Today I am sharing my answers to the homework and prepping for a week of taking action on everything. Here’s what I love about this week’s chapter: the Lord has given each of us a different area of influence. I highly recommend checking out Lisa Bevere’s 7 day devotional on YouVersion called Without Rival. I’m only on Day 2 but it’s been so good to be reminded that God created each one of us unique and we are not interchangeable.
Honestly, in the past I’ll hear some friends talk about things that set their heart on fire and I feel bad it doesn’t do the same for me. Why do I not care about Nepal, animals or the arts like some of my friends do? The short answer? Because we’ve got a lot of ground to cover and God gave us all different passions.
Think on this quote from Frederick Buechner. “The place where God calls you to is where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
So let’s dig into some questions from the homework:
What message do you want to share with the world?
- For me, I have been very passionate about two words: PEACE and JOY. These two fruits of the Spirit came up repeatedly for a few years as I produced content through Val Marie Paper. Now they drive my content in a very intentional way and are part of my mission statement.
- Motherhood is a joy. I got soooo discouraged by all the mom talk while I was pregnant with Vivi. It seemed like a competition to see who was the most tired, most covered in poop, who had it hardest. I vowed not to win that argument and made it my mission to focus on the positive, not in a phony way but it a way that kept us from sinking deeper into pity parties. It’s why I started the hashtag #valdoesmotherhood and why my next book will be about motherhood (working title Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday ; )
- Female entrepreneurs across the globe, adoption and marriage are things I’m passionate about that I like to support financially.
How can we actively support those things we are passionate about?
This is worded a little differently in the homework, but today, this is what I’m thinking about. The same way we are intentional to have hobbies or work we love, let’s also have service that we love as well. This worksheet from Abel Impact might be a helpful place to start!
Favorite quote from the chapter.
It’s actually a Bible verse from the chapter. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” – Luke 16:10. It always makes me ask the question, if I am longing for more territory and influence, what am I doing right now with what territory God has given me?
I’d love to hear your thoughts! What are you uniquely passionate about?