You know those times that you go shopping and you find the perfect pair of jeans?
They fit just right and in that moment you want to buy every other pair in your size?
This is much like using the gifts that we have been blessed with by God. Each time we are engaged in an activity, job or ministry that uses our gifts, it feels just right. We are fed by a passion that grows when we use the gift and are energized by engaging in the same activity over and over. God knows what He is doing when He chooses gifts for each of us. I also believe that we honor Him every time we share our gifts in our daily lives.
As humans, we follow a path that doesn’t always follow God’s path and our gifts get lost along the way. I have told my sons since they were young how God graced each of them with unique gifts and it pleases Him beyond words to share those gifts with others. Both sons have learned already that their passions are fueled when they are following God’s will and not their own. As a mom, it has been a beautiful snapshot developing before my eyes.
For the last thirty years my gifts have played out between the four walls of a classroom filled with children. The faces and ages have varied as well as the school buildings, but the constant that remains is the group of students needing love, encouragement and a teacher willing to share these with them. God graciously has allowed me to teach children and show them each day that they have the ability to do what education is demanding. Teaching is not about just teaching, but providing students with opportunities to grow in their own gifts. It’s the chance to watch these children grow while facilitating a learning environment that feels safe and full of love. Teaching looks like the Hands of God opening wide to embrace the hearts of each student. Teaching is God’s gift to me that has played out for a career and a gift that will play on as I move into retirement.
[Tweet “Using our gifts is beautiful music to God so share the song and play on! “]
I challenge all of us to play on… play on with the gifts that God has blessed us with and share this beautiful music in our lives as our song to Him. Play on friends… play on!
Have you ever been blessed to use your gifts for God and did it feel like trying on those perfect pair of jeans? I would love for you to share below!
So glad you stopped by today!
Blessings,
Mary
Blessed to be linking with:
#DanceWithJesus @ susanbmead.com
Thank you for this post! It really touched me more than you can imagine. Oh how using our gifts touches and blesses others, just like you have done with so many students that have gone through your hands.
Tanya-Your sweet words touched me too. We are so blessed that God gifted each of us with a uniqueness that blossoms when we share it with others. I pray that we all discover this uniqueness and use it to play on in honor of the God who graced us with the gifts. Blessings!
I love your vision for teaching Mary! I’m sure God will give you many opportunities to keep shining in those gifts. That perfect pair of jeans? For me it’s when I do one-on-one discipleship meetings with younger women who are serious about growing in Christ. Love it!
Thank you or sharing your “perfect fit” moment. I am praying for opportunities to do more mentoring of younger women in my retirement. I’ma always blessed when you stop by! Hugs friend!
I’m excited to see what God does with those talents and experiences He’s built into you, Mary! And thanks for always being such an inspiring place to visit!
Thank you Beth for encouraging and inspiring me to play my own melody. I love how God sends us just who we need as well as what we need to “play on”. Have a blessed weekend!
The perfect pair of jeans…walking and using the gifts He’s given. Girl, I understand. 🙂 Walking where I’m beginning to walk now, writing and speaking about Him, truly feels like that perfect pair of jeans. But then again, anytime we open to Him and allow His love and truth to guide us, change us, cover us…those are perfect fits. Love it! Best wishes in this new season, Mary.
Thank you for doubly blessing me and stopping by twice! 🙂 I pray that God continues to help you find your melody to play for Him in your writing and speaking. Blessings!
I literally wanted to stand up and clap when I got to: “Play on friends… play on!” You are always so inspiring and uplifting, Mary. I hid my gifts for most of my life while I struggled with believing there was a God and that I even had any gifts. Teaching is an incredible gift you have shared for so long. I’m incredibly excited to see where God is taking you next and I’m thankful to be by your side on this journey. That image and Max Lucado quote are both just beautiful!
