Using Whatever Talent the Lord Has Given You

Thought I would share an article that I wrote for our church blog (The Fountain).

As many of you know, around Faith Baptist, I am known as the “Bird Lady.” Also many have read the “Birds of the Bible” articles of the past. How did this come about?

When I was 16 years old (1960) I accepted the Lord as my Saviour and thus began my journey with the Lord. The Lord allowed me to attend Bob Jones University through the War Orphans Fund (my father died as a result of the war and my mother died when I was 13). Not being from an educational family (D+ average in high school), I struggled academically, but the desire to finish was strong. I finished my degree 16 years after I started with a Bible major. I had tried many majors, but never found what I wanted.

While we were on vacation this summer, we attended a friend’s church and they were questioning things that became a turning point in our lives. There were various testimonies given and then I remembered one that changed me. In 1979, Dan and I purchased our first computer, a Radio Shack Model I. I spent hours teaching myself all about it and learning to program. That computer and the many since gave me a direction and a niche for me to fill. I always told the Lord that I just didn’t have any talents to offer Him. Long story short, I became a computer teacher and ended up even getting a Masters degree in Computer Education.

Sunbittern at Lowry Park Zoo by Dan

In the late 80’s I became a birdwatcher. A naturalist at our local park became my mentor. I had always loved the out of doors and enjoyed watching God’s creation, but could not put many names on what I saw. Birds are just so beautiful and show the Lord’s creative hand so much. I am just amazed and love watching them. Another niche!

Now there were three important parts to my life; the Lord, computers and birds. (Of course Dan is there also) My desire and prayers were that the Lord would let me blend those three things into some sort of ministry for Him. It began by doing five-minute presentations to a junior Sunday School class each week. When we moved up here to Faith, I couldn’t find an outlet to do my bird presentations until the Lord, through Stephen, let me start doing the “Birds of the Bible” on the blog here.

I started my own blog to learn how to do the articles. Now, the Lord is blessing my blog by letting the “Birds of the Bible” and many other Christian birdwatching articles be read by people all over the world. And, now, I am the “Bird Lady” and I thank the Lord for His Love and Grace to let me be called by that name.

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3 KJV)

My prayer and challenge for the readers is that you also will let the Lord use what ever talent or gift you have for Him. Maybe you love bugs, flowers, music, or whatever. Maybe you are an encourager, good cook, child sitter, nursery worker, like to visit the sick, etc. We all have something that the Lord has given us. Let the Lord use what you have for Him so that we can help reach others with the Gospel and God’s Love.

Gospel Message

Wordless Birds

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Not What My Hands

Bald Eagle flying by Dave's BirdingPix

Bald Eagle flying by Dave's BirdingPix

Sunday night at our church (Faith Baptist Church, Winter Haven, FL) our young people were giving reports and testimonies of their summer youth trips. They went to three different places through out the summer and did things from teaching VBS to painting house and cleaning up around them. They also went to a leadership training in Pennsylvania. One of the highlights of the evening was a song that Reagan and Lauren sang. Since it had this line, “And I have come to hide beneath your wings,” I asked Stephen to put it on YouTube. He did, and here is that song. It has a tremendous message to it.

I trust you will enjoy the song and most of all, the words.

Happy 49th Birthday!

Best Day of my LifeToday, March 20th, 2009, is my 49th Birthday! Not my original birth birthday, but my spiritual birthday. On March 20th of 1960, which was a Sunday, I attended Crossroads Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana at the invite of my sister and her husband. I decided to go that day, to break a record of attending church more than once a year, usually on Easter Sunday. That day became one that would totally change my life and its direction.

My sister, Sharry, and Joe, her husband, had recently received the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior and had been witnessing to me. We were not raised in a home that went to church regularly, but only taken occasionally. I really had no idea about being a sinner nor about John 3:16, “For  God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I knew that at 16, I did things that were not right and that there was something lacking in my life.

So, there I was, listening to the sermon by Rev. Charlie Kittrell. As he gave his message I realized that I was a sinner, (“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Romans 3:10), there was a penalty for sin and also a gift of salvation (For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23), and that I needed to ask forgiveness for my sins and accept the Lord as my Savior. (“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation,” Romans 10:9-10). When the invitation was given, I went forward and a lady showed me how to accept the Lord, and I did.

For the rest of this:   Happy 49th Birthday!

Answers in Genesis Conference – Winter Haven, FL

For those of you who live in the Winter Haven, Florida area, the Answers in Genesis Conference will be this week. On February 20-22, 2009, Faith Baptist Church of Winter Haven (my home church) is hosting the conference. It is not too late to sign up yet. I am looking forward to conference and hope you can join us this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Great Blue Heron by Dan

Great Blue Heron by Dan

A link to the conference from our church with registration information.

The Answers and Genesis announcement from them (AiG)

Friday, February 20, 2009
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Ken Ham: Genesis: Key to Reaching Today`s World (Ages 11 & Up)
8:30 PM to 9:00 PM Dr. David Crandall:Why Is This So Important? (Ages 11 & Up)

Saturday, February 21, 2009
9:00 AM to 10:15 AM Ken Ham: Defending the Christian Faith in Today`s World (Ages 11 & Up)
10:45 AM to 12:00 PM Ken Ham: Answers for Effective Evangelism in the 21st Century (Ages 11 & Up)
12:00 PM to 2:30 PM Lunch Break
2:30 PM to 3:45 PM Ken Ham: The Origin of Racism: Evolutions Racist Roots (Ages 11 & Up)
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Dr. David Crandall:Answers WorldWide (Ages 11 & Up)
Sunday, February 22, 2009

8:00 AM Ken Ham: Creation, Evolution, and the Last Days (Ages 11 & Up)
9:30 AM to 10:15 AM Dr. David Crandall:Linguistics Events In The Bible (Combined Adult Sunday School)
10:30 AM Ken Ham: Creation, Evolution, and the Last Days (Ages 11 & Up)
6:00 PM to 7:30 PM Dr. David Crandall:Reclaiming The Culture (Ages 11 & Up)