a unique addition

i heard a pastor say this the other day and i had to share...

"God didn't make you unique for uniqueness' sake.  He made you unique because He's got a specific purpose in mind for you...

you have been placed into a community of believers.

you are a part of the body to work for the glory of God. 

and when one part doesn't work - the body is hindered.

and what happens when you decide that you don't want the gifts you've been given or when you decide not to use your gifts within that community, 

you are robbed of being able to experience God and you stifle the church.  

the community of believers is robbed of the unique addition that God has brought to them in you."

                                                                                                         ---Matt Chandler.

powerful, right?

we are all unique because we all have a different purpose.

and we have been placed in such a way that we fit with the rest of the body of believers.

and a body only works if all the parts are doing their thing - 

so if we decide that we don't really matter,

or we're just not that gifted,

or no one really needs what we have...

we are WRONG.

God says in 1 corinthians that every part is crucial.

so us making that decision doesn't just affect us.

it affects the whole group.

so all the times i say - 

find your gift,

use your gift,

practice your gift...

its not just so you can be good at something or find your talent.

its so you can experience God by letting Him show you how He created you...

and so the body of Christ gets to use what He's given YOU.

i can write and direct all day long - 

but that is a VERY small piece of the puzzle.

God's plan needs hands, feet, legs, eyes, ears...........

and He's put us all together in such a way that we can be used in incredible ways to bring Him glory and to reach out to a lost world.

so don't belittle your gifts and don't assume someone else can do it - 

because they can't.

and don't be afraid to step out and use it - 

because its His gift.  it'll work.

its not about us.

its ALL about Him.

and we have been placed with a uniqueness

that completes the body He has put together.

and it only works the way it should if we actually do our part...

if you know what you're gift is - use it.

if you don't - don't be afraid to ask Him.

but don't rob the church of the uniqueness He's given us in you.

-ALIVE

the anointing

hey friends!

so we just finished another ALIVE gathering :)

always an adventure.

i am blessed by this team.

austin and i worked on a new human video for awhile...

and then worked with the team to get it going.

its not finished...

:)

but it will be soon!

it feels really good to be making stuff again.

to just trust God to show up and create through us.

i was just reading a blog post by Pastor Steven Furtick.

and i love it...

read it here

he talks about the anointing.

if you don't know what that means...

here's what he says in the post - 

When I say anointing, I’m talking about the supernatural enabling of the Holy Spirit.

and the difference between doing something you're anointed to do and doing something you're just really good at.

one impresses people.

one impacts people's eternity.

when we were up at Trout Lake Camp recently the speaker Brian Sumner (really legit guy with a really legit story - you can google him...and watch his I Am Second video...good stuff)

also talked about the Holy Spirit and His anointing.

and i just couldn't even handle it...it was so powerful and i just pray pray pray that people were paying attention.

he talked about how we need to be doing what we're anointed to do.

he said he skates because that's what he's anointed to do.

he doesn't paint or sing because that's not what he's anointed to do.

God didn't call him to those things, He didn't move the Spirit to do those things through him.

and so he skates.

that is his ministry.  that's what God's calling him to do.

and that's where God moves through him.

what is your calling?

what are you anointed to do?

what does God want to use you for?

how do you know?

there is only one way.

get to know God.

ask Him.

listen to Him.

do what He asks you to do, change what He asks you to change, get rid of what He asks you to.

and then follow.

Brian also said this - 

if i'm anointed to skate and called to skate...

but i never get on a skateboard.

am i really a professional skateboarder?

or am i a poser?

if i'm called to be creative, if i'm anointed to create and share God's word

but i never actually do it...

am i living out God's calling?

am i actually a follower of Jesus?

or am i just pretending to be...

God doesn't call us to look good.

He doesn't anoint us so we can do cool things for ourselves.

He calls us because He's got a kingdom to further, relationships to build and lives to save.

so what are we doing?

-ALIVE