talk to people, go places, & do things you either didn't want to do OR had NO IDEA you'd have the time or ABILITY to do them......and you just stand there, looking in both directions KNOWING which way you HAVE to go, but not wanting to...& you take the step anyway. That is FAITH my friends & you will be rewarded for it. Just typing this has revealed to me how much CONTROL outside things have over us & how much work I have to do on myself to not let the "unbelievers" hinder the vision that I see & the use of MY God-given ABILITIES.
The next part of our SHAPE this chapter discusses is our Personality. We all know what our personality is like, but let me explain how I applied this part. As a licensed auctioneer there are ALL KINDS of auctions that I could call: auto, livestock, benefit/charity, real estate, estate liquidations, business liquidations, storage units...you get my drift. The simplest way for me to know what direction my SHAPE is taking me is to look at all those options & go to what I would like to do. It doesn't have to be just one & it could change throughout my life. I will use my SHAPE: Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, & (later we'll talk about Experiences) to continue to share my MINISTRY with others. Another way to look at is this way: 2 Auctioneers, selling in the same industry....let's just say...2 estate auction companies... Each auctioneer can bring totally different gifts to their customers by their personalities. One may bring knowledge, guidance, & services & be very well-respected, while the other brings fresh marketing ideas, enthusiasm, & has a unique way of connecting with a crowd.
The last part of our SHAPE is our Experiences. Here are the experiences the book asks us to examine: family experiences, educational experiences, vocational experiences (jobs you were good at), spiritual experiences, ministry experiences (ways you've served God), & painful experiences. Yeah...go ahead and make that list & say a prayer. It'll sure help you connect the dots. Also know this: "Only shared experiences can help others." The book goes on to discuss how God uses those painful experiences to stretch us & grow us & our need to share them with others. I know....they are the toughest ones to share.
Here's our daily stuff:
"Point to Ponder: Nobody else can be me."
Daily Bible Verse: "God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings." 1 Peter 4:10 (LB)
Daily Question: "What God-given ability or personal experience can I offer to my church?"
From my journal the first time of reading: Blogging, writing, sharing open & honest experiences, auctions, asking tough questions
Yeah....now I know that I can offer all kinds of gifts, abilities, & experiences to my church, my family, my friends, & complete strangers.
God BLESS you all! Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus! LEARN your SHAPE. It takes a little deep-diggin,' but you'll be glad you did.
Heather Schoenst Kaspar
TXL 17037
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Day 30: "Shaped for Serving God"
I just LOVE this chapter! LOVE IT!! Welcome to ALL the readers & thanks for following along as we go through the daily chapters of The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Pastor Rick Warren.
Today we continue to LEARN more about our own PERSONAL ministry. Today BEGINS the discussion of helping us understand our SHAPE.
I remember as a college student I encountered all kinds of students that had all kinds of different beliefs OR were REALLY confused about their beliefs & I remember being questioned by a classmate of mine...one where I really enjoyed his company & the discussion he brought to our class. See...I used to ALWAYS wear a necklace with a cross on it, not the same one...I had one in EVERY color, BUT he asked me, as we were walking from class..."You don't really believe in that, do you?" He pointed & I asked what he was talking about. He said..."Your cross...I just don't want you to be disappointed one day." I said: "You don't believe in it?!" I was TOTALLY shocked. I had a phone call coming in & I walked to my class & he walked to his. Our next class was quite awkward to say the least. I didn't even know how to talk to him after that. I'd be lying if I didn't confess that he got me to thinkin' about things. I never questioned IF God was real or not, but put myself on a journey to try and really wrap my head around some of the tough things. What I concluded & where I am now is the thinking that: God would not have created us how he created us, if there wasn't some PURPOSE behind it. All these emotions & thoughts & relationships & knowledge & skills & talents & EMOTIONS (I know I said it twice!) just can not be for nothing. Why? How could anyone not acknowledge that part of us? I mean if our jobs, our money, our luxuries were stripped away from us...wouldn't we still have WORTH? Wouldn't we still have EMOTIONS? Wouldn't there still be a PURPOSE for them? That is why I believe that when our physical body dies...it turns to dust, but our DEEP innards...you know our SOULS...don't just disappear. I can't understand it all...only our Maker can & I TRUST & have FAITH that he made us for a purpose, because he sure didn't HAVE to.
