If I speak with tongues of men and of angels, but do not love, I have become a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
As a teen, I had 3 different people prophesy over me that I am going to be a powerful woman of God, who will lead many people to Christ. I’ve been holding onto to those prophesies since the first one when I was 13. I’ve been waiting on the Lord to reveal those prophetic words to me and just make things “click.”
The World Race surrounds you in a community of people with amazing gifts of the Spirit. I’ve watched my teammates grow in the gifts of hospitality, giving, wisdom, and evangelism. I’ve even been the victim of some of these gifts. 
There is a longing in my spirit to know what God wants to equip me with. I have been asking the Lord to reveal those gifts to me.
One night in India, I was reflecting on all the people I’ve met on the Race so far. I realized how much I miss all those wonderful people. It is amazing how much I connected with them in a month, or less. I thought about my family, church, and work at home in the States. I miss my siblings, youth, and preschoolers… That is when it hit me. Duh… One of my gifts is love!
It is obvious in my almost supernatural ability to quickly bond with people and the tears that are shed each time we have to say goodbye. My teammates enjoy teasing me whenever I quickly make a friend when we’ve just arrived in a new country.
When I shared this revelation with my team, Doug said, “Well, it’s about time!” It amazes me to think that many of the people around me have seen this gift without me being self-aware. I think maybe God has been waiting all this time for me to be open to accepting His gifts. Now things are starting to “click” as I go deeper with Him.
Cody has been an encouragement because of his excitement about this revelation. He sees that love is the foundation of ALL gifts. He enjoys reminding me of verse 13:
But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
My husband sees the potential as I accept my gift of love.
Verses 8-12 of the “love chapter” speak of how there is an end to all gifts except love. Love never fails. Verse 12 especially touches my heart…
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
I am just beginning to understand what it means to be fully known by God. The beauty is that as I go deeper with God and know Him better… I know myself better. There is power in self-awareness.
Now that I not only recognize this gift, but accept it, I wish to go deeper…
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act becomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
I desire to see these attributes lived out in my life. I desire to love out loud! Oh praise be to God that this is only the beginning…
