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“A Hole in the World: Finding Hope in Rituals of Grief and Healing” is not an indulgent memoir. It is a deeply researched and insightful book about grief rituals and how they can help us keep on living after tremendous loss.
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This book less about pretty things (although it’s jam-packed with them) and more about cultivating a close relationship with God so you can listen and hear His voice. AND it’s not written from the perspective of someone who’s achieved perfection. It’s written by a woman who is transparent about her own struggles (past, present, and future) and her utter reliance on the Holy Spirit’s direction in her life.
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“Each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” 1 Corinthians 7:7
The apostle Paul was one of the most gifted evangelists of the early church. He planted churches from Nabataea (modern-day Petra) to Rome traveling thousands and thousands of miles to share the good news. But he did more than that. Paul stayed in touch with his converts for years and provided them with encouragement and spiritual direction—some of which have been preserved to this day.
In many of his letters sent to the churches he planted in Asia Minor and/or the people he trained to lead them, Paul mentions “spiritual gifts.” Paul offers a few lists of the gifts, but none of the lists are identical. That said, there are a few characteristics they each bear in common: they are given by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of unity and edification of the church.
Today in the twenty-first century, Christians are still encouraged to discover and develop their gifts for the same purpose: unity and edification of the church. The resources on this page will help you discover your own spiritual gifts. This is only an overview, but it’s solid.
I created an answer sheet to supplement the resources already available for this Spiritual Gift Assessment. It should be used in conjunction with the video linked below. Be sure to download the free Leader’s Guide which includes an overview of spiritual gifts as well as brief definitions of the eleven categories explored in this assessment.
The FREE Leader’s Guide will provide basic information about spiritual gifts as well as basic definitions of each gift. I created the following PowerPoint to be able to share the definitions visually with my class.
After taking a group through the spiritual gifts assessment, our discussion turned to whether or not spiritual gifts were actually a thing. Is a spiritual gift something a person is born with? Or is it received at baptism? Or some other time? Is it a one-time experience, or can a person receive more than one gift? At the same time or later?
Since Scripture doesn’t exactly explain the how or when spiritual gifts are given, the answer to these questions must be extrapolated from biblical passages that mention them. There are three main passages that include lists of gifts, and no two lists are the same.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 makes it clear that the gifts are given by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 12:4-8 uses the metaphor of one body “in Christ” and explains the gifts are given according to God’s grace.
Ephesians 4:11-12 states that the gifts were given by the one who ascended (a.k.a. Jesus Christ).
Based on these passages, it is clear that there are gifts are given to those saved by grace for the purpose of unity and edification within the church. In other words, yes, spiritual gifts are legit. They are bestowed by the Holy Spirit at and/or after conversion.
If you’re wondering whether or not gifts are the same as talents, you’re not alone. People have been asking this question for years. The answer is no, they are not the same. Talents are innate, possibly even inherited. Spiritual gifts come post-conversion as well as later when God equips a person for a specific task.
Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace skillfully lays out four distinctives in his excellent article, The Difference between Natural Talents and Spiritual Gifts. I’ve included these in the PowerPoint (below).
So, now that we’ve established that spiritual gifts are legit, that they are different from natural talents, and that they are given for the unity and edifcation of the church, we need to talk about what to do with them.
Once again we will turn to the Scriptures for illumination. Gleaning what we can from a variety of passages, we can confidently act according to the following examples.
Once you’ve identified your spiritual gift, it’s time to develop it. In 1 Timothy 4:14, Paul instructs his protegé Timothy not to neglect his gift, and in 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul reminds him to “fan it into flame.” ??? Clearly, Paul believes that gifts are given to be used: Developed.
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV)
Sometimes gifts are given in “seed” form, and other times, gifts build off of one’s natural talents. Whatever the case, spiritual gifts are to be developed by using them. So practice, practice, practice!
Be brave and inquire about using your gift in your local church. If your church won’t allow you to use your gift or if there are “territorial issues” that make it impossible to serve well, then pray about your next steps. You need to decide if you should stay there and look for opportunities elsewhere it to use it; if you should push harder for the opportunity; or if you should seek out another church where you would be allowed to develop your gift.
