• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS

5 Minutes for Mom

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Snack
      • Lunch
      • Appetizer
      • Dinner
      • Dessert
    • Ingredient
      • Apple
      • Beef
      • Blueberry
      • Chicken
      • Chocolate
      • Cranberry
      • Peach
      • Pumpkin
      • Squash
      • Strawberry
      • Tomato
      • Vegetables
      • Zucchini
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Baking
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • No Bake
      • One Dish
      • Slow Cooker
    • Type
      • Breads and Rolls
      • Cakes and Muffins
      • Condiments
      • Cookies and Bars
      • Drinks
      • Food for Kids
      • Gluten-Free
      • Main Dish
      • Pies and Crisps
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Wraps
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies
      • Soup
  • Crafts & DIY
    • Crafts
    • DIY
    • Kids Crafts
    • Printables
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing
  • Family Life
    • Giveaways
    • Lifestyle
    • Marriage
    • Motherhood
    • Parenting
    • Pet Care
    • Special Needs
    • Time Management
    • Travel
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas

Spiritual Gifts with Style

November 20, 2006 by Janice

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail
Shout His Fame

Iris is getting us thinking… and writing.

In her Shout His Fame contest, she asks us about our witnessing style – are we bold or gentle, do we invite them to our home or our blog, do we witness at all?

Good questions Iris! Here are my thoughts and I am really looking forward to being challenged and inspired with all the other bloggers’ entries.

On paper, I might not look so useful. In fact some days I feel pretty useless. I am not a good cook, a good homemaker, or a good housekeeper. I can’t dance or sing – good grief I don’t even like to have anyone hear me sing Happy Birthday. I don’t like to entertain nor have house guests. I definitely don’t have the gift of hospitality. And if I went to the mission field they would send me back – too sickly. (I am too sickly to do much in this world.) Oh yes – on paper this is not looking too good.

What on earth can we do with her Lord? The only thing that girl can do is wag her tongue – and boy does she do that! And when she is not talking, she is typing away as fast as her fingers can go! Oh yes – that girl has something to say. But what on earth can we do with her?

Praise the Lord – he can turn even me – sickly and untalented – into something for His glory!

Have you ever filled out those forms – you know the multiple question quizzes that tell you what spiritual gifts God has granted you? I have done a few in my day. Somehow they always strike me as a very unspiritual way to discover God’s gifts. But nonetheless, they are insightful.

My answers are pretty much always the same: Evangelism, Teaching (may I add that the teaching gift only extends to the Bible or English – I will not be trying my hand at homeschooling unless the Lord tells me otherwise) and Mercy.

No problems there. That is right on as far as I can tell.

But the quiz left out something – my God-given personal style – I am a friendly extrovert. And when I say friendly, I mean friendly! I smile and talk to almost everyone. I have rarely stood in any line without striking up a conversation with someone. My son has picked this up, probably genetically as well as from watching his mommy in action, and he talks to everyone. I try to curb this and give him the “don’t talk to anyone you don’t know” speech, but I pretty much have to abridge it to “if Mommy isn’t with you” because his Mommy is always talking to people she doesn’t know!

And while I do enjoy my moments of quiet – I need that too – I am in my element meeting new people and getting to know them. I am open and honest – good grief I will tell you almost anything about myself.

Friendly extrovert + Evangelist + Teaching + Mercy = Me

So what do I do with all that?

Well, 12 years ago that answer was easy! I had a mission – to reach lost and hurting youth. I went into high schools, hung out with teenagers and preached the gospel. My style was gentle. Remember the mercy gift – I honestly just loved them and became their friend. The rest just happened. I am not a judgmental person by nature – a very important quality when working with teenagers.

The greatest highs of my life (next to mothering of course!) came from watching spiritual breakthroughs or being in the right place at the right time and listening to God’s voice about what to say or do. Yes, it was a wonderful time of ministry. I felt beautifully equipped to carry out my mission.

But two and a half years ago I left. I quit my job with Youth for Christ and became a work at home mom. I left ministry – something I thought I would never do – and began to try to earn a living while staying home with my son. And it was so strange for me. I felt lost and my spirit suffered.

I kind of wasted away, a spiritual waif with a faint memory of a different life.

Not that I don’t love being a mom. I do! It is my deepest longing and prayer answered. But I wasn’t actively teaching and preaching to my toddler. I prayed for him constantly, but I wasn’t exercising my spiritual gifts. (Now as he gets older, there is a greater opportunity to teach him – and I love that I am home and available!)

But last January I did something. I didn’t even realize what it was at the time. I just knew I needed to be creative. I needed to be forced to write daily. So I started researching blogging. And last March, Susan and I started 5 Minutes for Mom.

I had no intention of it being a Christian blog – at all. In fact when I started I didn’t even know there were Christian blogs! I don’t like to hang out in exclusively Christian crowds – remember the evangelism gift? I get antsy and restless. I need to be out there, meeting all kinds of people. I just wanted my blog to reflect me.

