Something I’ve learned here in Ireland is that people are more concerned with who you are than what you do.

My husband is very accomplished when it comes to skill sets useful for ministry: he can sing, play piano/guitar, and is very talented with videos and graphics. I’m so thankful that he has those abilities! I, on the other hand, have spent the past 8 years of my life honing the ability to read doctors’ handwriting and make hospital corners with bedsheets. As a result, I wasn’t able to squeeze in time to become a singer or cool female bass player.

After we first got here and the dust settled, I began to feel useless. I felt like a person who was just along for the ride without a lick of ministry experience. I wondered why God hadn’t let me do Chi Alpha full-time in the past so that I could at least feel like I had some clout.

I’ve come to realize, however, that I am valuable beyond what I can do. It seems so simple (and I’m pretty ashamed to be admitting this realization) but it’s something that we all have to believe at some point if we are to make a difference for Jesus.

Throughout history, God has never selected people because of their special skills. In fact, He mostly chose people who would be the last possible choices by any sane person. He did this to show that He was the one guiding the victories...holding these people up as they went. If we rest in the assurance of our own abilities, there is no joy in knowing the provision of the Creator.

I’m happy that I’m in a culture where one of the last things someone will ask you is “what do you do?” I need the encouragement to hone the skill of following the Lord with all my heart and not resting on my abilities.