A few years ago someone was at our home doing beautiful woodwork on our stairs and fireplace mantle. A true artist who uses more than just wood as his medium, he was admiring some paintings that hung on our walls. Asking who did them, I shyly told him I had done them a million years ago when I had just graduated from college.

As he asked me what I was working on now, I stared at him blankly, then shrugged, saying my easeI wasn’t even set up anymore.

How he responded still makes my palms sweat.

Basically berating me for wasting giftings God had so clearly given me, he criticized me for being dishonest and not living into who I was created to be: a painter.

I didn’t know how to respond. I just stood there and took it, finally agreeing to try and get into painting again. As I walked away to let him get back to work, I felt beat down and emotionally exhausted from the conversation.

This man didn’t know me…he used being a Christian as authority to chastise me for what he perceived as a wasted gift or talent.

He had no place to speak into my life in that way.

It’s been six or seven years now and I still think of the conversation often. What I’ve realized over time is I’m not a painter. Sure I can paint…in fact I loooooove to paint and even finally pulled my brushes back out last year. I’m flexing my artistic muscles again and it feels great. Really great.

But again, I’m not a painter.

What I am though, is a creator.

I ache to create, as in I physically ache to construct and design and fabricate things. I love remodeling and decorating, I love baking and cooking, I love writing and graphic design and photography. I love playing with flowers and colors and textures. I love sewing and makeup and fashion.

It doesn’t matter if I’m creating a Bible study, making a bookshelf beautiful, crafting a chore chart for the kids, or decorating for a party…I’m in my happy place. Though I may not paint like I used to and my art isn’t hung in galleries as I’d once desired them to be, I’m leaning into my giftings in a fuller capacity than this woodworker had originally perceived.

Your talents, passions, and giftings may look different than others think they should.

Or perhaps they are taking on a different tone or capacity than even you think they should.

What we need to remember though is what makes us ache. I don’t mean what burdens do you have on your heart (i.e. the COVID struggles, social and racial injustice, sex slavery, homelessness in your hometown, etc).

What I mean is…what fills you up?

What could you spend all day on that makes you only want more?

What brings you unbridled joy?

When you pray, what do you feel the Lord prompting you toward?

In a busy world where we’re pulled in so many directions, it’s important for each of us to remember we need to hold onto the things that fill us with that joy.

Whether it’s something creative, analytical, physical…whatever it is…take time for it.

Don’t let yourself run dry and live tapped out.

We hear a lot about self care these days and though that’s certainly part of it, that’s not entirely what I’m talking about. What I mean is lean in to the you God created. And do those things with a heart for Him.

Ask yourself these questions:

What are the things you feel impressed upon your heart?

Have you been leaning into it or shrugging it off?

How have you been speaking life into the passions and callings of those around you…your husband, friends, kids…?

Tell someone close to you…or even tell me in the Comments below. Let’s support one another together.

Take Joy,

Teresa