Well, that time went fast. I had to double check my records and sure enough, this completes year one of writing “God Nudges.” I have been reflecting back on these writings as I decide where to go with #7. A couple things occurred to me.
First, I believe sometimes we have to go far enough forward to look back and see where those “God Nudges” happened in our lives. We may not always realize it at the time. When I look back at my nudges, I am reminded of the amazing, wonderful things that happened in my faith journey and in serving God and the church.
Second, as I look at my “God Nudges,” I noticed they seem to match my Spiritual Gifts. How about that? God, is so clever.
Have you ever taken a Spiritual Gifts Assessment? I have done so a few different times in my life for various reasons – curiosity, part of a class, or being offered by my church as a way to see where your gifts match up with the needs of the church. I have found there are two gifts that are always present, Healing and Helper. Makes perfect sense because I am a nurse and second, I prefer helping over leading. As I look back, I am reminded of how my gifts change as I have grown in my faith journey, as I have responded to God Nudges and yes, older and wiser.
The picture included with this blog shows a key chain a friend made in a class I was teaching on Spiritual Gifts. She made a key chain for each of the participants listing our spiritual gifts. I was shocked at the time, that two of them were Pastor/Teacher and Administration/Leadership. I keep it nearby as a reminder. I have a post-it note, listing my spiritual gifts of the last assessment inside my notebook as a reminder – Helper, Mercy, Faith, Leadership, Healing. There it is again…Leader. And so, I said yes when asked to be District Lay Leader and I saw it as a way to help. When I am asked to take on a new task, I ask myself if it fits my Spiritual Gifts. I have learned not to question a God Nudge because that nudge always matches up with my gifts and talents, even the ones I do not recognize in myself. Good things always happen with God Nudges.
If you are interested in learning more or taking a Spiritual Gifts Assessment, you will find a resource available on the Conference website that also includes a link to a Gifts assessment. https://michiganumc.org/spiritual-gifts/.
Blessings, Wendy