What if they say no?
Keep in mind that being denied the opportunity to use your gift is not a sign that it’s not your gift. (Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt.) Sometimes churches focus more on tradition than what Scripture clearly teaches. And sometimes there are other people already serving in that capacity who prefer to be in control of everything. Or maybe there are hidden biases at play that make you feel unwanted in that environment.
Seek the Lord’s guidance. He gave you at least spiritual gift for His purposes, and He will open another door somewhere your gifts can be used and be appreciated.
I almost didn’t include this part, because we’re so familiar with the biblical principle of considering others better than ourselves; however, Paul clearly states that those in Corinth should “eagerly desire the greater gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:31). The purpose of desiring “greater” gifts has nothing to do with the individual and everything to do with building up the church.
Jon Bloom, co-founder of DesiringGod.org, rightly concludes that “we are to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 as a means to pursue the love Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13.” He explores what it means to “desire” the gifts and how to partner with God in pursuing them in his article “Why We Must Earnestly Desire Spiritual Gifts.”
?For an even deeper dive into the “what” and “when” of spiritual gifts, I encourage you to listen to the After Class Podcsast (episode 2.24): Eagerly Desire the “Greater” Gifts? The podcast is hosted by three Bible and theology professors who teach at Great Lakes Christian College: Samuel C. Long, Ronald D. Peters, John C. Nugent.
PowerPoint Presentation
This presentation includes definitions, discussion questions, and a brief review of the differences between natural talents and spiritual gifts.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Photo Credits:
Giving Bread photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash
Replanting Small Plants photo by Daniel Hjalmarsson on Unsplash
Shadow Conversation photo by Jonathan Sharp on Unsplash
Young Band Playing photo by Andy Lee on Unsplash
In her first book Laugh It Up! Candace Payne offered us a peek at the woman behind the mask: the Chewbacca mask. The woman who belly laughed for three minutes straight on a now-viral Facebook Live video with such contagious joy that the world laughed with her not at her. She shared the story behind her viral video and how she grew into a woman who was not only comfortable in her own skin but also undeterred by what others thought about her.
In her new book, Simple Joys: Discovering Wonder in the Everyday , the author shares even more events from her life to demonstrate how each of us can mine for joy in our own everyday experiences. From “taco sweats” and taffeta to an icy driveway and hot coffee, this gifted author will have you laughing out loud one moment and deeply reflecting on complex situations in your own life the next.
Candace is a masterful storyteller who recounts her experiences with such vivid detail, it makes you feel like you were right there with her at the roadside café in Zambia squirting ketchup onto her fries or sitting next to her in the back seat of the car as her father walked out of the house with his hot cup of coffee on a freezing cold morning.
Don’t be fooled. Simple Joys is not a book that you read, put down, and forget about. It’s one that makes you chuckle, wince, roll your eyes, examine your own life, and mine for nuggets of joy even in difficult times.
The most underrated tool we have at our disposal to shift an atmosphere of anxiety to one of joy is to speak out the good times.” page 63.
Simple Joys will help you discover wonder in the ordinary events your everyday life through fun stories, poignant reflection, and questions to spur introspection.
At the conclusion of each chapter, Candace poses one related, thought-provoking question to the reader and provides ample space for the reader to jot down their own thoughts. There are also a few blank pages at the end of the book for additional notes.
This small, but mighty 176-page book measures only 5-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ x 0.9″ and is the perfect little gift book—but I’d totally buy this for myself, too! (Actually, I did.)
Each chapter features at least one inspirational quote digitally illustrated by the author (see photo above). I’m hoping they make them into a calendar or coloring book, because they are totally cute!
The cover is a smooth hardback with smyth-sewn and perfect-bound pages. The inside pages are printed in full-color on a heavy, matte paper stock which is perfect for highlighting, note-making, drawing, and journaling.
The book ended too soon for me. It left me wanting more. So, I sincerely hope that Candace is already working on her next book. While I wait, I will read Simple Joys again. And probably again.
I highly recommend it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
By the way, I had the opportunity to participate in a live video chat with the author immediately prior to release, and when she revealed the book cover she said, “Well, it’s supposed to be watercolor dots, but they remind me of macaroons…and I love macaroons! So, that’s a simple joy!”
