I’ve kinda dropped the ball on this whole blogging thing. It’s not that I just forgot about writing a blog, though I wish it were that simple. I think about writing every day, but I don’t get any words on the page because, well…. I don’t know what to write about. Nothing crazy out of the ordinary has happened since the last blog. I haven’t had any revelations that I desperately wanted to share with you all. Just life.
But last night I started thinking more about why I haven’t wanted to write. When I think about blogging, my mind instantly goes to the readers and other writers. I start thinking about other writers who are so great at quoting scripture and relating the words of God to their lives- in any situation. I think about the writers who use words so eloquently to capture the reader’s attention, that any story can sound inspiring. Their words are beautiful and have a flow to them like music. I think about the writers who are born story-tellers, who bring a light and humor to their stories that make you feel like you were there. I think about the writers who write every single week (or close to it) with something new and vulnerable and thought-provoking. All of these things are really great, but thinking about it makes me not want to write at all.
I’ve been comparing my life events, my writing style, my gifts with everyone else’s.
I haven’t been sharing my story because I’m afraid that it’s not note-worthy and that people won’t care to read it. And then I don’t write at all. That’s dumb.
For the past week or so, the Lord has been reminding me that everyone is unique, everyone has been given gifts that are unique to them and those gifts are to help others in our community. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul reminds us that “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”
Guys, we absolutely need people in our lives that are different. Paul continued explaining the importance of spiritual gifts by comparing the church body to the human body. Every part of the body is necessary, and the other parts couldn’t function as well without them. The same goes for the body of Christ- I have been given a gift that others don’t have, and other people have gifts that I don’t have. When we work together to shape one another, we will grow closer to the Lord than if we were doing it on our own.
I need to get away from the thought that just because I don’t have the same gifts as someone else, I’m somehow less of a person. I’m a person with unique gifts that the Lord has chosen for me, and He already knows how I will use those gifts to help others. And if that means blogging when I don’t feel like my story is exciting, or when I don’t have the patience to sit and make it sound pretty, then so be it.
The World Race posted an article from Relevant Magazine that made me think more about the need for different gifts. You can read the article, “5 Reasons to Make Friends Who Are Different From You” here.
Life update: Remember that job I got a while ago that I was so nervous about and then God came through? Well, it’s been going great! I’m a reading interventionist at an elementary school in town. I work with kiddos in kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade- I will typically pull small groups of students to work on reading strategies and skills for around 30 minutes, then send them back to class, and I move on to the next group of students. It’s very different from my experience student teaching in a classroom, but I’m learning a ton, and I really enjoy it! The job and my wonderful relationship with my coworkers and principals is a huge blessing. I already know that I’m going to be sad to leave them at the end of the semester!
THANK YOU for your continued prayers and donations! Please continue to pray for my heart, for my squadmates (the number keeps growing and growing!!), and for my friends and family. If God is pulling you to donate, you can click here to make a tax-deductible donation. If you have questions, let me know!
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xo, Caitlin
