Five Minute Friday: Gift

The word is gift.  So many directions I could go with this one, but her is what I am thinking this morning.

Obedience is a gift.  This week I gave a testimony on faithfulness in my life at church.  When. I was asked to do it, my first inclination was to say no.  I felt unworthy.  Surely there are any number of people who would be more qualified to talk on faithfulness than I would.  I was feeling particularly "unfaithful" that day.

But I felt this really strong pull on my heart.  I KNEW I was going to do it, even as I was telling my friend, "I'll think about it."  Although I didn't really have anything to say at that point, it felt good to say yes.

By obeying that calling on my heart, I was gifted with my preparation time.  For about a week, I got up and just started writing in my journal.  I wasn't stressed.  I wasn't rushed.  It just all came together, a piece at a time.  I had three different outlines that I had scribbled out.  God had his own outline; I didn't end up using any of my own.  He had something He wanted me to say.

Another gift is the people around me.  There were several people who told me they were praying for my talk in the two days before I spoke.  That was amazing to be lifted up in that way.

When I actually spoke, I was only a teeny bit nervous.  I just wasn't that worried about it because it all came directly from Him.  And all the affirmations I have received in the hours since then have blown me away.  Three different people made a point to tell me about their quiet time with God yesterday morning.

And this morning, another gift.  As I was reading my Bible this morning, feeling super tired and fighting yet another headache, I looked out my window and saw this:

God gifted my time with him with the most beautiful sunrise.

All because I was obedient to that call.  What a huge gift!

(Too much to say for just five minutes...we'll call this one Twelve Minute Friday!)