Love you, Candace and love how you encourage me to want to “play on” in my own life. I actually left teaching for several years because I thought I was meant to do something else. It didn’t work out and the circle came right back to teaching. The quote from Max Lucado is the front of a card that I love to send to others. Have a blessed weekend.
A good pair of jeans…the fit is oh so sweet. Walking in the sweet spot with the gifts He’s given us is likewise. Love it. Glad to be visiting you today from #TellHisStory, and wishing you the best in the new season filled with one desk versus many little ones. #GoJesus
I love the image you inspired in me that my new season will be one desk versus many little ones. Thank you for sharing those words and for encouraging me as I move forward to my sequel. Blessings!
You had me hooked with the first two lines. I would think exactly like that.
Then you talk about being a teacher & I was a Maths Teacher.
But the real connection is the words you used about us and the gifts He has given us – yes only I can do certain things for Him and good reminder.
Thank you Sandra! I was blessed by your testimony at Holly’s place too. I love your connection to teaching and how using our gifts can be exactly what we do in an ordinary day. It does not have to look like something bigger and better because God is still in the everyday of our lives. Have a blessed weekend.
How encouraging! Thank you for this beautiful read. Let’s all play on! 😀
Thank you Lux! God’s beautiful melody for our lives is such a gift and I pray that we all find peace in our song and how it flows in our own lives. Blessings!
I love the quote by Max Lucado. Today I wrote also one on mu blog. In Dutch.
Thank you so much for youw wise words.
I’m so glad you stopped by! I pray that your life is a beautiful melody to God through your own writing. Blessings!
Mary, what encouragement! As the body of Christ, our melody must be so beautiful to the Lord. Thank you for making me imagine this. Someday we will see. I love your words and the image you bring to mind. Cheering you on from the #RaRalinkup sweet friend!
I also love that God grants us each our own song our own melody. We can choose to play it well or choose to hold back and not share it with the world. I pray we all discover the gifts that God chooses for us and in the discovering we unfold the most beautiful melody lifted up just for Him. Thank you for the blessing of your encouragement today.
What a beautiful post and I love that quote by Max Lucado! Thank you for sharing your heart and encouraging us all to use our gifts which so pleases the Lord! 🙂
Your words bless me and I love when you stop by. I pray we all feel that “perfect fit” when we are using our gifts. Many blessings to you!
Hey Girlfriend!
It’s good to be back in your world again!
And when all is said and done, I do believe that discovering my gifts has been easier and much more enjoyable than finding jeans {or, gasp, a bathing suit!} that fit me to a T!
I can’t wait to see how God leads you in this next season … it’s going to be so exciting to see the teacher soar in yet another realm!
;-}
Hi – (waving from afar) and so glad to see you back here! Your words always make me smile and now I have the image of me trying on a bathing suit-oh my and it is not pretty!!! I am so glad that friends like you are a part of my journey and I’m praying you will be in the future too! 🙂
I am excited about soaring and with God I can fly to new heights. Love you friend!!
Oh if only every teacher had the attitude towards children you have! Thank you for walking out your gifts that God has blessed you with. Thank you for an encouraging post also to keep playing out those gifts. Right now I believe I am using my gifts that God has given me more than any other time in my life and it is most definitely that “perfect fit” feeling!!
Stopping in from the RaRa Linkup 🙂
I love that you are using the gifts that God graced you with and even more that you understand that “perfect fit” feeling. God has taught me so much about loving children over these last 30 years and that’s what teaching is really all about. Glad to meet you through the #RaRaLinkup and I hope our paths cross again. Blessings!
Mary,
I too, teach and I love your words. “Teaching looks like the Hands of God opening wide to embrace the hearts of each student.” Thank you for reminding me that it is a gift and my usage of this gift is music to God’s ears. Be blessed. – Kia
So glad to have you visit and I love that we have the connection of teaching. We work in a hard profession full of so much joy and so many struggles but with God at the center we allow our students to become they best they can be! Play on as you teach each day and remember that God is honored and pleased.