Yes. Exactly.
Simple. Joys. All you have to do is search for them, and you will find them.
Photo credit: of macaroons by @holly_anewlookat on Unsplash.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. I also decided to purchase the book because I really enjoyed it. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be Isis. From time to time (usually after watching the “Shazam! Isis Power Hour” on Saturday mornings), I would suddenly strike a pose, speak the magical phrase, “Oh, Mighty Isis!” and transform myself—mentally, at least—into a superhero goddess ready to use all my powers to fight against evil!
I loved everything about this nerdy female archaeologist with huge glasses and a secret superhero identity. (I’ve included a video at the bottom of this review for your entertainment.)
Who did you want to be? Do you remember? If so, feel free to share it in the comments below. I’d love to know!
Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite authors, Jo Saxton. As a little girl growing up in London, author and speaker Jo Saxton had a dream: She wanted to be Wonder Woman. And I mean, she WANTED to BE Wonder Woman—red boots and all!
In case you are unfamiliar with this wonder of a woman, Jo is a Nigerian Londoner who currently resides in Minneapolis with her husband and two daughters.
Her book, The Dream of You: Let Go of Broken Identities and Live the Life You Were Made For, traces Jo’s lifelong transition from childhood dreamer to adult achiever.
What I find so striking is the similarity between Jo’s struggles and my own—even though we are SO different!!! For example:
We have completely different cultural backgrounds (immigrant vs. born citizen);We are basically opposite, and yet our struggles were/are very much the same. How is this possible?
On her quest to explore the different things that held her back or kept her from moving forward in her own life, Jo dug deep and discovered that the root causes of her brokenness, although personal, were not unique to her. They were, in fact, quite common to the human experience—especially that of women.
And like any good Bible teacher, she found biblical examples for each struggle!
Weaving the story of her own life’s journey together with that of Joseph, Esther, David, Naomi, Hagar, Ezekiel, and others, the author reveals thread-by-thread that God is present with us through our most difficult experiences, and how they add color, dimension, and texture to our character.
Over the past few months, I’ve been privileged to interact with Jo as she discussed her book and her thoughts behind the various stories she shares in it. Reflecting on the first few chapters, she said,
There are times when we have an earthquake in our souls, habits, the way we live. We don’t simply rise up and get over it…but we also don’t want to be defined by it the rest of our lives.”
The Dream of You was never intended to be a survival manual. It’s about wholeness and redemption and purpose.
The first part of the book not only prompts us to reflect on what (or whom) we’ve allowed to define us but also challenges us to re-imagine what life could be like moving forward: Mended. WHOLE.
Jo explains the profound impact negative and destructive comments and experiences have on us—minimizing nothing. These experiences simply underscore the reason she wrote the book: to remind us that there is wholeness to be found in relationship with a redeeming God.
When the grit and guts of your broken identity meet the grace and goodness of God, it will reveal you, but He will transform you. You’re in Him now, with all His resources available to you. You have access to His power, mercy, and grace.” (p. 21, emphasis mine)
Jo expounds on each theme by sharing a formative experience from her own life as well as a similar story from the Bible, and you don’t have to be familiar with the Bible to benefit from this! Jo has provided quick summaries and backstories of each character so the reader will not be lost in the explanation.
Then, without the use of a Venn Diagram, the author focuses her attention on the intersection of the stories, exposing the root of the issue. She culls out transformative biblical truths and challenges the reader to face the facts in her (or his) own life. She concludes the chapter with suggested action steps geared towards fostering personal growth and spiritual maturity.
The chapter titles, though creative, are pretty vague if you haven’t read the book yet; therefore, I complied a list of themes (noted in parentheses) followed by one or more of my favorite quotes from that chapter to provide a more helpful overview of the text:
It’s EASY for me to recommend The Dream of You because it is well-written, organized, funny, engaging, well-researched, insightful, empowering, and theologically accurate.
But what I would like to add is this: On every level, the teachings contained herein resonated with me. Jo’s journey mirrors my own—not on the outside, but on the inside.
