Giving & Receiving

The Holiday Gift

If you're a receiver..practice the art of giving from your heart. Do something that makes someone else smile and let that be reward enough for you.

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."  ~William A. Ward

I hope this weeks Blog finds you all in the best health and strength. Since we are approaching the wonderful Holiday season, Christmas...I wanted to take a few moments to share my thoughts giving and receiving.

Some people are natural givers, this includes myself. Giving makes us feel good. It makes us feel of value and worth. It's the one thing we can do to bring a smile to someone else’s face & their hearts. The giving I'm referring to is not always materialistic. I'm speaking about the gift(s) of encouragement, uplifting, time, love, a helping hand, laughter, a shoulder to lean on etc. If you're like me, you actually sit back and think, "What can I do to put a smile on someone's face?" For those of you that know me...you'll get the occasional greeting card just because, my favorite "Stay Encouraged" text..Or my "come to the crib...let's sip some wine and tell me alllll about it." lol...Those things make me feel good. At this stage of my life I'm filled with love. Because of everything that God has done for me and with me. No, I'm not saying the "fleshly" part of Chanel, doesn't want to expose its ugly head from time to time but I work daily at putting others before myself. I do it because of my obedience, not because I necessarily want to. Also, because I am so grateful for being able to look myself in the mirror at night and sleep peacefully. Those things are... my gifts. To give you more about my personal background to help you understand where I'm coming from: I once took a spiritual gifts class. It was determined that I have the spiritual gift of exhortation. For those of you who don't know exactly what that means:

The gift of Exhortation: the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to stand beside fellow believers in need and bring comfort, counsel and encouragement so they feel helped. It is ability to minister strengthening words of consolation to other members of the Body in such a way that they feel helped and healed. The gifted believer is able to reach out with Christian love and presence to people in personal conflict or facing a spiritual void. By virtue of this gift these people are motivated through encouraging words to live fruitful lives.

So, giving is not something that I do...but that which I am. I can't control it. It's a gift that I give to others...but it's primarily a gift given to me...by God. I always wondered why I have the strong desire to give (remember, I'm not speaking about material things here)...I always wondered why I feel complete and filled when I give. I also have cried a many of tears when I do give and it's not received. It leaves an emptiness that I have to pray in order for it to be filled. Well, once I took this class I realized. The answer is.. because it not for me...but for those who are in need. I'm just the vessel. But, God rewards me, with the feeling I get knowing I'm doing what I'm here to do. To uplift, encourage and comfort those individuals sent to me for such purposes.

Which leads me into the next area...receiving. Many givers are not always "good receivers." But it's so true; many people that are natural givers...do not always know how to receive. I'm not sure why, but speaking for myself, it makes me feel a little uncomfortable at first. You may question someone’s motives, or the reasons behind it...or even feel like "why is this person being SO nice!? There must be something wrong?" Does this sound familiar to any of the givers in the house? lol ..I'm sure it does. We are so used to giving that we haven't quite mastered the art of receiving. This leads to the other person feeling frustrated, unappreciated and confused. Although that is FAR from your intention, that's exactly what it does.

The truth is...everyone has a desire to give. We must allow people to DO what has been laid on their heart to do. Your inability to receive may in fact block someone else’s blessing. How so? ..Because if God speaks to someone and tells them to do something for you...and you give them a hard way to go or are always questioning why someone can be so nice, they may get frustrated and throw up their hands with it. Thus, not being obedient to what God has told them to do..and hence blocking a blessing they have coming to them. Learn to let go of fears and insecurities that hold you back from really receiving the love of God being shared thru someone else. Learn to trust God and break through walls that make it difficult for you to receive.
We are spiritual-beings in a natural living experience. Learn to give...but also learn how to receive.

May you all have a blessed, safe & peaceful week. Thank you for all of your kind words support. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

Chanel-