That’s what Paul said to Timothy: “Fan your gift into flame.”
He was talking about Timothy’s gift to preach the gospel. God had saved Timothy and had given him this great gift to use for God’s glory and the Church’s benefit, but Timothy felt insecure, scared-to-death, and too tiny to claim the prize. That’s why, in 1st and 2nd Timothy, Paul strongly encourages Timothy to stop cowering, to receive the gift, and to do the thing, for crying out loud.
Last week, I scrawled those words in my journal: “Fan your gift into flame”.
During my devotional time, this concept has been breaking my heart. God is hard at work in here, trying to get my attention and change me. I feel like He’s been pointing to an ember of a spiritual gift that I thought I’d hold onto until the kids are grown, graduated, and married off. I’ve wrapped Caution Tape around this ember, hoping it would simmer inside until I am Fabulous and Fifty. I’ll be wiser then. I’ll be freer then. But it seems that God wants me to fan it into flame now when I’m Thirty-Five and Thronged-With-Tikesters. The Caution Tape is unraveling.
The ember: a gift to speak and teach the Bible.
The time to build a fire: now.
How to build the fire? I have no earthly idea.
Writing has always been a helpful way for me to work out struggles and blessing. So, I’ll quietly begin this project here and may or may not make it all the way through this popular “31 Days” month. After all, “blogging” isn’t the gift I’m fanning, so I can’t lose my focus. But I’ll do my best to write about my journey.
If you’ve got an ember of a gift that God wants fanned into flame, come along!
Comments
16 responses to “31 Days to “Fan A Gift Into Flame””
Love that you’re kinda-sorta back. 🙂 Will be following along!
Oh, it’s YOU! 🙂 Yay. You made my day.
You may never know the depth of appreciation I have for you writing these words. Since I first met you at Relevant a few years ago, I have kept my eyes on you. Your choice to step away. Your choice to live local first. This piece of me kept saying, “maybe you should too”, but that ember in me was burning. Each time I tried to put the caution tape up and push the calling aside, He sent a strong wind of encouragement from a spirit-led individual. Their words would bring the fire back to life, but there was tension. What you’ve written on just this 1st day of 31 (even if this is THE ONLY post you post), helped give me the permission to keep fanning the gift into a flame…for His glory alone. Bless you dear for humbly seeking Him. Thank you.
Thanks, Heather. May you always, only be led by Jesus. I’m so thankful for your ministry and encouragement.
Laura, I’m so glad that you’ll be writing about the process and sharing your journey with us!
Thanks, Robin. I’d love to know your thoughts as I go…
Really looking forward to reading your posts!
Having only found your blog space this summer, I loved reading through some of your past writings. While blogging is not your ultimate goal, I’m eager to follow along in this series.
Thank you for coming, Lindsay. I’m glad to have you here! 🙂
I actually think that blogging is the gift that I should be fanning;-) I am loving your gentle encouraging approach here… think it’s just what I need.
Hello, Diane. The Holy Spirit will continue to guide you… and you will glorify Him so brightly! Thanks for joining me here.
Loved reading this. I am anxious to see where God leads you with this. You DEFINiTEly have the gift of communicating through spoken an written word. I’m actually dealing with my own ember and have thought the same thing as you …it will be something to look forward to in my next season …so you are rattling my spiritual cage;)
Billie
Aka frugal flamingo
Hi, Billie!! It’s great to see you here, too. I love all you faithful blog friends… 🙂 What “ember” are you mulling over?
ha…well, I don’t really know specifically. I walked away from blogging a year ago…about the same time as you. I don’t miss the “all that comes with it” part of blogging…especially as I did struggle with “blogger behaving:)” issues:).
I don’t necessarily miss the writing aspect …I can do that even in my own journal, but oh how I miss the communication aspect. I love, love, love communicating, connecting and encouraging women…whether that be through writing or speaking. and it is driving me NUTS that I can’t do that right now as I’m now homeschooling all 4 of my kiddos. I keep thinking that it will something that I can look into again later…but lately I’ve wondered if that’s just an excuse. It made me laugh at your “God megaphone” phrase…I keep praying that if God would really want me to communicate on more than the level I am now (which would be to my kids daily…lol) that he would announce that in someone’s ear. :))
So I don’t know what the “fire” is to look like…it may be just jumping in and leading a women’s group again where you are communicating on a small level….but I just know that my ember is communicating to women by being VERY authentic.
Regardless, you have inspired me to take it more seriously in prayer.
I totally understand your predicament. I’ve been asking God to help me walk by faith and not by sight as I prioritize my husband and my kids, but explore this wonderful calling at the same time. May you have faith, too!! We live for Christ’s sake and not our own. I’m so glad…
Hooray! You are such an inspiration! Thanks for including us in your journey.