And I can testify that what Jo offers you in this book is the same thing I would offer you in my own book: Truth. God is faithful and ready to redeem the years the locusts have eaten (cf. Joel 2:25-27). He can take what was meant for evil and flip it for good. In fact, He does it all the time.
The question is, are you ready to recover the The Dream of You? If so, then you have found the right resource with which to start your journey. I highly recommend this to women of all ages, but especially those who have been waiting on God for what feels like a very long time.
🎧 Jo has also recorded an audio version which you will LOVE, if you’re into audio books.
With no further ado, meet my childhood superhero: Isis.
Isn’t it interesting how we associate certain aromas with specific times of the year? Pumpkin spice signals a season of thankfulness; cinnamon, pine, and peppermint usher in the season of giving.
Some smells are so lovely and inviting we automatically inhale deeply as soon as we detect them. Others are, shall we say…disgusting! Within nanoseconds of detection, windows go up, recycled air is blasted, hands cover nose, and we scream, “Skunk!”
Smells are powerful triggers, aren’t they? They can cause a visceral reaction instantaneously which makes it extremely important that we are aware of our own aromatic contribution to our surroundings.
Therefore, it is with much compassion as your sister in the Lord that I must tell you—and I mean this in the nicest of ways—You smell!
It’s true.
You have a distinct spiritual scent that follows you wherever you go.
Don’t believe me? It’s true. The apostle Paul explained this concept to the church in Corinth:
In other words, to God, his children smell pretty amazing. To those being saved, we are an aroma that brings life. To those who are perishing, we reek of death.
It’s a profound truth and responsibility that I never considered before.
Some will love our “scent” while others will hate it.
Most importantly, their reaction to my scent has little to do with me, and everything to do with Christ in me.
When you carefully consider this concept, it makes sense. Haven’t there been times when you just met someone or passed a person in the store and you somehow knew they shared your faith?
What about the time you engaged the Starbucks barista in conversation, and you instinctively knew they were a Christ follower? Or the time you explained your engine noises to the mechanic while simultaneously realizing she was a fellow Believer?
I’ve always assumed it was “something in my spirit” that recognized the connection, but I never considered what the “something” was. Now, I know: My spirit has a sense of smell—a legit sixth sense!
I’m not going off the deep end here—I promise. I’m not seeing dead people.
I’m simply using Paul’s analogy to help us think in spiritual terms about something we’ve all experienced: S.O.
You can think of spirit odor (S.O.) like body odor (B.O.)—it’s not as obvious to us as it is to those around us. And the aroma of our spirit depends a lot on where we’ve spent our time.
Let that sink in for a moment: We carry the smell of our environment with us wherever we go—physically and spiritually.
As a little girl, when I spent time with my chain-smoking Nana and Papa, you would know it as soon as I walked into the room, because I smelled like I’d been with them. 🚬
Recently, our teenage son was tending our friends’ chickens while they were out of town. After spending quality time in the coop to refill their food and water, surrounded by the little cluckers, he smelled just like them…all the way home! 🐔
Similarly, when we spend time in the presence of the Lord, we begin to “smell” like Him, too. It’s not a physical smell, but a spiritual aroma. We smell different than we did before, and it’s pretty distinct. ❤️
I guess you could say that we smell out of this world! Detectable only in the spiritual realm, our aroma identifies us as having been with Christ.
As Alvin L. Reid says in his book, Sharing Jesus {without freaking out}:
Now, here’s what’s interesting: According to Paul, the exact same aroma that smells like LIFE to some will reek of DEATH to others.
This could be challenging and uncomfortable—especially when it involves family.
Have you ever experienced stress or conflict with someone for no apparent reason? Like every time you’re together something comes up and boom! Stress.
What if, every time you’re around, they are reacting NOT to you, but to your spiritual aroma? Consider this:
In other words: What if, every time you’re around, they are reacting NOT to you, but to your spiritual aroma?
And…
What would happen if, rather than take it personally, you recognize it for what it is; choose not to be offended; and instead, ask God to give you grace and empathy in the situation.
During these unsettled times, it’s critical that we remember two equally important truths:
When you walk closely with the Lord, you will be the aroma of Christ. ❤️
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