Be the best YOU

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."

{galatians 6:4-5 MSG}

Why have I never noticed these verses before??  Really?  Cause they are some of my new MOST favorites!!!  I mean, really?  Amazing!

Spent today at SONAT (nursing school) again.  Day #2 of I <3 SONAT week.  Today was a Panera breakfast and goodie bags (LOTS of goodie bags!)  And LOTS of conversations.  Somewhere in the midst of the seniors coming to class and  the juniors coming to lab ... and Kristen and I highjacking the whole lobby and being hit on by the creepy 60ish property manager ... there were also students there, poised and polished and nervously waiting to interview for the CNL program.  It was a BIG day!

In the midst of all of that craziness, Kristen and I went next door for coffee with one of our favorite profs.  We had a beautiful conversation about life and God and nursing.  And we posed the question, "What would the world look like if we all played to our strengths?"  Of course, that was preceded and followed by her insistence that we both apply for grad school (it's a recurring theme in my conversations with Daniels!)  But, back to playing to our strengths.  I think we talk about it alot at our place ... but we don't often do it and we aren't always consistent in helping students do it.

NEWS FLASH: We are all created incredibly different and we all have a unique role to play in life and in God's Kingdom.  But we all play that role best when IT fits who WE ARE rather than trying to fit ourselves to a ROLE.  That was one of the affirming things when I took the job at UGA.  Before my boss started interviewing, he sat down and talked to students, ministers, community folks about the kind of person they needed/wanted at UGA.  And from that, he developed a "secret profile" ... sounds sinister, huh???  And he kept this secret profile in mind as he interviewed candidates ... using it to filter questions and assess strengths ... and weaknesses.  He didn't tell anyone about the profile as they we would ALL become the profile.  I remember coming for my final interview and sitting down with Joe that first morning ... and he pulled out the profile and it was no longer secret ... he shared with me all the items on the list.  And I remember being speechless ... and having tears in my eyes as I realized it described me to a "tee."  What they were looking for was who I was at the core!  Now, that doesn't mean the last five years has been easy ... but it does mean I've never felt the pressure to be someone other than who I am.  It means that for the most part I DO get to play to my strengths ... when I have the time and energy after I do everything else. 

If you had asked me my dream job when I was in seminary ... I would have said: to disciple students, do girls' ministry and invest in missions.  And you know what ... those are my primary areas of ministry at UGA.  That doesn't mean I don't speak at Gathering or invest in worship or go to fellowships .... but it means my primary influence is in my area of strength ... and I'll even go a step beyond that ... I also get to serve in my PASSION ... and that is even stronger ... because I get to do missions and discipleship with NURSES!! 

On days like today when I am too tired to move, too overwhelmed to keep going, and asking God to please, for the love, bring the summer ... I am reminded ... [I] must take responsibility for doing the creative best [I] can with [my] own life.   And I refuse to let the busyess and craziness of said life rob me of the creative best it can be!  It may not be what I envisioned ... but it's mine ... and it's the only one I get ... so I'm determined to make it the best!!