The Rest of Your Story 22: What are your strengths?

To start from part one, click here.

Strength: a personal characteristic that can be used on behalf of God in service to others.

To find the core strengths in your story, download the list and find the words that most apply to you.

Download Strengths List

Then put them through the S.T.R.E.N.G.T.H. Test...

Service - Does it help me serve God and others?

Time - Has it been present throughout much of my life?

Relationships - Do others see this?

Energy - Do I feel energized when I'm living this way?

Natural - Does this come naturally to me most of the time? OR do I know God has intentionally developed this in me even though it doesn't?

Glory - Does God ultimately get the glory from it?

Trials - Even in hard times, does it usually come through somehow?

Heart - Does this really feel like a core part of who I am?

* Does it feel strange to talk about your strengths? Read Part 21. 

 

Are you doing the 10 Minute Catch Up Plan? Comment below then find your skills.

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TODAY'S QUESTION: What are some of your strengths?

Every comment during the challenge = an entry for $50 to DaySpring.com, including the (in)courage shop!

To Post Your Comment, Click Here

Are you a blogger? Every Friday we'll have a "Rest of Your Story" round-up! 

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REST OF YOUR STORY ROUND-UP! Woo-hoo!

If you wrote a post on your blog this week about the rest of your story, just add your link to the list on today's post. We'll get to visit you and you'll get an extra entry for the giveaway!

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Comments

[POUT]

I am gentle, funny, and talented...among other things! LOL! New feeling in admitting that I know this to be true, but yesterday's post made all the difference. It is a joy to see how God is using these 3 traits especially because the just don't seem very interrelated!

[Becky]

Dear Holley,

Thank you for this test. I found it very interesting and very eye-opening and thought-provoking. But, I agree with POUT: Yesterday's post made all the difference.

Some of my strengths are: considerate, creative and determined...

Thank you, again, Holley! and Blessings!

[Holley Gerth]

Good Morning, Girls!

I woke up with you on my mind and heart. I've been praying for us as I'm getting ready for the day, asking God to show us who we are through His eyes.

I know talking about our strengths can be tough. Let's do this together...for Him, for us, for those whose lives well bless by becoming even more of who we are.

Okay, deep breath, some of my strengths are...kindness, creativity, and courage.

Whew. I survived. (:

Looking forward to reading yours!

[Hannah]

I am brave, loving, and forgiving. Is it normal that I feel like I could throw up after saying that? :) It is so easy to embrace other people's gifts and so hard to embrace my own. I shouldn't react with nausea and the feeling that I should hide.

Here's to being brave, forgiving, and loving of myself. God is good!

[Tammy@If Meadows Speak...]

I love talking about strengths because I know HE gets all the glory! And He knows I need them too.

Mine are:

1. Encouraging others. HE enables me to love others from the heart(ones in person & bloggy world).

2. Laughter. He shows me humor in many things (including His word) and lots of times it's at MYSELF.

3. Mercy. He's given me the ability to have compassion on those who may have hurt me. I thankful strength that releases me from any bitterness I would otherwise hold. One that would imprison me if it weren't for mercy.

[Tammy@If Meadows Speak...]

Ps. Holley thanks so much! For taking the plunge to share our strengths. You made me smile when you said "Whew. I survived." Girl, you're a blessing!

[Natalie]

Good Morning,
This is hard...Lord help me. Well, it takes courage to do this. I want to know who I am through God's eyes. Loyal, caring, trustworthy...are some that come to mind.
Have a great day!

[Dionna]

Encouragement and compassion are two of my strengths. And faith. I've been able to maintain a solid, strong faith my whole life.

[Diva Kreszl]

wow, strengths? I prefer gifts as they are from God. I always try to use the talents he has bestowed on me for His Glory.

[Sandy Majeski]

The Name Sandy means 'Helper/Defender of Mankind'. My Gift is Helping Others & Being Kind to Others. I Enjoy doing Charity/Volunteer Work.

“For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.”- Psalm 33:4-5

[Maura]

This is so hard to do. I appreciate all of my brave sisters who have gone before me and who will follow too. It was easy for me to read the list but not actually type them for all to see...
Caring, creative, and calm. Thanks to all of you!

[Katy]

Okay...here goes....some of my strengths include thoughtful, calm, and hardworking.

