Religion

August 19, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 13 Comments

How To Use Your Skills for God

What about you? How do you use your skills for God?

Have you ever wondered how to use your skills for God?

God created each of us for a purpose. The skills He gave you are not by random chance. He made you drawn to certain tasks for a reason. Is there something you love and enjoy? God no doubt gave you that pleasure so you can serve others with your skills.

King David in the Bible played his harp on the hills of Israel without getting paid. He did it because God had placed the love of music and worship within Him. And now, thousands of years later, David’s words and song are still impacting millions of people everyday as they read and sing the psalms.

How can you use your passions and desires for God’s Kingdom? @TriciaGoyer shares her tips:

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“To the extent we are able to put others first is how effective our lives will be for Christ. It is through this kind of witness that we can lead people to salvation.” —Larry Burkett, Great is Thy Faithfulness, July 19

Four steps for using your {God-given} skills for His kingdom:

1. Consider, “What do I {really, really} love to do?” Think of the tasks that bring joy as planted there by God. What do they tell you about yourself? What do they tell you about God’s plan for you? He wants to use your skills to impact His kingdom. Embrace that!

2. Find others to {joyfully} journey with. When I first started writing, I had one friend who was on the same journey to be a published author. A few years later, I connected with fifteen more women (through a conference), and we shared prayer requests and praises through email. Having a support system strengths you. Walking with others on the same journey helps you to go farther, sooner.

3. Start as a {willing} learner. When I started writing I set out to learn as much as I could about the craft of writing. I attended conferences, checked out books, and joined online writing support groups. I made many mistakes and received a lot of rejections, but I learned from them. Being a willing learner has expanded my skills. And learning has become a good habit. I continue to learn and expand my skills.

4. Don’t get {too} discouraged. We never get as far as we wish as fast as we want to go. When I attended my first writer’s conference I was worried what would happen if TWO publishers wanted my manuscript. That makes me laugh now. At the time I’d just started writing, and I didn’t have the skills to craft a book. It took me many years to figure that out. Now, I’m thankful none of those first books were published! I did get discouraged many times, but during those times I turned to God. I grew in my relationship with Him, and He gave me the courage to continue.

Today, spend some time pondering these four steps. Consider how God designed you to use your God-given skills for His Kingdom.

When you understand your skills and their importance, your life makes sense. @TriciaGoyer

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When you understand your skills and how important they are, then your life makes sense and you can step into each day with kingdom purpose. God knows when you’re in your “sweet spot of service,” your work, words, walk and worship will draw others to Him! Not only that your life, and the lives of countless others, will forever be impacted for His glory!

What about you? How do you use your skills for God?

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Interested in some similar posts to this one? Check out these:

Tips for New Writers

Wanna Be Published? Relinquish Your Dream, Your Heart

Reach the World Right Where You Are

August 12, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Be a Person of Influence {In Your Home}

Who do you influence?

It is easy to think about being a person of influence when it comes to my work, and church, and community organizations. Some people are hired for their roles. Others are voted in. When a decision needs to be made, a command needs to be given, or when order needs to be brought from chaos, all heads turn to the influential leader. He or she is the one with the cocked chin and steady gaze. Most of the time he or she is the one with the plan.

Sometimes I wonder why a bigger deal isn’t made of this in the birthing room as a child enters the world. “Congratulations, person of influence! It’s up to you now to mold and shape this human being for the next eighteen years, guiding him/her to successful, productive, God-seeking adulthood!”

Or better yet, at the altar.

I, Ben, take you, Sarah, to be my wife, and before God and these witnesses I promise to be a faithful and true husband who will use my influence in the home to lead you closer to God, helping you to achieve your God-given potential.

And

I, Sarah, take you, Ben, to be my husband, and before God and these witnesses I promise to be a faithful and true wife who will use my influence in the home to lead you closer to God, helping you to achieve your God-given potential.

That’s what influence is, after all, to have an impact on someone, to be a leader. Influence in the home doesn’t come from being hired or voted in. It’s a God-given responsibility that begins the moment you say, “I do.” The job description might grow when children join the picture, but it starts with one man and one women committed to each other for life.

Influence is a God-given responsibility that begins the moment you say, “I do.” @TriciaGoyer

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Now you tell me! you might be thinking. I know, I know.

