What an awesome weekend!

This weekend I went to the Women of Faith Conference in Portland. It always suprises me how much I get out of those gatherings, and this year was no exception.

I was especially thankful for the presentation given by Marcus Buckingham. He wrote a book called "Find Your Strongest Life". In a nutshell, he has catagorized our God given strengths to help us learn what role we were born to play and how we can honor what is true about ourselves. He went on to tell us to stop striving for BALANCE but rather to strive for FULLNESS. That was the "lightbulb" moment for me.

It was so liberating to hear this guy tell us that we arent all wired the same, that we were all created to fullfill a different purpose and that was God's plan all along so that we would like.....need each other. I know that some of you are thinking, well DUH!!! I know, I know... we've heard this theory more than once, but I've never heard this message in a more tangible way and given tools to examine myself to find out what my strengths really are.

It's so easy for me to spend a little time with someone and realize exactly what their strengths are, but it's been near impossible for me to realize my own. SO here is a little truth about me. Loving people comes easily for me (most of the time). I mean really caring for them, right where they are, all the bad with the good. I believe that God brings people into my life one at a time and allows me to make a difference by showing them a glimpse of God's love. There have been times when I have had to defend myself for not being the kind of person who can engage in conversation with a large group of people. Im NOT a mingler, I can actually feel my palms get sweaty when fellowship time comes around and I am expected to get up and chit chat with people and I have felt really bad about that.

How can I stand in front of hundreds of people and sing, yet I can not walk up to a stranger or even an acquaintance and think of one single thing to strike up a conversation with. How come my husband can walk up to someone and ease into a conversation about absolutely nothing that last for 30 minutes?? This is not a gender thing, this is a God thing!

I yam what I yam and Im really looking forward to reading Marcus' book and finding out how I can use my strengths to further God's kingdom.