I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Your Unique Gifts and Talents
Did you know that God made you unique from everyone else?
There are abilities you have that many do not. You have talents and skills in areas that others do not have. God did this so you could use the life and talents He gave you to serve Him and others.
Since God designed us with unique gifts and talents empowered by the Holy Spirit within us, He intends for us to use those to serve and love others.
Another place God gifts us is in our life experiences. All of us have unique life experiences that give us the knowledge to help others.
God has gifted each of us with so many abilities and talents that we can use to love others. You have probably experienced this in your own life. Has anyone ever gone out of their way to help you, provide unique knowledge, or assist you in a difficult task? They were using their distinct gifts and life experiences to serve God by serving others.
What gifts or talents has God given you? Do you have unique abilities that others do not have? What life experiences have you had that others can learn from? Make a list of these things, and spend some time thinking about who you can help. These are God’s free gifts to us that we are to use to serve others.
Undeserved Mercies
When someone hurts you or, worse, hurts somebody that you love, revenge can seem appealing. After all…
They were mean.
They were selfish.
They talked behind your back.
They broke a vital promise.
They lied about you.
They criticized you.
They ignored you.
They did the unthinkable.
They walked away.
They deserve to be punished, right? To feel some of that same pain? They deserve a consequence that will not only help them learn, but will be just as severe as the inflicted wounds.
And yet—because God sees things differently, both His standards and tactics can be surprising. And that’s why the apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Thessaloniki, said:
“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 NLT
Paul’s words sound a lot like Jesus’ words—to love your neighbor as yourself; to do to others what you’d like them to do to you. (See: Matthew 22:38-40)
God’s ways ...