Another thing this book has taught me, or made me think about is how God PREPARES for the Plan Bs & Cs & Ds & even Es & Fs & Gs in our life. He has our life mapped out. He KNOWS what our purpose is & he knows how to get us to see it (this chapter teaches you that). He also KNOWS that the devil is going to try and detour us EVERY chance he gets. That's what leads to the Plan Bs & Cs, etc. I think about when I REALLY make a plan for something...I mean REALLY put everything into it & do the research (no shortcuts) & KNOW what things could POSSIBLY come at me. There is no way of me knowing if they will, but it is the BEST way I can PREPARE myself to be prepared to COMBAT it. When you study like this...you LEARN your competition (just an example) or your drawback. Many times you become SO educated about it...you could teach a class on it. That is how God is with the devil...at least that is what I believe. First of all he created his being...he knows how he operates. Secondly, he has been dealin' with him for SO LONG that he knows the kind of tricks & kniving schemes he will try and put into play. He knows what member of his army, he'll send after you. God has a counter for EVERY trick the devil can throw at us. Earlier in the book we learned that there are some situations where the SPECIFIC job you're in is not the IMPORTANT part in God's overall plan. For example....You could have offers from 3 different companies, but all 3 of those companies will allow God to develop the skills he wants to develop in you. The specific job you choose is kind of irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. God knows several ways to keep you on your journey to learning & SHARING your purpose.
We are going to start to learn about our SHAPE!! This was REALLY eye-opening to me.
S-Spiritual Gifts
H-Heart
A-Abilities
P-Personality
E-Experience
Today we will learn about our Spiritual Gifts & our Heart, but first I just want to share something. It USED to be REALLY hard for me to understand people who didn't think like I did...and honestly I just couldn't figure out a way to understand their way of thinking. I used to think they were just WRONG and that was it. As I got older...I realized that EVERY person has REASONS for thinking they way they think, or emotions that hang them up on things, or DIffErent experiences that cause them to see things in a different light. This chapter really drives home how we are ALL created COMPLETELY UNIQUELY. Every one of us has a different mixture of the "SHAPE" recipe that makes us uniqUe.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS: "These are special God-empowered abilities for serving him that are given only to believers." How SPECIAL is that?! This chapter goes on to tell us how all of our gifts our different & how our gifts actually help others, just like the gifts of others are meant to help us. God keeps us NEEDING each other! This is a REALLY important part from this chapter: "Two common problems are 'gift-envy' & 'gift-projection.' The first occurs when we compare our gifts with others', feel dissatisfied with what God gave us, and become resentful or jealous of how God uses others. The second problem happens when we expect everyone else to have our gifts, do what we are called to do, and feel as passionate about it as we do." My experience of not understanding others is shown in the second problem. We ALL experience things, but the more AWARE of the problems you become...the quicker you can PUMP THE BRAKES on them.
HEART: "The Bible uses the term heart to describe the bundle of desire, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams, and affections you have. Your heart represents the source of all your motivations - what you love to do and what you care about most." What Pastor Warren goes on to discuss in this section is SO good. It makes me think of this internal struGgLe I've been having with myself about what direction I should go with my auction business. Let me tell you...there are ALL kinds of auctions...ALL KINDS & sometimes it is hard to know what direction you are meant to go/supposed to go/which one is an opportunity/which way is a diversion.... I've been guided to & from several different ones including: general consignment auctions, benefit/fundraising auctions, & estate auctions. I've learned a lot in the last couple months & have gotten some of the BEST ADVICE from some of the BEST in the industry, that has provided some clarity to me. Here is what I have learned, b/c (BEFORE the convention) I have gone in the WRONG direction (for me) based on the advice of others....others that I fully respect. Just because someone can see ALL the reasons that a certain business direction will work GREAT for you...does not mean that YOU can see how that business direction will work for you. YOU have to know & you have to WANT to do it. I had been guided away from the direction I want to go...because others in my field didn't necessarily see things how I saw it & THEY had experienced certain difficulties that made them want to deter me from that road. There are some areas of this industry that I truly don't know if I'd like or not. There's only one way to figure that out...go & do it. Just because I learn about an area I'm NOT familiar with, DOES NOT mean that I can't grow MY business in the direction that I KNOW I CAN. You can be an ASSET to your company...at the same time you are an ASSET to another. It all depends on your HEART...Do you have a DESIRE? Do you HOPE to grow from the experience? Are you INTERSTed in it? Do you have the AMBITION to go after it? Do you DREAM to be well-rounded in your trade?