Thanks for sharing everyone! So fun to see how we're all made uniquely :)

[Sheila Buchanan]

I was quite surprised when I went over the "list of strengths" and realized how many I possess. I have never looked at myself as being "valuable" to God on this level. It is a wonderful revelation to know that I possess these many God-given strengths and that I am "valuable" to God. I am caring, considerate, devoted, forgiving, honest, helpful and the list goes on. Thank you for making me think so deeply about this. I like myself much more than I did yesterday. God Bless You Holley!!!!

[Maura]

Who I am
through Your Eyes
does not look
like the size
I thought I was

Who I am
through Your Eyes
is so different
from the lies
I have listened to

Who I am
through Your Eyes
is hard for me
to see and believe

Be transformed
by the renewing of your mind
Your Words speak
Truth
into my life

Grow these strengths
in me LORD
Renew my mind
Make me Yours

to glorify
to serve
I am Yours!

[pam]

my biggest strength is compassion for others, and being able to forgive. i have a gift of cooking also, i use the gift to help those who have little to eat, or enjoy someone cooking for them.mercy, mercy mercy!

[QC]

Wow!!! What a weird good surprise to find myself in many strenghts of the ""strenghts list"... Weird because everytime I thought that I had one of them there was a silent voice asking: are you REALLY sure about it?? And it was good because in some of them I sad: YES! I am sure!! Praise God!! Here goes: easygoing, friendly, cheerful, kind... God is good!!

[Karen Eberts]

Wow...this was timely! A Women's Bible study a friend and I began at our church just started a new series, "Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts." This "S.T.R.E.N.G.T.H." test is perfect for all of us women, and I plan to pass it on to them.

As for my own strengths, the resounding answer to the criteria Holly spelled out is...organization and leadership. In particular, being an organized person has always come easily for me, and as the Lord helped me develop my gifts of leadership, I have been able to use these in many ways through the years to help people grow as disciples of Christ,and to become His hands and feet in this hurting world.

[Melinda]

Thanks for challenging us to look at our strengths. So often we point out the negative in others and have to on purpose remember the great things about them. Doing that for ourselves is something new for me.

[Char]

I've taken "tests" to discover what my strengths are in the past, and each time I take them they change. I guess it depends on the journey we're on. At this writing, for now, some of my strengths are - Patience, Tolerance, Forgiving. Thanks, Holley, for allowing us to look inward and discover who we are through the eyes of Christ.

[Dora]

WOW... to talk about strengths is a little hard for me too..I see it in alot of people. So why is it strange to talk about mine? Well, you survived Holly..I can too :-)
Here goes...some of my strengths are: Perserverance, kindness and normally energetic.
Gracias mi amiga...yes, I see the kindness, courage and creativeness in you! Have a Bless day!

[Nancy]

"What are my strengths" is a question I've asked myself before. I can readily see other's strengths, but have trouble accepting my own. Today I choose to acknowledge and embrace my strengths. I'm sensitive, responsible, encouraging, reflective and loving. Thanks, Holley, for the nudge to look inside. This 21-day challenge has been such a blessing to me.

[Carol]

I know it's wrong to say I have no strengths. God gives to everyone. So to say I have nothing would be to call God a liar. I don't want to be guilty of that.

But I can't seem to allow myself to claim one of these. I look at a trait and think maybe . . . Then I remember someone else who possesses that characteristic in much more abundance. So if they are an expression of what that strength looks like, then I don't have that.

I took a test called StrengthsQuest a few years ago. From that test, I learned I could be the "poster child" for empathy. I don't see that on this list of strengths, but that's the one I'll claim today.

[Faithful Pen]

Relationships - Do others see this? For sure. And I believe they think my strength is incredible. But I doubt that any of them are able to define it or even understand the extent of it. I also doubt that anyone can truly fathom a person's strength until they have a greater awareness of their weakness. I have the most GORGEOUS set of eagle wings this side of heaven ... and they came to me at a very heavy price. I'm not "boasting" per se. Just stating the facts. :)

[Marcia]

I too find it difficult to say that I have strengths.
It's only by the grace of God that I have character at all. Some strengths I have been given - I'm friendly, compassionate, caring. I validate and encourage others.

Looking at the list made me remember that I need work on forgiveness. I tend to hang on to a hurt when I just need to forgive and drop it. I look forward to the day when I can say that forgiveness is one of my strengths!

[Desiree]

I believe my greatest strength is that I can "hear" God. I have always lived with the ideal that I would RUN to obey His Voice. Countless times when I have acted--whether it is to give something, be available to someone or moved in a circumstance when I heard Him, it has been proven the right thing to do. I never believe it when people say I am lucky, who needs luck?