Yesterday was a tough day at the Herrold house. (Names and specific details are being withheld for privacy) As parents, we encourage our girls to try anything. We encourage them, pay for lessons, drive them to practices, etc. As much as we do that, I believe that God has gifted each of our girls with specific gifts. My two older girls have been given beautiful voices. Abby, in particular, has struggled with this. She isn’t so sure this is the gift she wants. She wants to be athletic. Ellie Grace, on the other hand, is athletic, but would love to be a singer. Hannah is frustrated that no matter how much she studies, she isn’t a great scholar. (She is a good one, though!) Isn’t this just like us? We want what we don’t have.
Yesterday afternoon, one of our children came to the hard place of realizing that they were pursing the wrong thing. There were lots of tears and frustration. This particular child quoted something that was said to her at a funeral a couple of weeks ago. It is nothing different than Daniel and I have said to her a million times, but for some reason, coming from another adult it seemed to resonate with her. This woman encouraged her to use the gifts God has given her, and in fact, gently reprimanded her for not doing so.
This morning, my girl sent me an excerpt from her Jesus Calling devotional:
I love you for you who are, not for what you do. Many voices vie for control of your mind, especially when you sit in silence. You must learn to discern what is My voice and what is not. Ask My Spirit to give you this discernment. Many of My children run around in circles, trying to obey various voices directing their lives. This results in fragmented, frustrating patterns of living. Do not fall into this trap.
More often than not, my children amaze me. I am constantly learning from them. My daughter has picked herself up by her bootstraps and already reached out to various people to change directions. She is not going to sit at home and sulk. She knows God has given her gifts and I think she now understands how frustrating it is to work against those gifts. It has caused me to reflect on my own life. What has God blessed me with? Am I using the gifts He has given me? Or am I trying to be something I wasn’t designed to be? My prayer today is that I (and my children) would be aware of our gifts and live the life that was designed for us.
Discover more from The DeShields Diaries
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I love and completely relate to your post today!! I wonder on a regular basis if I’m spending my hours as I’m intended. So often I look up and question, “What am I doing? How did I [again] find myself neck-deep in a place I do not need to be?” Hugs to your beautiful girls 😉
Reminds me of the time many years ago when I tried to sing a solo at church. People were studying their shoes. Never again!
You are great parents giving godly counsel!!! So good to hear how you are pouring positive, godly words into your children’s lives. Finding the gift God has given takes time but as we submit to His will/plans/agenda/purpose/etc He will show us. Thank you for sharing!
Fran or Amanda– I don’t know if I read this or made it up: “God made us like we are to use us as HE planned.” I wanted to be a nurse like my mother, but I hated Science! I tried Business, but Economics and Ascounting were both Greek to me! So, as a last resort ( and as a college junior) I frantically grabbed Elementary Education and I got it right the third time! Everything I wanted was wrapped up in the faces of those 3rd and 4th graders that I taught for 15 years! If I had been looking for wealth or fame, I certainly would have NEVER chosen education! But God used the talents HE had given me to teach kids, and to
live on them as well as their parents. 20+ years later I still keep in touch on Facebook with many of them! Just keep busy developing your gifts, and God will guide you into all TRUTH!
This is such a beautiful story and it reaffirms that what you encourage your children has been validated by someone else outside of the family. I believe that it does take a village to raise children who will become strong, faithful, and committed adults continue the link to God in whatever we choose to do with the talents we are given. Thank you for your blog. I love what you say.
Your cousin, Cathy Pierce
I know you are proud that your girl is moving toward her gift. Many of us blunder through wondering what we are meant to do not recognizing what God’s gift to us truly is (even as adults) which can cause so much frustration and disappointment. Love your message.
I loved this blog and loved so many of the comments here. We all need to be encouraged in our gifts but the greatest encouragement comes from Him when you “just know”. I will be praying that whichever of the girls is changing directions, she will have her socks encouraged off by the Holy Spirit and by just knowing!! Love this whole precious family!!