I'm gonna share 4 more quotes from the book that really say it all for me:
"Your emotional heartbeat is the second key to understanding your shape for service. DON'T IGNORE YOUR INTERESTS."
"How do you know when you are serving God from your heart? The first telltale sign is enthusiasm."
**Side note on this one. That year when I did VERY few auctions & I called the Ledbetter Fireman's Auction in October...I got in the car with my Uncle & his girlfriend & said: "This is what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing! I just NEED to figure it out. I'm not sure HOW I'm gonna make a living at it, but this is what I'm supposed to be doing."
"When you don't have a heart for what you're doing, you are easily discouraged."
**A PERFECT example of this for me is the JOY I get when doing a benefit auction vs. a consignment auction.
"Whenever you do what God wired you to love to do, you get good at it. Passion drives perfection."
"Point to Ponder: I was shaped for serving God."
Daily Bible Verse: "God works through different men in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purposes through them all." 1 Corinthians 12:6 (PH)
Daily Question: "In what way can I see myself passionately serving others and loving it?"
From my journal the first time of reading: Auctions, fundraising, raising money for people and causes, event planning and coordination, spreading God's word to the masses, playing with children and teaching them.
Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus!! If you haven't yet...GO GET THIS BOOK!!
God Bless!
Heather Schoenst Kaspar
TXL 17037
Today we continue to LEARN more about our own PERSONAL ministry. Today BEGINS the discussion of helping us understand our SHAPE.
I remember as a college student I encountered all kinds of students that had all kinds of different beliefs OR were REALLY confused about their beliefs & I remember being questioned by a classmate of mine...one where I really enjoyed his company & the discussion he brought to our class. See...I used to ALWAYS wear a necklace with a cross on it, not the same one...I had one in EVERY color, BUT he asked me, as we were walking from class..."You don't really believe in that, do you?" He pointed & I asked what he was talking about. He said..."Your cross...I just don't want you to be disappointed one day." I said: "You don't believe in it?!" I was TOTALLY shocked. I had a phone call coming in & I walked to my class & he walked to his. Our next class was quite awkward to say the least. I didn't even know how to talk to him after that. I'd be lying if I didn't confess that he got me to thinkin' about things. I never questioned IF God was real or not, but put myself on a journey to try and really wrap my head around some of the tough things. What I concluded & where I am now is the thinking that: God would not have created us how he created us, if there wasn't some PURPOSE behind it. All these emotions & thoughts & relationships & knowledge & skills & talents & EMOTIONS (I know I said it twice!) just can not be for nothing. Why? How could anyone not acknowledge that part of us? I mean if our jobs, our money, our luxuries were stripped away from us...wouldn't we still have WORTH? Wouldn't we still have EMOTIONS? Wouldn't there still be a PURPOSE for them? That is why I believe that when our physical body dies...it turns to dust, but our DEEP innards...you know our SOULS...don't just disappear. I can't understand it all...only our Maker can & I TRUST & have FAITH that he made us for a purpose, because he sure didn't HAVE to.
