I’m going to share a beautiful mantel decorated with dried roadside flowers and vintage brown glass vases mixed with new amber ball jars today, but really this post is about so much more than that. I hope you’ll take a minute to spend with me…
Do you wonder what your purpose is? Do you ever sit at home alone and wonder if it even matters that you know how to paint or sew, that you are an exceptional cook or maybe amazing at jewelry design. Maybe you aren’t super crafty but generosity pours out of you and sometimes that just doesn’t feel like enough. Women struggle with being enough at whatever it is they do and it is such a shame. I struggle too.
These last few weeks I have been dwelling on rats that pull out their own hair. They are racing around my thoughts like they do on a wheel in their cage. I know this likely sounds odd, trust me, it’s odd to me too, but there is so much significance and peace these rats have brought me. I’ll explain. Someone so near and dear to my heart is suffering with hair pulling. As I have learned about this sad affliction I’ve been in awe of God even more. You see there are rats that pull out their own hair and when the disease state is really bad they pull out their neighbors hair as well. These rats are the first thing that got my heart.
God made rats with the exact same affliction as humans so that we can learn and cure people. There is no coincidence in the fact that the solutions they have found to be good for the rats are also good for people with the same problem. But who in the world noticed that there were rats that pulled their own hair and thought, “I’m going to dedicate my life to studying them so I can help people with Trichotillomania.” Well, someone with a very specific gift from God if you ask me and they are the second thing that stole my heart this week! I’ve been so grateful for this call on a stranger’s life lately. So thankful for the way God weaves us all together to fit each other’s needs. And really so thankful for those that listen to the call on their lives and pursue it even when it seems hard or odd. I mean, can you imagine being at a party and telling people you study rats that pull hair for a living? Sounds so peculiar. Even though, medical gifts seems so important and hold so much value in the world. I mean curing cancer seems like a way bigger deal than being able to make a gorgeous wreath right?
But what does this have to do with you and your amazing ability to knit? EVERYTHING friend. I hear women all the time (and am guilty myself) of downgrading their God given gift, usually by saying, ” I just _____” or “I only know how to _____”. Friend you only know how to do the exact thing God wants you to do. It’s about how you use the talent, not the talent itself. We were not all created to be doctors or scientist.
If you dig into the pages of Exodus, which admittedly can be a bit of a snooze fest in places…a cubit of this and fifty loops of that…details I often skim over, there are some words that are waiting to grab your attention. God tucked nuggets for you and me right in the beginning of the Bible when he introduced Bezalel and Oholiab. These are not the guys discussed Sunday morning at church, but they are our people friend! When God was telling Moses EXACTLY how to build the Tabernacle he introduced these two men by name and they are described in the Bible as follows:
Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.” Exodus 35:30-35 
Here we are, two chapters into the Bible and God is laying out the important details about creativity. He’s making sure we all know that artistic crafts are a gift from him, they matter, they are meant to be used and shared. God is a decorator! 🙂
If you read further in Exodus you will see that other skilled craftsman gathered to use their talents to help build the Tabernacle. This is where passion meets purpose and if the question I posed in the beginning haunts you, here is your answer. Are you using your gift to help build the kingdom? Are you sharing, blessing or teaching the knowledge and talent God imparted on you with others? There is no shame or guilt in decorating your home or blessing someone with a handmade good. This is EXACTLY the way God called people together in the very beginning! Your talents and fruit of your hands are enough. You are enough. No matter how small or strange your gift may seem it was given to you by a loving God that sees how you fit in the puzzle of life, even when you don’t. I promise, the doctor who studies rats has no idea the thanks I have given for him. You never know the impact you might have when you say YES.
It took an army of people to build the tabernacle, wood workers, jewelry makers, painters, seamstresses, silversmiths, generous people who brought fine linen, jewels and materials. A team of people to build and create the dwelling place of the Lord and heaven knows someone had to feed these hungry workers! How much do we need the Lord to dwell in the midst of this broken world today? You are a part of building His kingdom here on Earth.
I implore you to think about whatever talent you write off or dismiss and stand proud instead. Not proud in yourself but proud that God entrusted you with something special and march out today and share that gift with someone as a means of sharing the gospel. Build a dwelling place. That is your purpose. And it is more than enough.
It looks beautiful Kim! I’ve been saving amber bottles from my husbands iced coffee. Thanks for the inspiration!!
