As Christians, we have a gift giver in our lives. The Holy Spirit empowers us for service in God’s kingdom, and He instills gifts, talents, abilities, etc. so that we might each make a unique contribution to the greatest building project ever known. Once we realize our gifts, we often imagine and even plan in detail how those gifts might be used. Call this a moment of caution; His Spirit gives gifts so that we might serve Him, wherever that might lead.

From age fifteen, I knew that God had given me unique gifts and had called me to serve Him in the areas of business and music. I also knew that when our children were very young, they needed me to be at home with them. My eventual decision to stay home and serve them didn’t come easily. I wanted to be in a board room spearheading projects, but God wanted me at home nurturing four little projects very precious to Him. God gave me an opportunity to see during that season of my life that “little is much if He is in it.”

Consider Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh… doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men” (Ephesians 6:5-7). That service takes on many forms; from diaper changing to Sunday school teaching, from grocery shopping to grant writing, women have a wide variety of opportunities to serve the Lord with their gifts. As we move from one season to the next, let us never lose sight of the “why” in what we do. As for God, His ways are perfect. Why would we ever want to use our gifts for anything else?