I know that God has given everyone in the universal Church spiritual gifts and natural talents and abilities. Each man or woman is to use those gifts and talents to perform the task of ministry that God has placed before him or her. And, of course, that ministry is as different as each person is unique. My friend and fellow deacon, Joshua, and I may share similar duties and functions as deacons, but we have very different ministries.

This isn't really anything new, I know, but having spent so much time performing the duties of my office and trying to make a living, has aided my "forgetting" what my personal ministry was - and still is. And so I've spent some time praying the question, "What is mine?" This question is important to me, as not performing a personal ministry task makes me feel as though I'm merely treading water: staying afloat, but not swimming in any particular direction. Or, to put it another way, it's like sitting on a raft, being tossed around by the currents and waves, rather than sitting in a boat, which can be steered by sail and rudder once the Wind picks up. Of course, if I don't have my sails up, how can I be prepared for the Wind when it comes? So... it's time to put the sails up on this boat, and get prepared for moving.

And so I keep praying the same prayer: "What is mine?" One thing that God has reminded me is that He has given me a facility with languages, and words in particular. I know that He wants me to write; He's shared with me several things I need to put to paper, and so off I go, keyboard in hand. Perhaps I'll get those items knocked out in the next decade; perhaps not. But at least the sails will be up.