My March Madness List!

It's that time of the month again!!  Today I have found all of my favorite links from around the web and compiled them into one MUST-SEE list for you to check out this weekend!  In honor of March Madness, I thought I would throw in a cutsie title to get your attention. ;) Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments too! :)

10. Interview with an Athiest Video

9. One of the top posts you all pulled up from my archives: Let God Give Your Heart Away (still a great article apparently!)

8. Of course GWP would be on here again!  This post comes from a very honest place in a man's heart.  Very inspiring.  What a Man Wants From a Woman

7. New MUSIC you need to buy/download: The Torwalt's!! In my post Welcome the Holy Spirit, I shared with you a video from Bryan and Katie Torwalt. After stalking them on YouTube, I'm convinced you need to buy the whole album: Here on Earth.

6. If you love arts and crafts--and Jesus journals as much as I do, you'll love this blog and post about creating a Spring Art Journal!  (Psstt...this is a hint of things to come on Divine Dating.)

5.  Exceptional weather?  No, I say an exceptional God!  Great perspective from a southern Oklahoman here!

4. If you haven't already, you need to go see the movie OCTOBER BABY!! (Review to come...)

3. As God has been speaking to me about "seasons" of life, this post fit perfectly into my heart this month.  Seasonal, by Seek First.

2. SARCASM.  The killer of closeness.  This is definitely a must read article by Donald Miller.  Everyone should take his challenge too!

1.  And the number one pick for March comes with an odd name but a mouthful of truth to chew on: Love is not a Hamburger, by Sweetness Itself.  This article covers all sorts of relevant topics in the Christian walk.  It is obvious to see that this girl is very passionate about what she writes.  Read it now!

Hope you enjoyed this month's countdown!  Leave some love below!

Spiritual Gift Testimonies: Exhortation

As we continue our journey through spiritual gifts, today's post features a wonderful woman whom I respect very much.  Much like me, she has a heart for women and spreading the gospel.  She lives in a gorgeous home with a wonderful husband and several joyful children who love her dearly!  For more about today's author, check out her blog, A Heart Consumed.

"Exhortation & faith run hand in hand for me as far as spiritual gifts go. To be quite honest how could they not, in my opinion. I discovered these gifts became more & more present when I began to seek the Lord with my whole heart. Sorta like the by-product of my relationship with Him. The more I sought the Lord the more I felt compelled to exhort & I had the faith as well to do this no matter the situation.

 I realize now after several years of operating in God’s truth that the ability to “come along side”  someone with with words of encouragement and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be is a gift (Romans 12:8) and so was the ability to believe God was capable.(faith).

 The Greek word for exhortation is paraklesis or the calling to one’s side. I enjoy this gift & have learned the importance of keeping it in balance. When you are gifted with exhortation it is easy to get sucked into the chaos of others. I say this out of love. 

There are times when you offer yourself so much to others that you may be out of balance with the most important God-given relationships such as a spouse & children if you are married or a parent. Possibly with your parents or even closest friends.

 It is important to exhort where God leads you, to be realistic when you see that the receiver is beginning to turn to you as their source instead of them seeking God for themselves. Always gently remind those you are exhorting that Jesus death on the Cross bought them all that they would ever need in life to live victoriously. We are simply allowing God to use as His vessels when we utilize our giftings!"

If you think Exhortation may be one of your main spiritual gifts, check out this website for more details: http://mintools.com/gifts-list.htm#exhortation

Spiritual Gift Testimonies: Servanthood

Today's post starts our examination of each individual gift.  This post is from a wonderful woman I have always admired in the faith.  She is a 23 year old from a very, very small town in southwestern Oklahoma.  She is very involved with her campus ministry, leading bible studies and discipling young college girls.  She also has volunteered her summer break the past few years to serve at a evangelical camp for youth students.

Ann's gift is servanthood.  Here is how she explains it:

"Servanthood--- To me this is the willingness and the desire to serve, to meet, the physical, emotional, mental and most of all spiritual needs of others. This is not a task that one can do on their own. This can only be done by the power of God.

Everyone is called to serve in one way or another, but when this ability is something that comes natural or comes without even thinking about it, it is then that I see it as a gift from God.

Daily there are things that need to be done in the lives of others, but it is being able to discern what those things are and seeing the tools you have been equipped with to accomplish those task that need to occur.

Ultimately you are not doing the work, it is God doing the work through you. Listening to someone can be an act of service to someone in need of a listening ear.

We all serve but it is when service is done with the sole purpose of glorifying God and the desire to truly help someone that it is servanthood."

Do you think this might be your main gift?  Check out this guide to studying servanthood: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~sdsunavs/resources/Servanthood.pdf.