Another thing this book has taught me, or made me think about is how God PREPARES for the Plan Bs & Cs & Ds & even Es & Fs & Gs in our life. He has our life mapped out. He KNOWS what our purpose is & he knows how to get us to see it (this chapter teaches you that). He also KNOWS that the devil is going to try and detour us EVERY chance he gets. That's what leads to the Plan Bs & Cs, etc. I think about when I REALLY make a plan for something...I mean REALLY put everything into it & do the research (no shortcuts) & KNOW what things could POSSIBLY come at me. There is no way of me knowing if they will, but it is the BEST way I can PREPARE myself to be prepared to COMBAT it. When you study like this...you LEARN your competition (just an example) or your drawback. Many times you become SO educated about it...you could teach a class on it. That is how God is with the devil...at least that is what I believe. First of all he created his being...he knows how he operates. Secondly, he has been dealin' with him for SO LONG that he knows the kind of tricks & kniving schemes he will try and put into play. He knows what member of his army, he'll send after you. God has a counter for EVERY trick the devil can throw at us. Earlier in the book we learned that there are some situations where the SPECIFIC job you're in is not the IMPORTANT part in God's overall plan. For example....You could have offers from 3 different companies, but all 3 of those companies will allow God to develop the skills he wants to develop in you. The specific job you choose is kind of irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. God knows several ways to keep you on your journey to learning & SHARING your purpose.
We are going to start to learn about our SHAPE!! This was REALLY eye-opening to me.
S-Spiritual Gifts
H-Heart
A-Abilities
P-Personality
E-Experience
Today we will learn about our Spiritual Gifts & our Heart, but first I just want to share something. It USED to be REALLY hard for me to understand people who didn't think like I did...and honestly I just couldn't figure out a way to understand their way of thinking. I used to think they were just WRONG and that was it. As I got older...I realized that EVERY person has REASONS for thinking they way they think, or emotions that hang them up on things, or DIffErent experiences that cause them to see things in a different light. This chapter really drives home how we are ALL created COMPLETELY UNIQUELY. Every one of us has a different mixture of the "SHAPE" recipe that makes us uniqUe.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS: "These are special God-empowered abilities for serving him that are given only to believers." How SPECIAL is that?! This chapter goes on to tell us how all of our gifts our different & how our gifts actually help others, just like the gifts of others are meant to help us. God keeps us NEEDING each other! This is a REALLY important part from this chapter: "Two common problems are 'gift-envy' & 'gift-projection.' The first occurs when we compare our gifts with others', feel dissatisfied with what God gave us, and become resentful or jealous of how God uses others. The second problem happens when we expect everyone else to have our gifts, do what we are called to do, and feel as passionate about it as we do." My experience of not understanding others is shown in the second problem. We ALL experience things, but the more AWARE of the problems you become...the quicker you can PUMP THE BRAKES on them.
HEART: "The Bible uses the term heart to describe the bundle of desire, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams, and affections you have. Your heart represents the source of all your motivations - what you love to do and what you care about most." What Pastor Warren goes on to discuss in this section is SO good. It makes me think of this internal struGgLe I've been having with myself about what direction I should go with my auction business. Let me tell you...there are ALL kinds of auctions...ALL KINDS & sometimes it is hard to know what direction you are meant to go/supposed to go/which one is an opportunity/which way is a diversion.... I've been guided to & from several different ones including: general consignment auctions, benefit/fundraising auctions, & estate auctions. I've learned a lot in the last couple months & have gotten some of the BEST ADVICE from some of the BEST in the industry, that has provided some clarity to me. Here is what I have learned, b/c (BEFORE the convention) I have gone in the WRONG direction (for me) based on the advice of others....others that I fully respect. Just because someone can see ALL the reasons that a certain business direction will work GREAT for you...does not mean that YOU can see how that business direction will work for you. YOU have to know & you have to WANT to do it. I had been guided away from the direction I want to go...because others in my field didn't necessarily see things how I saw it & THEY had experienced certain difficulties that made them want to deter me from that road. There are some areas of this industry that I truly don't know if I'd like or not. There's only one way to figure that out...go & do it. Just because I learn about an area I'm NOT familiar with, DOES NOT mean that I can't grow MY business in the direction that I KNOW I CAN. You can be an ASSET to your company...at the same time you are an ASSET to another. It all depends on your HEART...Do you have a DESIRE? Do you HOPE to grow from the experience? Are you INTERSTed in it? Do you have the AMBITION to go after it? Do you DREAM to be well-rounded in your trade?
I'm gonna share 4 more quotes from the book that really say it all for me:
"Your emotional heartbeat is the second key to understanding your shape for service. DON'T IGNORE YOUR INTERESTS."
"How do you know when you are serving God from your heart? The first telltale sign is enthusiasm."
