Question to ask myself:

Q. Am I using my abilities well to serve others?

A. I believe my spiritual gifts are encouragement/exhortation and teaching. I use those in homeschooling my kids, leading our groups during ladies bible study, and encourage my friends at every opportunity - realizing I may be the only nice person they run into that day, so I better make our encounter count. I've been told by my peers in our small group that they believe I also possess the gift of prophecy. No, I don't mean like a prophet who tells the future, but one who receives information without having to hear or see it, the "behind the scenes" stuff that helps give the right advice. People bring me problems they don't know how to solve, and often I get a sense that something else is going on they aren't aware of, or that God has a message for them that they'll hear through something I say, or a story I tell, or in something I've experienced. So if those are my gifts, yes I'm using them. I guess the real question is if I'm using them to serve enough others?

I've been feeling lately that I have so many friends with so many problems that prayer isn't enough. I want to help beyond just a dozen people or so. I don't think I need to lead millions or be a public speaker or anything, although I would if I felt God really wanted me to do it. But I feel like it may be time to expand my circle of influence. I'm going to spend the next few months trying to reach out to more strangers, people put in my path, neighbors I don't know, maybe even show up to a few events to meet new people. I have a new drive to really help people heal, especially spiritually, and give them hope again. I just don't know how to find them or to help them find me. I'm not a counselor, nor do I want to become one, but I would like to be someone who either writes for others' benefit, or speaks to women that need hope, or be the neighbor that people can trust, I want my life to count for something...to have left the people I've met in better shape than they were when I first met them.