with the Bloom Book Club. If you have a copy to the book, then please feel free to leave a comment in the section below or a link to your participating blog. If you're not interested in following this particular series, then no worries because there will also be more homemaking posts to come as well. :)
Next week, we'll discuss chapters 4-6 on Wednesday.
Discovery of self is perhaps one of the greatest inner struggles we'll attempt. It's a lifelong journey that is constantly changing. Holley probes this quest through the exploration of strengths, skills, and relationships. In the chapter, a list of strengths and skills is provided to aid in determining the top three. A strength is defined as "a personal characteristic that can be used on behalf of God in service to others" (pg. 25). Meanwhile a skill is defined as "a strength expressed in a specific way that builds up others and benefits the kingdom" (pg. 29). The difference between the two comes down to "strengths are part of who we are while skills are more about what we do" (pg. 25). I appreciated how the two terms were made distinct because so often it feels as if who we are (strengths) is dependent upon what we do (skills). Truth is, God created us as we are (strengths) for what we do (skills).
As is mentioned in the definitions the end purpose of strengths and skills is for His glory. Holley suggests that we have three realms of relationships: Heart, Personal, Functional. It's through these avenues that we pour out our strengths and skills onto. With this said, I often feel as though these identified strengths, skills and relationships are not being adequately utilized in my life. My heart was encouraged when I came across the section focused on the seasonality of the expression of skills. Sometimes God with hold what we feel like we ought to be doing for his purpose. For instance, I love sharing in hospitality but that hasn't been a frequent event. I've worked with notions of failing at this aspect of homemaking and living in general. However, I'm also reminded that God has the ability to remove situations we believe we need in order for us to see Him as our need. Just because a strength, skill or relationship isn't promising now doesn't mean it will always be so.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" (Ecc. 3:1) and meanwhile "whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31).
Bloom Book Club video for chapters 1&2:
Hopefully I'll get the third chapter posted tomorrow. Forgive me for the delay as I've been trying to recover from surgery and then illnesses recently. :)