**Side note on this one. That year when I did VERY few auctions & I called the Ledbetter Fireman's Auction in October...I got in the car with my Uncle & his girlfriend & said: "This is what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing! I just NEED to figure it out. I'm not sure HOW I'm gonna make a living at it, but this is what I'm supposed to be doing."
"When you don't have a heart for what you're doing, you are easily discouraged."
**A PERFECT example of this for me is the JOY I get when doing a benefit auction vs. a consignment auction.
"Whenever you do what God wired you to love to do, you get good at it. Passion drives perfection."
"Point to Ponder: I was shaped for serving God."
Daily Bible Verse: "God works through different men in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purposes through them all." 1 Corinthians 12:6 (PH)
Daily Question: "In what way can I see myself passionately serving others and loving it?"
From my journal the first time of reading: Auctions, fundraising, raising money for people and causes, event planning and coordination, spreading God's word to the masses, playing with children and teaching them.
Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus!! If you haven't yet...GO GET THIS BOOK!!
God Bless!
Heather Schoenst Kaspar
TXL 17037
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Day 17: "A Place To Belong"
Welcome readers! For new readers, we are taking a chapter by chapter journey through the book: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Pastor Rick Warren.
This chapter goes into a deep discussion about the importance of CHURCH. I had a little moment with this chapter. I AGREE...being a member of a church & regularly attending ADDS to your spiritual life. It has added to mine TREMENDOUSLY. I have said that the Catholic Church I attend REALLY helped me to KNOW Jesus Christ. BUT...I go back to when I wasn't regularly attending church in my youth & I KNOW that God was DEVELOPING my faith then too. I didn't feel "disconnected" like the book talks about. I felt CONNECTED in a divine way. I can also say that I liked the Lutheran Church that we were members of that I attended (regularly in young youth & not very often in my pre-teen/teenage years). There were things I learned about myself. I remember sitting in confirmation class & we were talking about God's creation & Cain & Able finding wives & I asked "If Adam & Eve were the only humans on earth & their only sons were Cain & Able...well....How did they find wives?" The Bible doesn't talk about him going on to create others, which he did OBVIOUSLY, but I was introduced & MOVED by the mystery of the Bible.
I don't know. I guess what I'm saying is I did a lot of PRIVATE spiritual development in those years that I think were SO important to me. So much so, that when I did start regularly attending another church & eventually becoming a member, it meant so much more for me. I wasn't just blindly going because my parents told me to go. I WANTED to go.
I agree that it is IMPORTANT, but I NEVER felt like what the book says the Bible talks about: "Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we?" Never felt...dead or useless... Anyways...I digress a bit, but just wanted to say that. I'm going to go into the different sections of the book.
"Your Local Fellowship"
This section again says: "The Bible says a Christian without a church home is like an organ without a body, a sheep without a flock, or a child without a family. It is an unnatural state." I yet struggle with this...BECAUSE...everyone's experience is different & I AGREE we would ALL hugely benefit from the RIGHT church for us & I NEED the church that I regularly attend & appreciate it, BUT...you can be going every Sunday...because that is what we are supposed to do & you can be listening & applying some of the things you learn to your life....You can be an ACTIVE member...an usher, church council member, Eucharistic minister...BUT if you pass judgement or FAIL to help a current member, new member or a non-believer or an on-the-fence church member....how does that make you any better than a church member that is attending, but not actively participating in day-to-day church activities and events, BUT in private helps another member that is struggling. I don't know...It's gonna take me a minute to wrap my head around it. If everyone gives God the glory for whatever their doing than it all would be coming from the right place, but if people are doing things to bring themselves the glory...I just don't know. People are just so complex & we all have a plethora of sin & emotion whirling around us & a plethora of talents & needs that are not cookie cutter, and a lot of churches leave an impression that you have to fit that mold, if you want to fit in & I just can't get with that.
