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This Clay Jar

Sometimes, I just want to write.
I have this impulse to write even if I don't have anything in particular I want to write about.  I search for some substancial subject matter just to have a good reason to write about something.  I like writing.
Sometimes I question the phenomenon.  I ask the Lord if it's wrong for me to be so into writing, because something that I love this much that isn't God Himself must be an idol, right?  Maybe not.
He said, "So write about me."

And that put a smile on my face for two specific reasons:
1) Because I can write (something I love doing) about HIM (God, who I love)!  What a blessing!
2) Because of what this tells me about Him, me, life and our love.  Because this is a revelation of His heart toward me.
 The first reason is a lot more straight forward and obvious in meaning: He has given me the freedom to write about Him today on September 25th of 2012.  Sweet!
 The second reason is more of a concept to be believed.  This God who made me, saved me, restores me and loves me wants me to be blessed by making Him known through something I enjoy.  This moves my heart in a deep way.

He wants me to use my talents to further His kingdom.
He has given me a function as a member of His body. 
I, Anna, am specifically important to Him for accomplishing His plan. 
And all of those things I have just said go for you, too!
This makes me happy and it excites me (if you can't tell from all the excalimation marks)!

It's not proud or brag-ish to recognize that God has given you gifts and talents.  And it's not wrong to invest them with all that you have for the sake of His fame. 
I'm an introverted social butterfly.  I love people but it's so easy for me to be embarassed or shy or awkward about things when it comes to people paying attention to me.  Truthfully, sometimes I don't do things as well as I could for fear of attention and what people will think.  That's not ok.

"So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
1 Corinthians 10:31

There is a reason we each have the passions, desires, gifts, talents, insights, yearnings, characteristics, personality traits and inclinations that we do.  Don't get me wrong, not every passion or personality trait is of God (I am an avid believer in nurture having a lot of impact on a person), but He can use every part of who you are to bring Him glory. 
Whether it's showing His power by ridding and freeing you of something or refining and perfecting something in you, there is no room for fear of letting Him make you beautiful, for His sake.  So that He can have the attention.
If we are mirrors reflecting His glory, we should not be afraid of shining brightly.  After all, we are not our own anyway-we are His.

Basically, I'm saying, "don't hold back!". 
It could be just one or a combination of so many different things He wants to use you for bringing Him glory through; cooking, blogging, praying, eating, singing, running, playing the piano, traveling, speaking, storytelling, song writing, hiking, swimming, kicking a soccer ball, being married, single, rich, poor, employed, jobless, young, old, in between, having kids, not having kids, having a nice car or driving a clunker, knitting, or insert hobby and/or passion here.

"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us."
2 Corinthians 5-7

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