If I’m really honest with you, there are many moments in my life where I want to shrink back, when it’s easier to live small rather than big, where the places of disappointment and discouragement feel overwhelming and I don’t want to bring the gifts God has entrusted me with. I felt like this recently and I just wanted to shrink back into my shell of self-protection and do nothing! Have you ever told God to ask someone else?…that was me!
But during this time God was speaking to me about guarding the things He has placed on my life. Guarding the gifts, the call, the dream. Honouring what He has placed in my life to bring and protecting it. I have a gift to bring and so do you! Something God-breathed, something precious and unique, something that points others to God and adds to the body of Christ, His church.
I don’t like spending a lot of time focusing on the enemy (God is bigger!!!), but the truth is we do have an enemy. An enemy that wants to render us ineffective, that wants to quench the very things God has placed in us to bring glory to His Name, the very things that portray God’s beauty and character.
We have a gift to bring! And so God asks me to honour and protect it. So how do I guard these things?
- Stop comparing! Stop looking at what others bring and comparing your gift. We can either be consumed by pride when we do this, or insecurity, and neither is pleasing to God. You have something to bring, something unique that God has placed in you.
- Let go of fear…fear of man, fear of the cost, fear of failing, fear of not being good enough, fear of being hurt, fear of disappointing others
- KNOW what God has placed on your life. And when the enemy comes to steal, stand in the assurance that God has called you, equipped you, empowered you to live out the things He has placed in you. 2 Timothy 1:6 tells us to ‘fan into flame the gift of God’, not snuff it out!
- Keep watch against distractions! It’s easy to get consumed by the busyness of life, but God has called us into the BIG God story. A story that is bigger than us, a story of redeeming others back to Himself. He beckons us to bring our gifts to reveal Him to a broken world.
- Keep vigilant watch over my heart- There are times when we feel exhausted from giving, where what we’re bringing is no longer out of a place of gratitude and generosity. We can feel spent, and we need to shift our focus from ‘doing’ to ‘being’. When our gifts flow out of a love for God and revelation of what He has done for us, they are a beautiful gifts given wholeheartedly, freely, extravagantly. Mary had a gift to bring….a beautiful, extravagant gift. She poured out an expensive bottle of perfume (worth a year’s wages) on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. (John 12:1-3). I am inspired by Mary. I want to bring my gift out of a place of extravagant love, not out of striving, not out of responsibility, not out of guilt, but out of a place of being so in-love with Jesus that I can’t help but pour my love out over Him. In those moments when I want to shrink back, I am reminded of Mary and her heart to serve Jesus. I want my life to be poured out in love for my Saviour!!!
You have something to bring. Something that will touch the heart of another and point them closer to Jesus, something beautiful that portrays the very heart of God. Sometimes we are unaware of how even the small things that we do impact the heart of another. Let’s keep being faithful! Let’s not shrink back but let’s allow God to do something special through us. Let’s love Him extravagantly and bring our gift from a heart of love!
Blessings!
Tammy
Abide 
Absolutely wonderful word of Encouragement
Keep walking in ur gift of writing Tam
Such a God given gift that you have that is being used to support, challenge & encourage us in our journeys!
Thanks for taking the time to listen to Him & write what he placed on your heart
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Thanks beautiful friend!! Thanks for cheering me on! xx
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Great post TimTam 🙂
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Thanks Bretto! xx
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Hey Tam, Your posts are my favorite – you are so gifted and talented in writing and I am so glad you’re sharing it with us. You need to write a book. Love you stacks X Jen
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Thanks for the encouragement lovely friend!!! I’m not sure about writing a book (insert scared face!!!) but I ‘m thankful you believe in me! xx
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Once again Tammy you have brought great words of encouragement, I really look forward to your word,Noreen
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Thanks Noreen! I value your encouragement! x
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I’d certainly read your book!
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You’d have probably helped write it!!! x
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Once again, thankyou Tammy. I so look forward to receiving Abide in my mailbox. You encourage and challenge me every time. Thankyou for using your gifts to bless others. God bless you and your family.
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Thanks for your encouragement Christine! x
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Wow Tammy, you are amazing! I just love this word, it is such an encouragement and I love your heart to seek God in all things and he certainly shines through in your writing. Bless you lovely one! Bella x
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Thanks lovely lady! Glad it is an encouragement! Thanks for being an encouragement to me x
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Just lovely Tam. Needed a bit of a pick up. Lost a much loved brother in law last week, and worrying non stop about my sister being on her own.
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So sorry to hear that Aunty Nancie. Praying for those that I’m worried about is the only thing that brings me any peace.
Praying you sense God’s loving arms surrounding you. Much love to you! xx
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Thank you those perspectives . Very refreshing
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Thanks for the encouragement! Greatly valued!!!
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