Well that sound yum and cute…my favorite
❤️
Miss ya friend
You are such an insightful young woman. There are so many times I do the very thing .,dismissing what I can do. I think we all, men as well as women do that, but I think we as women are more apt to do so. If we read proverbs31:10, we find our answer. That is one amazing woman!!
I enjoy your post so much. It is fun to take something that is normally considered trash and make something useful or attractive out of it. Hmmm, just like the Lord does for us. Now and then we need to have a reminder. Bless you and have a very good week.
Well thank you for the young woman part lol!!! God is so good to me and I am often so good at dismissing what he gives me. The reminder is always for me but hopefully it is for others too.
This is a fantastic reminder, Kim. Thank you!
Thanks Kelly ❤❤❤
Well that certainly hit home. I just read that in Exodus last week. I guess the Lord wanted me to understand that part. I often wonder what I can make that shows my love for God. Thank you Kim.
He must have been highlighting this verse because I read it in a book right after I wrote it lol. If you ask Him he will tell you what to make ????
I ❤ you, my friend
I ❤ and miss you
Wow- this post touched me as I often wonder what I will leave behind in my lifetime. I never had any children but I am an animal mom & and artist. I haven’t help build a tabernacle but I hope to make someone smile when they look at something I made. I have tried to think of people and bless others with special gifts when I feel God telling me to do something for them for no reason. Thank you for you post!
You are building his church every single time you listen and say yes to the holy spirit’s nudges. You make a difference.
What a wonderful reminder that each of us are important in the eyes of the Lord, no matter how great or how small we think our gifts may be, what matters is how we use our talents. I just love reading your blog and feel blessed to have found you!
We all matter and what a gift that is!!
My sister-in-love & I sell our crafts at local craft shows. In April we were at the Old Soreheads Trade Days in Stanton, TX. There was a Christian Coffee Shop in the same building as we were. They served free coffee & snacks to anyone who wanted them. The coffee they used came in real metal cans, not plastic or cardboard. I asked the man running it if he would save some cans for me & in return I would bring some nut breads to the show in October. Last week I baked 8 loaves of various nut breads & took them this past weekend, only to find the coffee shop was no longer there. I just started offering slices to customers & vendors, who thought I was selling them. I told them I’d brought them to donate to the coffee shop, but, since it wasn’t there, I was giving it away to anyone who wanted some. I didn’t sell many of my crafts, but I did get some orders for my nut breads, which totally surprised me & wasn’t something I’d even considered. By giving them away, God showed me how to use my love of baking to possibly start selling baked goods instead. At the least, sharing them with customers gave me a chance to spread God’s blessings.
I love this story so much. He has so much waiting for us to discover ❤❤❤ thank you for sharing
I can’t tell you how much this hit home! I had been telling myself for two years that what I am hearing from God is really just from me. Then, one day He made it abundantly clear that I was to teach a class that I had taken two years ago, and it was coming up again this year. I was to re-take the class, and teach that very study at my church. I took it, and now am going to teach it the first of the year. I told several ladies at church what I was going to do, thinking they would just say ‘that’s nice’ and move on, but they want to take the class! Now I’m super pumped! Tell everyone: FEAR IS A LIAR!! (love that song)
Yay you!!! Fear is a liar, that is a great song and I can’t wait to hear how your class goes. Super proud of you!!!
I have been away in Myrtle Beach for the past two weeks and have missed your amazing “sermons”. This one is wonderful and gives me some thoughts for the next time I speak at a Woman’s Fellowship. Thank you seems shallow, but your thoughts and ideas are greatly appreciated!
Thank you so much Betty – it makes me feel so good to know that I am used for inspiration! It keeps me going, so thank you for your kind words. blessings!
What a wonderful, encouraging wird. Love your posts.
thank you Kay!
I am SO glad God plopped you onto my radar, love reading your inspirational posts!! Also, I must know, where did you find an amber colored Ball canning jar?
Ball actually sent them to me, but I have seen them in the stores, you might check online. They are new this year, aren’t they fabulous!!! I am so glad you are here to follow as well!
I am so glad to have your diy talents and your valued messages in my life! I clicked on one of your posts one day and have followed you ever since. You are a blessing as a fellow diy’er, but even more importantly, a blessing in spreading God’s word to all around you…Thank you!!
Well I am only here because of you, i can’t even believe people show up daily, but it makes me so happy that they do. Thank you for walking with me ????
What a blessing you are to me! Thanks Kim!
and you to me 🙂
thank you for this beautiful and loving message. you are a *blessing*
Thank you Joanie – you bless me!!!