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I had a lot of energy around my house: a bubbly preadolescent boy, a witty funny and hyperactive 9-year old boy, and a cheer-leading five-year old girl who imitates and copies both boys!

I often got so overwhelmed trying to keep them calm so they wouldn’t hurt themselves that I eagerly sought a plan to dissipate their energies! Initially, I used participatory sports, like soccer and basketball. It worked well until I discovered I could get more, accidentally!

My boys brought home 61 exercise books to be covered with brown paper when they started new classes in September that year. It was in 2018. The mere sight of the books was overwhelming, especially knowing that I covered about 45 books a few days earlier and ended up sleeping at 4am; and entirely messing up the day with sleep deficit.

I thought of soliciting the help of the children, but realized they could mess things up if I left it for them: first, they would waste a lot of paper, and secondly, the covering might not be neat. I decided to tap into their energy anyway, in a calculated way. I measured and cut the papers for them and started on the older boy, with a demo. I was amazed at how quickly he picked up, so I enlisted the younger one as well who did equally and amazingly well. Our daughter, and a boy who had visited, had to join since there was no one to play with. All books were covered within 2 hours! This would have taken me at least 6 hours!

The fascinating thing was, the children felt very excited and fulfilled; and even bragged to their Mom that they covered their books themselves!

Most times,our fears are the only barriers to our success. I had my misgivings, but took steps, albeit calculated.

I am sure someone reading this can relate; and has had situations where something seemed impossible; but later realised it was possible, or tragically saw someone else showing it was possible!

Sometimes, the limitations and impossibilities do not exist, except in our minds.

READ 2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
(2 Timothy 1:3-7 NKJV)

Paul is believed to have written this letter, considered to be one of the three pastoral letters (the others are 1 Timothy and Titus) to his protégée Timothy; from a dark and damp Roman prison cell, not long before he died in AD 67.

Nero, the Roman emperor had been descending slowly into madness since his ascent to the throne in AD 54; and was exacerbated by the great fire of Rome in AD 64 that burned half the city! With Rome in uproar, Christians became a convenient target for Nero, who used believers as scapegoats to appease his people.

In this letter, Paul first thanked God, and then talked about Timothy’s genuine faith; which was first in his grandmother Lois, and in his mother Eunice, and now in him Timothy.

Paul then went on to tell Timothy to stir up the gift of God which is in him!

Many would have thought that just having faith was enough; but we are being told that the gift of God in us needs to be stirred up! God has put all kinds of gifts in us. You are reading this because God put the gift of writing in me; and I am stirring it up by writing. Each of us has a unique gift, and this gift might not even align with our professional training; but it is there. Some call it hobby, others call it pastime and many other names; but I call it your gift! Do you look forward to resting after retirement? If “yes”, then you are not exercising your gift; because your gift never retires! Your gift stays with you till death. The late Mrs. Sophia Duker loved to teach. She taught in Ghana International School, and on retirement started Learning Skills Center; now Learniing Skills International School! Her job retired her, but her gift never went on retirement! The best job you can ever do is the one you enjoy doing, your gift; and still get paid for! I also noticed something interesting: that generally, those who exercise their gifts live long! That sounds like Matthew 25:28-30 and John 15:2! Life itself is a gift. Boredom kills, and kills very fast! Exercising our gifts keeps us active, and away from boredom; and makes us live long!

Often, we limit our gifts, and say, “I cannot do this, or I cannot sustain this.” Most times, the limitations only exist in our minds! In reality, they don’t exist and we can only discover this when we step out in faith and start acting out our gifts!

We need to stir up our gifts.

Paul concluded by telling Timothy::

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Fear, is what prevents some of us from exercising our gifts, but Paul assures us that God has given us power, love and sound mind!

Let us, by all means, stir up and exercise our gifts.

MEMORY VERSE
“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you.”

2 Timothy 1:6

QUESTIONS

• What gifts do you have, and are you using them?

• Do you know that you can retire, but your gifts are with you for life, and never retire?

PRAYER TIP
Father, please help me to stir 
up the gifts you have put in me.

URGENT CALL
By nature, we are all sinful, and alienated from God. We ultimately face the wrath of God!

But God in His mercy and love gives us a chance to reverse this trend, join His family, be part of His household, and become His children.

The first step to becoming a member of God’s household is for us to be saved.

Salvation comes through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior.

It is a very personal decision. No one can make that decision for you.

If you make that decision today, there will be great singing and rejoicing in heaven; because one new member has joined the family and household of God!

Do you want to make that decision today?

Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer”
for guidance if you want
to make that decision.

We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page.

God richly bless you.

SPECIAL GRATITUDE

Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website.

We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.

We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission; and we thank you for sticking with us through this journey.

God richly bless you.

The Testimony Devotional website addresses are:
https://testimonydevotional.org/
https://testimonydevotional.com/
https://mytd.org/