Lately… interest is heightened about God-given gifts. Sweetheart, you have one. Pray for it to erupt if you think Father God might have skipped you.
When you pray the thing begins to move on its sacred mission through you. Your gift is not a solitary movement. It is not a thing meant for you alone. Whoever hears it, sees it, whoever senses it, whoever knows it, is fed. That is why, when we can only respond with, “mm mm mm” at the gift of another, we are inspired. The thought, idea, image, fills us up – inspires us to employ the gift Father God breathed into us.
It is not a matter of wanting to, not an act of will, but, to act on His gift is something we simply must do.
It is already in you.
‘God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.’ (1 Peter 4:10 NLT)

Hello DearOne! It is raining in southwest Oklahoma and what a glorious morn to laze a bit and glory in what God Most High is to you.
Mm mm mm …
Here is one you will want to have locked in your brain cells to pull from in and out of your days:

‘This is what the Lord says:
The wise man must not boast in his wisdom;
the strong man must not boast in his strength;
the wealthy man must not boast in his wealth.
But the one who boasts should boast in this,
that he understands and knows Me-
that I am the Lord, showing faithful love,
justice, and righteousness on the earth,
for I delight in these things.
[This is] the Lord’s declaration.’ (Jeremiah 9:23, 24 HCSB)

This is one gift I SO love about the miracle of the Spirit of God Most High: as believers, the Spirit in you calls out to the like Spirit within others. Very often, if you tune in, you notice the presence of the same Spirit before you even know the name of the friend.
The Creator designed us with a longing for our own kind. There are none among us who do not know this phenomenon.
Yet, even when we get chased out if the garden with a hoe, and find ourselves exhausted and shaking at the edge of a pond – it is this longing of the Spirit that leads us to hang on – to take one more step, and proceed with hope. The memory of where we once belonged is as a beacon … and that single light brings us back home.

‘For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.’ (Matthew 10:20 ESV)

‘He lays the beams of His chambers on the waters;
He makes the clouds His chariot;
He rides on the wings of the wind;
He makes His messengers winds, His ministers a flaming fire’. (Psalm 104:3, 4 ESV)

If at this moment, you can place yourself in an environment that calls forth praise to Father God – do so! Maybe you have an inspiring view from your porch, your window, your yard. Or, you can open a window and let fresh air in. At the very least, shift your position and put your mind in a mood for bringing God praise. Do it! Make yourself an awesome little experience in our Creator’s creation! Ah! Glory!

‘But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” (Matthew 17:7 ESV)

Skin was an interesting selection for the shell of a human soul. What kind of creative mood was Father God in when He came up with that? There is no material quite like it. Skin. Full of receptor cells. Begging to be touched.
Who can resist touching the toes of a newborn? All lined up like kernels of corn on the cobb? Somehow, as children grow into adults touch becomes less common, more formal. We actually give classes that teach a “proper” business handshake!
But, beloved, Jesus touched. He sent healing energy into others with the slightest touch. Be mindful DearOne, of touch. Make it a priority – it seems so simple – touch heals. Notice the warmth in a handshake … the weight of shelter in a hug … the healing competition in a wresting dual … pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, His dynamic love pours through you to the need of another. Jesus touched. Simple. Powerful.

A meticulous friend and co-worker, who sees things in only black or white, walked in my office not long ago and said, “Oh Ang! What are you doing now?!!”
I was blowing bubbles.
She and I balance each other well, even though, most of the time she rolls her eyes at me. Opposite ends of the spectrum.
Sometimes I use bubbles in training. They are kept on a shelf under my desk. That day, I was blowing bubbles … just thinking … exploding some myths … of how we allow the world to trap our thinking. We tend to limit ourselves in getting to God’s best for us based on what the world decides is “proper”. We hold tightly to methods that look right to others. We get caught up following in what people call “normal”.
Blow some bubbles SweetSoul. Let limiting ideas explode. Let the world’s influence dissolve to the limitless and profound ways of your Creator. Look at the prism of rainbow colors on each bubble and let Father God release the colors to create each new step of this journey He has prepared for you.
It’s hard to hang on to the “fixed” and “proper” world’s ways when bubbles are glimmering and glitzing and popping in glorious rainbow colors all around you.

‘He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces.’ (Psalm 107:14 NKJV)

‘For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.’ (1 Samuel 12:22 NKJV)

Just as planned, the teardrop in the lower park where I played in my growing up years transformed into a quaint little celebratory arts festival. Vendors, concessions, helpers, musicians played out that weekend like a well-oiled machine. Evening was drawing the festival to a close. Clouds began to gray and set heavy as booths folded down, wrapping their wares, packing their trailers for the next fair. Some local souls meandered aimless hanging on to the welcome interruption to the hum-drum of daily life.
Festival friend, Tom Ware, eased onto the makeshift stage to make his music for the final act of the weekend.
Busy checking to-do’s off my list, the focus of few remaining weary vendors intent on wrapping their wares, packing their trailers for the next show, when all the world came to a Holy hush as Mr. Ware began to play. The haunting beauty of the voice of his native flute gently held in the damp air. The sound tenderly pried our hearts open in deep authentic worship. Surreal. Breathtaking peace poured in to empty bones. Every sense was awakened and reclaimed. It was an “oh” moment.
Beloved, you and I can expect our Creator in the unexpected. He is working in your life in ways you can not begin to imagine. And, sometimes, when you least expect Him, He breaks you wide open to receive.
He is pleased to have made you His own.

‘“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.’ (Deuteronomy 7:6 NKJV)

Chosen.
Chosen One.
The Chosen One.

You.

Our human-ness thinks ‘chosen’ should mean instant perfection. Father God usually prefers to grow it in us one baby-step at a time. And, He desires to be your Chosen One too.

Free will.

Your choice.

Slow down Dearheart. Trust Him with your training.
Allow Him to make up the difference between where you are now and where He wants you to be.
You will look back soon and see that He has changed you … created a miraculous transformation –
In the life of His ChosenOne.

Picture hands. Hands. God’s. Yours. Those who have held you. Taken care of you.
My dad has always been in awe of my mother’s hands. . . the way they move, the millions of lines, the way they heal. He actually prays for/thanks God for her hands at every meal. Hands!
Psalms 103 verses this week have heightened my hand-awareness. ‘All that is within me’ begins with the heart, yet is followed ever so closely by your hands Precious One.
Hands that reach. Hands that greet. Hands that touch. Hands that hold. Hands that worship. Hands that heal. Hands that sense.
Hands that reveal Christ’s loving-kindness. Notice with each reach, touch, receiving … notice hands that praise in all they move to do.

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, (Psalm 103:1-4 NKJV)