Review Your Past - Part 2 {Daring to DREAM}
Have you done any reflecting on the path you’ve walked so far in your life?Have you recalled past experiences of stepping into new opportunities—whether you felt it went well, or not?Have you identified some important aspects of your personality? Or remembered times when others affirmed your abilities?If you haven’t, check my last few posts for more help.Stopping to review your past will help you know how you’re wired and where you can best serve the Lord. Here are two examples from my life that showed me where I am NOT gifted to serve, and where I feel on fire with joy. See if you can think of two examples from your life.
Where I Am Not Gifted
I had an opportunity to volunteer as a hospital chaplain and thought it would be a wonderful way to serve the Lord, plus it was in the hospital where my husband worked. What could be better? The problem was I had a once-around-the-wards training and was then left on my own!Within a week I felt completely incompetent! I felt as if I was intruding on people, and I told myself they would probably rather be left alone. I did experience a very special time when a patient’s sister asked me to sit in with her on a medical consultation regarding her dying brother. But overall, I realized that I was not suited to this wonderful ministry.When I shared the situation with a friend, she offered to interview for the position. She was a trained nurse with a counseling degree! The perfect person—and she stayed for years!!
Where I Am Passionate
Several years ago a friend was asked to speak at a missions conference in Senegal, West Africa. The women attending were from many nations but they were all serving in West African countries. Sadly, my friend discovered she had breast cancer (she’s doing well!) and so she asked me to go in her place.
When I looked out at the attendees, I saw a wonderful illustration of how it will be when people from every nation will gather around the throne of God and worship Him together. As I spent time teaching, counseling, and getting to know these ladies, God showed me how my background had uniquely prepared me for cross-cultural ministry. Some ladies were African: I had lived in Kenya for five years. Some ladies were from Asia: I had lived in Asia. Some were Europeans: that’s my background. And some were from North America: my home for many years.My heart soared with joy as I saw all the various pieces of my life fit together. My God-given passion to teach about the reality of God has never left me, and I know that when I’m asked to speak about His life-changing Word, that’s where I fit!
Let’s Talk: What story could you tell about doing something you weren’t wired to do? Where do you feel passionate to serve? Comment below, and follow me on FB and let me know!
This post is part of my Daring to DREAM series. Click here to view all the posts in this series.
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Poppy SmithInternational speaker, multi-published author, Bible teacher, and spiritual coachInspiring Women to Thrive! Permission to use this article is granted provided the following credit is fully included.Poppy Smith is funny, warm, and passionate about helping women grow spiritually and personally so they experience the love and power of Christ in life’s ups and downs. A former teaching leader with Bible Study Fellowship, Poppy has a Masters in Spiritual Formation and ministers extensively as a retreat and conference speaker both in the US and around the world. For more information about Poppy’s heart, her books and ministry, please visit her website at www.poppysmith.com.