And so here I am. Almost a year since the idea of writing a blog sparked, and I realize that once again, God knew His plan for me and He led me here. My spiritual gifts equipped me for this ministry. It may look very different from my old form of witnessing – but it is still my style.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail
“Well… what if somebody else says that to their mommy?”
Truly Appreciate…

About Janice

Janice is co-founder of 5 Minutes For Mom. She's been working online since 2003 and is thankful her days are full of social media, writing and photography.

Reader Interactions


Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

11 Comments

  1. Mrs Blythe says

    November 22, 2006 at 7:09 pm

    Loved this post and love your blog…you DO have a gift! 🙂 I will link here too (if that’s OK?) when I update my links (they are in disarray due to my HTML inadequacies…it’s a long story)

    Reply
  2. Carol says

    November 22, 2006 at 4:49 pm

    “I don’t like to hang out in exclusively Christian crowds – remember the evangelism gift?”

    Hooray for you, my missional friend!

    BTW, I’m going to post soon about this inability of yours to sing.

    Reply
  3. Sting my Heart says

    November 21, 2006 at 10:06 pm

    If I wouldn’t had this little ‘contest’ I would have never know that you were in the midst of it – how cool :). I always looked up to the councilors during summer camp when I grew up. But I guess God gave us all different gift 😉 – Thank you so much for sharing Janice…

    And thank you for your participation…

    Reply
  4. Angee says

    November 20, 2006 at 1:14 pm

    Janice, God is using you and you are very gifted. I have been very blessed since meeting you online and reading your blog. And blessed also by reading the other blogs I found through your blog!
    I lack in talents too and I am still trying to figure out what God wants me to do. I am NOT a writer. Not sure why I am blogging except I have been blessed by reading other christian blogs and I just want a connection to them?
    Thank you for your obedience. I am learning through you.

    Angee

    Reply
  5. Jessica says

    November 20, 2006 at 11:15 am

    You are right…I think that God uses each of us in His own way…each of us has a purpose for Him…

    Reply
  6. LaTara Ham-Ying says

    November 20, 2006 at 10:39 am

    This is a great post. I too use my writing as a witnessing tool. I am an extrovert with an introvert perspective ( I observe before I jump in the pot) and I love people. Being at home most of the time does not give me much time to speak with others, but I a great deal of writing and it is effective.

    Reply
  7. Stacey says

    November 20, 2006 at 9:57 am

    God uses the weak, right? In our weakness he is strong, right? 😀 Thank the Lord! 😀 I’m right there with ya though. Even though I can point to this or that which I am good at, I often wonder how God will ever use me.

    Reply
  8. Kim says

    November 20, 2006 at 8:59 am

    I am a co-coordinator for my MOPS group (http://www.washingtonchurch.org/common/ministries/mops.html), so that helps me to reach other moms who may be unchurched about Christ.

    Reply
  9. e-Mom says

    November 20, 2006 at 4:20 am

    Wonderful! Your winning witnessing style is perfect for you. I didn’t realize you were on paid staff with Youth For Christ. What a terrific job! Your blog is the perfect way to use your gifts for now. Who knows where God will lead you once you are down the road a little with your family? I expect God to do great things through you!

    Reply
  10. Aimee says

    November 20, 2006 at 2:32 am

    I feel you on the sickly part. I have chronic illnesses and it sure does get hard at times to feel like I’m useful. But, like you said, there is a talent in each of us! 🙂

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Bringing Moms Together

We are Janice and Susan, twin bloggers and work-at-home moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.

Meet Us…

Work With Us…

Subscribe via Email

to be first to read new posts

Trending Now

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

How To Use A Moka Pot – Discover The Secret To Making Amazing Coffee At Home

How To Use A Moka Pot – Discover The Secret To Making Amazing Coffee At Home

Get Outside and Play with Spray Chalk

Get Outside and Play with Spray Chalk

browse around

  • Posts by Susan
  • Posts by Janice
  • Favorite Recipes
  • Favorite Crafts
  • Giveaways
  • All Posts

Footer

Recipes

St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies with a Clever Decorating Trick

St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies with a Clever Decorating Trick

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe and History

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe and History

Easy Valentine Sugar Cookies

Easy Valentine Sugar Cookies

Crafts/DIY

Summer Word Search Puzzles For Kids

Summer Word Search Puzzles For Kids

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

Buddy the Elf Hat Pattern – How to Make an Elf Hat out of Felt

Buddy the Elf Hat Pattern – How to Make an Elf Hat out of Felt

Giveaways

Holiday Gift Guides and Christmas Giveaway 2024

Holiday Gift Guides and Christmas Giveaway 2024

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Women

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Women

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Us
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 5 Minutes for MomTheme by Melissa Rose Design and Once Coupled