Know Your gifts

Yesterday's study was awesome. We studied James Chapter 3, but the best part of the study was our discussion about our service project. Our group has been discussing what we could do to live out James Chapter 2, Faith and Deeds. What a challenge the book of James has been, to learn to Live out our faith in practical ways. Our group has decided to get involved with Mercy Ministries, a ministry for young women strugggling with issues such as, self harm, unplanned pregnancy, anorexia, and others.

We all have varying gifts, resources, and talents. Go to this website to learn more about your God-given spiritual gift (it is a short, 8 minute, online test but very accurate) http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1 It will be awesome to see how God uses these in our group in the future. Here is a short study I came across with definitions for our many personalities in the body of Christ. Read them, and see where you seem to fit in these definitions. Remember, our strengths (God given) are often what we struggle with. Example, CONTROL: see the definition of a Choleric personality..that is a bent that God gives us, but can also result in a sin of needing control. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water,(dumb saying), but see your strength as just that, a strength..thank God for it, ask Him how he wants you to use it and then beware of temptaions that go along with that.

In her book, Personality Plus, Florence Littauer describes four personality types. See if you can relate to the desires and emotional needs of one or two of these:

Phlegmatic: Desires PEACE
Needs times of quiet, reduced stress, feeling of worth, relaxation

Choleric: Desires CONTROL
Needs appreciation for achievements, opportunity for leadership, and participation in decisions

Sanguine: Desires FUN
Needs attention, affection, approval, activity with people

Melancholy: Desires PERFECTION
Needs sensitivity, stability, support, space, silence

Reflections:
Reflect on today's verse, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13 (NIV)

Do I believe God created me with unique traits and dreams? Do I know what they are?
Do I like who God created me to be? Why or why not?

Power Verses:
Psalm 139:13, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth," (NIV)

Psalm 139:1, "Lord, you have searched me and you know me." (NIV)