It took a long time for John and me to figure this out too. When we got married I was 18 years old, and John was 23 years old. I already had a child from a previous relationship, and we really didn’t talk about the hard issues before we said, “I do.” We loved each other and wanted to be together, but at the time we had no idea that servant leadership would be the one thing that would get us through.

Are you a person of influence in your home?

Yes, you are. And this is how you can be a godly one:

Be confident in your role. Know you are a person of influence in your home. Don’t be brash or prideful. Simply accept that you are a leader and step out in humility, depending on God. What you do and what you say does impact others.
Be a trustworthy person. People are influenced most by those they are willing trust. Do what you say you will do. Live the type of life you want your children to copy. Make your words and actions mean something.
Be a cheerleader. Being a person of influence means understanding another person’s weakness while also praising their strengths. When someone fumbles, encourage him to get back up and try again. When someone succeeds, raise your voice with joy. People repeat what is noticed. The louder you praise an action, the more often it will be repeated.
Be a listener. We don’t truly know a person until we listen to his or her heart. Be the one others come to. Remember you don’t always have to have an answer; you simply have to be willing to listen.
Be a learner. Influential people are life-long learners. They study God’s word, connect with a community of believers for development, and they watch and learn from people they respect. In the home there is no such thing as status quo. Everything is always in a state of change! Be willing to learn how to lead your family better, and your influence will go far!

Influence starts at the birthing room and at the altar, but it grows with the daily ins and out of life. God doesn’t leave you to tackle your role alone. He desires to guide you. He knows the more you connect with Him, the greater your influence will be!

Are you a person of influence in your home? Here’s how you can be a godly one:

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For more information about having godly influence check out Lead Your Family Like Jesus, co-written with Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges. Here’s a bit more about the book:

Does your family need a five-star general at the helm? A psychologist? A referee? Ken Blanchard, best-selling co-author of The One Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus, points to a better role model: the Son of God. Joined by veteran parents and authors Phil Hodges and Tricia Goyer, renowned business mentor Blanchard shows how every family member benefits when parents take the reins as servant-leaders. Moms and dads will see themselves in a whole new light—as life-changers who get their example, strength, and joy from following Jesus at home. This user-friendly book’s practical principles and personal stories mark the path to a truly Christ-centered family, where integrity, love, grace, self-sacrifice, and forgiveness make all the difference.

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July 22, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 3 Comments

How to Talk to God

Do you wonder if God is out there listening? Do you question if He cares? Many of us want to talk to God—to pray—but we don’t know how to start.

Here are some things that might help: <click to tweet>

You don’t need a specific place to pray . . . but finding “a prayer place” might help. I pray before I climb out of bed, snuggled under the blanket. I pray in the mornings, sitting on the couch. I pray in the afternoons as I’m folding laundry. Praying in those places becomes a habit, and being there “triggers” me to turn my heart to God.
You can pray any time . . . but creating daily appointments can go a long way. During my “couch” prayer time I make a cup of coffee or tea. I grab a journal and pen. I open my Bible. This ritual helps me to focus. It prepares my heart.
You don’t need a list of requests . . . but keeping a list can grow your faith. I keep a prayer journal. It’s built my faith to go back and see how God has answered my prayers. I’ve prayed for book deadlines and kid issues, and years later I can see that, with God’s help, the work got done and the kids turned around. It encourages me to continue asking and continue drawing near.
You don’t need to pray a specific set of words . . . but looking to the Lord’s Prayer can be a good guide. From Matthew 6:9-13:

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

Jesus’ prayer guides us to *pray for God’s will. It reminds us to *pray for His kingdom on earth. It shows us that *God is our provider. It reminds us to *ask for forgiveness . . . and to *offer forgiveness. And it encourages us to *seek protection from evil. What a great list to pray through!

Five More Tips on Talking to God

Nix the holy slang. God understands “whasup God” just as well as He does “Thou holy Father.”
Spit it out. I’m able to keep my train of thought better when I’m talking.
Find a prayer buddy or prayer buddies. It brings hope to my heart when I know others are praying for me and when I’m praying for others.
Don’t think of talking to God as seeking to “get your prayers answered.” Instead, think of it as bringing your concerns before Him and allowing Him to sort out the best plan of action.
Remember how much God cares for you. He’s not watching to see when you’ll mess up. Instead, He’s eagerly waiting to see when you’re going to step near. He wants you to connect with Him, not out of duty but out of relationship.

So how do you start? Start simply. Start with a heart full of hope of drawing near. Start now!

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