Perceiver

Yup, it's been a while. Writer's block, I s'pose. I guess every time I feel like blogging, I feel like it's nothing worth taking the time to type. Meh - bad attitude, much?

There are some changes coming up for Wayne and me -- no, I'm not pregnant! (Let's get that outta the way!) But another possible career change that could see Wayne and I move to the other great coast of this country - or maybe even the Prairies - within the next year. A change that would allow us to buy into a housing market that would allow me to be the SAHM (thanks for the acronym, Shawna!) that I intend to be once we start making babies. I will keep you "posted" (that's a clue to the job he's applied for - ohhh, the mystery!).

On a spiritual note, listening to Pastor Kevin's sermon this past weekend (Gifts That Motivate Us To Minister - Part 1), I have discovered my first (do we only get one? Do some people have more than one?) spiritual gift: perceiver (traditionally known as prophet). Take a listen to his message - it made total sense. On the qualifying "Quiz" he had us evaluate ourselves on, I scored 22/25 for perceiver (for the sake of comparison, I scored 8/25 for server).

Now, this is NOT what I expected to find out when we read Romans 12:5-8, which says:

5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

So we only got through the first two gifts, since this is a long series. But I fully expected my gift to be contributing or mercy (I'm a pretty compassionate person...I think). What the Lord teaches me when I'm not expecting to be taught usually gives me the most perspective, the most insight, the most eye-opening TRUTHS I have ever heard.

And He has delivered once again.

So now what? I need to learn how to harness this gift, how to become mature enough in my faith to use this properly and not abuse/misuse it. And being a prophet/perceiver isn't foretelling the future, they way we understand the meaning of "prophet" today. That's why Pastor K amended the name to perceiver: one who instructs, exhorts, warns, proclaims and judges, rather than predicts. Pastor K did give some examples of where, in the Church, this gift would best be utilized. But that doesn't mean I know how to handle something carrying so much power.

Hm, food for thought. Time for bed.