Tools of the Trade

I've known for a long time that I was created to write, teach and speak.  I think it dawned on me about the time I learned that one word from me could change my daddy's heart on anything.  So when God was gracious enough to allow a glimpse of His plan for me and it included my favorite things, I was delighted!


The trouble with glimpses is that they're only a small part of the picture.  What we don't see are all the days, hours, minutes and seconds that will pass between now and then. One evening when I found myself exhausted, angry and washing dishes...again...I began to wonder if I had heard correctly.  Was all this diaper changing, nose wiping and child chasing going to result in the future God had shown me?


In my impatience, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  My plan was to look around at other women who were successful writers, teachers and speakers and see how they had done it.  If I copied them, surely I would be able to skip all the negative and get right to the fun stuff!


Now understand, there is nothing wrong with learning from others.  Trouble was, I didn't stop at simply learning, I tried to take the tools God had given them and make them my own.  The results were frustrating because I was trying to be someone I wasn't.


King Saul tried to do that to David once in 1 Samuel 17:38-39.  David was preparing to meet Goliath and Saul thought it would be a good idea to dress the young shepherd in the king's armor, even the bronze helmet!  David could barely move, let alone fight.  He wisely opted to get rid of Saul's tools and go with what he knew...5 smooth stones and a slingshot. We know how the story ended--David only needed one of the stones to take Goliath out.  He was skilled with what God had given him, but imagine how different it might have been if he had gone with Saul's plan!


In Ephesians 2:10 it says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  God has designed you with a specific mission in mind and there is no one else like you. Spend the time between the glimpse and the reality getting to know the tools in your own toolbox and watch God's beautiful story for you unfold!