I think that we are all blessed with unique talents & we can all bring something unique to ANY church...even the most traditional. I was a Lutheran & the Catholic church really led me to Jesus. You may be a non-believer that feels left out & judged in a Catholic church, but feels TOTALLY accepted & RIGHT at the United Methodist church. I guess what I'm sayin' is WHATEVER GETS YOU TO JESUS can't be wrong. That is one of our main goals: To get to know Jesus Christ. Another thing....some of us are outgoing & love to be around people. Some of us are more structured and EXCEL at leading a meeting. Some of us are afraid to get up in front of large groups of people & read a reading OR collect the offering. All I'm sayin' is we ALL have a UNiquE way we can add to our church. AGAIN...I AGREE that it is important to be a member of a congregation for MORE than what makes you seem like an "active member." There isn't a right or a wrong gift you can add. A lot of times people don't join a church because they feel intimidated, or don't feel comfortable doing/acting/saying certain things. You have to feel accepted & a church will HELP you develop whatever relationship with The Holy Trinity you are working on.
"Why You Need a Church Family"
I love this book, but I'm not buyin' in to this first line: "I can't claim to be following Christ if I'm not committed to any specific group of disciples." I don't know man... I mean I WAS following Jesus Christ when I was not regularly going. I was committed to him. I prayed to him daily (or almost daily). I reflected back on things I was taught. I mean...I guess if you are just walkin' around sinnin' all the time & not thinkin' about it AT ALL that's one thing... If you didn't take some time to pray & talk to God/Jesus maybe not. BUT I was following Jesus Christ. Again...not saying a church family is unnecessary, just sayin' that we all go about things a little differently & our aim should always be to get to know God, Jesus, & The Holy Spirit. This section of the book also says: "A church family moves you out of self-centered isolation." I can get with that. You start becoming a part of other peoples lives & you learn lessons from the Bible that encourage you to do just that. You are held more responsible.
Aaaand...as the chapter rolls on...it all starts comin' together for me....
"The Body of Christ needs you." Agreed! I believe that we are supposed to work in numbers. I believe what this chapter says when it says: "God has a unique role for you to play in his family. This is called your 'ministry,' and God has gifted you for this assignment: 'A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.'" Yes Sir -E Bob! Now we're talkin'! Now I KNOW I need to develop & initiate MY ROLE within our church. Here is another important line from this chapter: "Your local fellowship is the place God designed for you to discover, develop, and use your gifts. you may also have a wider ministry, but that is in addition to your service in a local body. Jesus has not promised to build your ministry; he has promised to build his church." His church...which is now HIS body here on earth. Also...what I take away from this is that when we use our spiritual gifts, that God gives us, we are strengthening the church & enabling the body as a WHOLE to pull people in by the numbers. We all identify with each other differently & the more people using their gifts, the more it will resonate with people. Last thing I took away from the last line I quoted: When we we start developing our ministry...we start DEVELOPING our relationship with GOD. There is a BIG difference in having a relationship & developing one. We all have one, because we are his creation.
"A church family will help keep you from backsliding."
Folks...I can tell you Jesus is workin' with me right now. Over the last several months I have talked to people about things I KNOW I wouldn't have talked to them about a few months ago. I have talked to them when I didn't want to. I have talked to them when I know they didn't want me to. I have talked about things that I would have maybe been ashamed of or feared judgement. I have encouraged, and believed, and hurt for others. I have BLESSED things (conversations/travels/souls of the deceased/friendships) by prayer in a way I NEVER did before. These are the two lines that helped serve as a catalyst (I think): "'Mind your own business' is not a Christian phrase. We are called and commanded to be involved in each other's lives." Do you wanna know how many times I have "Minded my own business," just so I didn't ruffle any feathers? Too damn many....and I know it. I also know that for every time I "minded my own business" I have left a situation that is NO BETTER today than it was days, or months, or years ago. I'm not sayin' you go out lookin' for things, BUT when something DEEPLY affects you or someone you love & has the potential to HURT, RUIN, or DIVIDE you better get nosy!! Who do you think wants to HURT, RUIN, or DIVIDE??? God or the devil?
"Point to Ponder: I am called to belong, not just believe."
Daily Bible Verse: "In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5 (NIV)
Daily Question: "Does any involvement in my local church demonstrate that I love and am committed to God's family."
