What is in Your Hands?

As much as I love writing every now and then I experience writer’s block. This past weekend I had one of those days. I went on a walk to get some fresh air even though it was much chillier than I expected, and I was listening to a message about arrows. I walked into my house, and my son looked at me with a sheepish grin. “Mom, you know what I should have done? I should have been a chorus teacher.” This was from my 24 year old son who is still trying to figure out what he wants to do for a career…something he can do beyond a part-time job. I smiled and said, Confirmation! I often look at my love of writing as something that isn’t as big as the gifts others have, but let me go back even further. Years ago I remember church friends telling me I had the gift of encouragement, and I just smiled politely. At first I didn’t take it seriously. Then I would pretend to understand the gift, but over time I belittled it. I would compare encouragement to other gifts and think, Wait, who wants the gift of encouragement? That’s not important. (hanging head down in shame even as I write this) But this is my truth. I didn’t understand how important encouragement was until I went through a long season of discouragement. Even Saturday as I started to hyperfocus on my current problems I saw myself stepping into discouragement and had to pull myself out of it. On my fitness journey, in order to lose five sizes I greatly needed the encouragement of my instructors and my friends and family who were rooting me on. Eventually I would begin to write and to blog so that I could encourage those who were on this journey with me. Then came writing my first book. The next thing I knew I was a writer! From encouragement to writing, my gift was already in my hands. For my son it has been his voice for years. What’s funny about this revelation of his is that he has been singing his entire life and he has always been a kid magnet. With a great big heart, a silly sense of humor, and an overall pleasant demeanor children have always been drawn to him, something we were actually discussing before I left for my walk. Within an hour God helped him put it together. What gifts do you already have? Which gifts do you see as insignificant? No judgement from me because I was in the same boat. I just hope this encourages you to take another look and see what it already in your hand.