My Spiritual Gifts

Last night I prayed. I prayed with everything in me while I stood in the kids' room swaying back and forth, trying to get Elijah to sleep at a decent time. Nick and I had both tried, and failed, to get him to lie down in his bed and fall asleep that way. He just cried and carried on. Finally I picked him up and swayed back and forth, singing. Then I just started praying. I know one of my spiritual gifts is intercession. It has come up very high in every single spiritual gifts tests I have taken, and I have taken several different ones because I didn't believe it myself. When I discovered this was one of my gifts, I put it to use. At the time I was a college student living in the dorms during summer break. My job that summer was hanging out with Britney and Blake everyday. I got paid to spend time with two of my favorite people-my "adopted" brother and sister. I should say by adopted, I mean their family took me in and loved me like I was a part of their family. Anyway, that is all beside the point. I say that was my job to say that my life wasn't nearly as hectic as it is now so I guess I had more time to pray, and I saw my prayers answered. Maybe not like people I was praying for always wanted, but they were answered. I saw this gift as something God was using.

As the last few years have gone by, I have sort of set that gift aside. I don't pray nearly as much or as fervently as I did then. I'm not proud of it. Not in the least. I'm sharing this because I know I appreciate the honesty of the people who's blogs I read, therefore I am as honest as I can be (though sometimes I do leave more personal things out when necessary).

This gift has been on my heart so much lately. I feel like God is really pushing me to "blow the dust off" this gift and really start to use what He has given me. Last night I started. I prayed so fervently that I almost forgot I had a 21 pound toddler in my arms until my left arm started to fall asleep. One of my prayers was for Elijah and it was two-fold. I prayed that the next time I laid him in his bed, it would be a smooth transition, and that he would sleep soundly through the night. While it may seem like a tiny little prayer, this little boy, who will be 18 months next Monday, rarely sleeps all night long. When he does, he generally wakes up pretty stinking early. I was a little nervous when I decided to put him down at 7:30 thinking surely he'd be up at 6am. Elijah not only had a smooth, easy transition from being cradled in his mommy's arms to his little Diego bed, but he also slept from 7:45 till 7:30 this morning. I truly believe it was not a coincidence, but God answering my prayers. It was just the beginning. I know that my prayers may not always be answered in the way I'd like them to be, but if I come to God, he will do His will.

My plan, starting last night, is to use that gift, as well as my other top ones, and really let God work through the gifts he's given to me. I'm excited to see what God has in store as I learn to use these gifts he's given to me. I look forward to being drawn closer to God.

Here are my top five:
Faith
Intercession
Music
Administration
Leadership
Busy day today-Mom's group, Wyatt this afternoon, gymnastics, and band.