From my journal: No. I need to speak with Father about a good role for me. My thought is a different blog where there can be several different contributors & can be shared with anyone that leaves an email address with the church office. Let's say the contributors could be: a younger person that has converted to Catholicism (myself), an older person that converted, someone that grew up in the Catholic church (younger & older) & maybe a Priest or Bishop. That way we can include several different viewpoints from members of the church. We could talk about a plethora of different topics: what certain things in the Catholic church mean, the importance of Saints & Mother Mary, the different ways we each value confession, and a description of the importance of our Holy Days.
Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus! Go find you a church that feels like home! God Bless!
P.S. I just watched an Oprah interview last night with Mike Fisher & Carrie Underwood. Soon after they started dating they started reading this book together....& he's re-reading it (per the interview). Kinda cool.
This chapter goes into a deep discussion about the importance of CHURCH. I had a little moment with this chapter. I AGREE...being a member of a church & regularly attending ADDS to your spiritual life. It has added to mine TREMENDOUSLY. I have said that the Catholic Church I attend REALLY helped me to KNOW Jesus Christ. BUT...I go back to when I wasn't regularly attending church in my youth & I KNOW that God was DEVELOPING my faith then too. I didn't feel "disconnected" like the book talks about. I felt CONNECTED in a divine way. I can also say that I liked the Lutheran Church that we were members of that I attended (regularly in young youth & not very often in my pre-teen/teenage years). There were things I learned about myself. I remember sitting in confirmation class & we were talking about God's creation & Cain & Able finding wives & I asked "If Adam & Eve were the only humans on earth & their only sons were Cain & Able...well....How did they find wives?" The Bible doesn't talk about him going on to create others, which he did OBVIOUSLY, but I was introduced & MOVED by the mystery of the Bible.
I don't know. I guess what I'm saying is I did a lot of PRIVATE spiritual development in those years that I think were SO important to me. So much so, that when I did start regularly attending another church & eventually becoming a member, it meant so much more for me. I wasn't just blindly going because my parents told me to go. I WANTED to go.
I agree that it is IMPORTANT, but I NEVER felt like what the book says the Bible talks about: "Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we?" Never felt...dead or useless... Anyways...I digress a bit, but just wanted to say that. I'm going to go into the different sections of the book.
"Your Local Fellowship"
This section again says: "The Bible says a Christian without a church home is like an organ without a body, a sheep without a flock, or a child without a family. It is an unnatural state." I yet struggle with this...BECAUSE...everyone's experience is different & I AGREE we would ALL hugely benefit from the RIGHT church for us & I NEED the church that I regularly attend & appreciate it, BUT...you can be going every Sunday...because that is what we are supposed to do & you can be listening & applying some of the things you learn to your life....You can be an ACTIVE member...an usher, church council member, Eucharistic minister...BUT if you pass judgement or FAIL to help a current member, new member or a non-believer or an on-the-fence church member....how does that make you any better than a church member that is attending, but not actively participating in day-to-day church activities and events, BUT in private helps another member that is struggling. I don't know...It's gonna take me a minute to wrap my head around it. If everyone gives God the glory for whatever their doing than it all would be coming from the right place, but if people are doing things to bring themselves the glory...I just don't know. People are just so complex & we all have a plethora of sin & emotion whirling around us & a plethora of talents & needs that are not cookie cutter, and a lot of churches leave an impression that you have to fit that mold, if you want to fit in & I just can't get with that.
I think that we are all blessed with unique talents & we can all bring something unique to ANY church...even the most traditional. I was a Lutheran & the Catholic church really led me to Jesus. You may be a non-believer that feels left out & judged in a Catholic church, but feels TOTALLY accepted & RIGHT at the United Methodist church. I guess what I'm sayin' is WHATEVER GETS YOU TO JESUS can't be wrong. That is one of our main goals: To get to know Jesus Christ. Another thing....some of us are outgoing & love to be around people. Some of us are more structured and EXCEL at leading a meeting. Some of us are afraid to get up in front of large groups of people & read a reading OR collect the offering. All I'm sayin' is we ALL have a UNiquE way we can add to our church. AGAIN...I AGREE that it is important to be a member of a congregation for MORE than what makes you seem like an "active member." There isn't a right or a wrong gift you can add. A lot of times people don't join a church because they feel intimidated, or don't feel comfortable doing/acting/saying certain things. You have to feel accepted & a church will HELP you develop whatever relationship with The Holy Trinity you are working on.
