Day 18 of the 31 for 21 Challenge
Thank you to Kris Mickelson for writing today's blog.
What are your spiritual gifts?
Are you a good listener? Or a natural leader? Do you make people feel welcome? Or, lift
them up when they’re down?
"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord." 1 Cor 12:4-5
If we’re aware of our gifts, it’s a lot easier to identify
the events and people God puts in our paths and how to use them to His glory.
And that’s what a Christian life is really all about, right?
Students at Shepherd’s College
enjoy an amazing opportunity to identify their spiritual gifts during their
second year in a course called Ambassadors, a curriculum developed by Dean, Angela Houk.
During the Ambassadors course, students build their SHAPE, an acronym created by Rick Warren which stands for: Spiritual Gifts, Heart Passions, Abilities, Personality and
Experiences. It’s a fun and exciting journey for them to uncover how and why
they were made!
Just like Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, the
ultimate goal is for each student to be able to confidently fill in the blanks
of this statement: “God made me __________ and when I _________ I feel God’s
pleasure.” (Eric’s answers were “fast” and “run”.)
Spiritual Gifts are just one aspect of SHAPE, but are
critical in helping students discover their life’s purpose, an important step
toward Appropriate Independence.
Scott, a recent graduate of Shepherd’s College, knows he’s
an “encourager”. So when a close friend needed surgery, Scott shared his story
about how God gave him the strength to get through a complex medical procedure.
He shared his story with me as well, fearlessly and with strong faith.
“Before my surgery I prayed that if God’s will was to take
me, I was okay with that. But if not, I would share my story to encourage
others. I’m here and much better off, so I am using my spiritual gift,” Scott
said.
Another graduate, Gloria, identified her spiritual gifts as
“hospitality”, “service” and “leadership”. She learned about her gift of “leadership”
from a class assessment and was a bit surprised. Seeking to develop this gift,
she signed up for the “Spiritual Leaders” class offered to 3rd year
students, and later was chosen to serve as Student Leader.
“The leadership class really helped me gain confidence
talking to people and leading small groups,” Gloria said. As a Student Leader
at Shepherds College, my job was to make new students feel welcome, so I got to
use my gift of hospitality as well.”
Today, as a graduate and working woman, Gloria puts all of
her spiritual gifts to good use. She makes her apartment hospitable by helping her
two roommates (Jocelyn and Jessica) with cooking and cleaning.
She serves customers by making a pleasing presentation of
the goodies she bakes at her job at the Country Rose Bakery and Café in Union
Grove. Plus, she’s enjoying the opportunity to use her leadership skills to manage
and train new interns.
"Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of heavenly lights…" James 1:17
Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.
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