"Why You Need a Church Family"
I love this book, but I'm not buyin' in to this first line: "I can't claim to be following Christ if I'm not committed to any specific group of disciples." I don't know man... I mean I WAS following Jesus Christ when I was not regularly going. I was committed to him. I prayed to him daily (or almost daily). I reflected back on things I was taught. I mean...I guess if you are just walkin' around sinnin' all the time & not thinkin' about it AT ALL that's one thing... If you didn't take some time to pray & talk to God/Jesus maybe not. BUT I was following Jesus Christ. Again...not saying a church family is unnecessary, just sayin' that we all go about things a little differently & our aim should always be to get to know God, Jesus, & The Holy Spirit. This section of the book also says: "A church family moves you out of self-centered isolation." I can get with that. You start becoming a part of other peoples lives & you learn lessons from the Bible that encourage you to do just that. You are held more responsible.
Aaaand...as the chapter rolls on...it all starts comin' together for me....
"The Body of Christ needs you." Agreed! I believe that we are supposed to work in numbers. I believe what this chapter says when it says: "God has a unique role for you to play in his family. This is called your 'ministry,' and God has gifted you for this assignment: 'A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.'" Yes Sir -E Bob! Now we're talkin'! Now I KNOW I need to develop & initiate MY ROLE within our church. Here is another important line from this chapter: "Your local fellowship is the place God designed for you to discover, develop, and use your gifts. you may also have a wider ministry, but that is in addition to your service in a local body. Jesus has not promised to build your ministry; he has promised to build his church." His church...which is now HIS body here on earth. Also...what I take away from this is that when we use our spiritual gifts, that God gives us, we are strengthening the church & enabling the body as a WHOLE to pull people in by the numbers. We all identify with each other differently & the more people using their gifts, the more it will resonate with people. Last thing I took away from the last line I quoted: When we we start developing our ministry...we start DEVELOPING our relationship with GOD. There is a BIG difference in having a relationship & developing one. We all have one, because we are his creation.
"A church family will help keep you from backsliding."
Folks...I can tell you Jesus is workin' with me right now. Over the last several months I have talked to people about things I KNOW I wouldn't have talked to them about a few months ago. I have talked to them when I didn't want to. I have talked to them when I know they didn't want me to. I have talked about things that I would have maybe been ashamed of or feared judgement. I have encouraged, and believed, and hurt for others. I have BLESSED things (conversations/travels/souls of the deceased/friendships) by prayer in a way I NEVER did before. These are the two lines that helped serve as a catalyst (I think): "'Mind your own business' is not a Christian phrase. We are called and commanded to be involved in each other's lives." Do you wanna know how many times I have "Minded my own business," just so I didn't ruffle any feathers? Too damn many....and I know it. I also know that for every time I "minded my own business" I have left a situation that is NO BETTER today than it was days, or months, or years ago. I'm not sayin' you go out lookin' for things, BUT when something DEEPLY affects you or someone you love & has the potential to HURT, RUIN, or DIVIDE you better get nosy!! Who do you think wants to HURT, RUIN, or DIVIDE??? God or the devil?
"Point to Ponder: I am called to belong, not just believe."
Daily Bible Verse: "In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5 (NIV)
Daily Question: "Does any involvement in my local church demonstrate that I love and am committed to God's family."
From my journal: No. I need to speak with Father about a good role for me. My thought is a different blog where there can be several different contributors & can be shared with anyone that leaves an email address with the church office. Let's say the contributors could be: a younger person that has converted to Catholicism (myself), an older person that converted, someone that grew up in the Catholic church (younger & older) & maybe a Priest or Bishop. That way we can include several different viewpoints from members of the church. We could talk about a plethora of different topics: what certain things in the Catholic church mean, the importance of Saints & Mother Mary, the different ways we each value confession, and a description of the importance of our Holy Days.
Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus! Go find you a church that feels like home! God Bless!
P.S. I just watched an Oprah interview last night with Mike Fisher & Carrie Underwood. Soon after they started dating they started reading this book together....& he's re-reading it (per the interview). Kinda cool.
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