Stir Up the Gifts! - Janice Thompson, Author

I want to start this lesson with a great quote from Jack London:

I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark burn out in a brilliant blaze than it be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Don’t you just love that?

Every writer has the innate, God-given desire to do something majestic with the gift he/she has been given. I don’t know about you, but I want to be a superb meteor. Why? Because I know the gifts God has placed in me were put there to reach out to others—to woo them toward their Savior. The brighter I blaze, the greater my witness. And when I’m given the opportunity to share the gift of writing with my students—whether they’re children or adults—I’m stirring up the gifts inside of those writers. What a privilege!

So, how do we go about stirring up those God-given gifts? Isn’t that His job, after all?

What about you? Do you want to do something majestic with the gift you’ve been given?
Do you want to be a superb meteor? Why or why not?

STIR UP THE GIFTS

I strongly believe (in fact, this is at the core of many of my teachings) that we are called to stir up the gifts God has given us. He didn’t give them to us so that they would lie dormant inside us. We are responsible for them, and that means we have to use them to the fullest—to the best of our ability. And the Bible backs that up! With that in mind, I’ve based this lesson on a scripture found in II Timothy 1:6: Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

You might wonder why I chose the King James Version. I think the imagery in that translation is superb. Paul doesn’t want young Timothy to forget (put thee in remembrance) that the gift of God needs to be stirred.

What do you make of this verse?
How can you apply it to your life?

SOUP, ANYONE?

So, what does it mean to stir up the gifts? Imagine you’ve cooked a huge pot of vegetable soup. It’s been sitting on the stove simmering awhile and all of the ingredients have settled to the bottom. It’s not bad soup. It just needs stirring. When you “get things moving” inside the pot, you’ve got a better, tastier soup. Before we can stir up the gifts in our students, we’ve got to be honest with ourselves. Are we stirring the gifts in our own lives? Are we studying the craft of writing? Are we striving to become better than we already are?

What gifts, specifically, have you let sink to the bottom of the pot?
Are there any gifts you wish you’d paid more attention to?
Is it too late to stir the pot, bringing the gifts God has placed inside of you to the surface?

BORN WITH GIFTINGS:

All children are both with natural giftings, placed there by God. The Bible refers to these in detail. Some children have amazing artistic gifts (such as acting, singing, dancing, writing, instruments). There are also academic gifts. Perhaps you’re someone who naturally excels in mathematics, science, etc. Of course, we’ve all been given spiritual gifts. Some have been called to teach, to preach, to encourage, etc. Just like you pay attention to your children’s leaning/giftings, pay attention to your own. Don’t let your gifts settle to the bottom of your life. Stir them up! Become more effective for Christ.

What gifts has God given you?
How old were you when you first realized these gifts?
Which ones have you used effective?
Which ones (if any) have you ignored?
What can you do to stir up your gifts?

Are you a teacher? Motivator? Do you have the gift of humor? Witty writing? Literary style? Stir those things up! The way a writer stirs his/her gifts: practice, practice, practice. Do creative exercises as often as you can. Don’t ever settle for commonplace writing or teaching. Continually work on your gifts, ever-increasing in ability. Consider yourself on a learning curve at all times. If your students see that you are willing to continue learning, they will be willing, as well.

How can you “practice” your gifts?
How is motivation, for example, practiced?
If you love to write, do you have a list of creative writing exercises handy? (If not, check out our creativity pack!)

There are so many ways you can learn and grow as a writer – by joining critique and online groups, attending conferences, submitting queries and proposals. These are all ways you can stir up the gift.

NOTE TO PARENTS:

When I think about how the gifts in my life were stirred, I think about the parents who encouraged me once they recognized my gifts. Always speak words of encouragement over your children/students/self. Continue to stir up the gift (even when they/you are discouraged). God wants to use you as an encourager.

Are you a parent?
Is so, what gifts do you notice in your children?
How can you motivate/encourage them?
Did your parents encourage you as a child (to grow in the gifts)?
How did their support (or lack thereof) shape you?

NOTE TO TEACHERS:

If you are a teacher, you have a great responsibility to watch your students to see their “leanings.” Encourage them in the way they should go. If you have a student who struggles in one area, refer them to another. (Side Note: Did you realize that many ADHD children are gifted in the arts? Their enthusiasm can be redirected!)

Was there a particular teacher who influenced you (either as a child in school or as an adult)?
How did that teacher motivate/inspire you?
Are you teaching someone right now?
If so, what are your responsibilities?

The apostolic gifting is one of the five apostolic gifts. Apostles are motivators. They start projects then eventually hand them off to others. They’re great at lighting fires under people. If you’re a teacher (gift-stirrer) you’ve got the teaching gift, but perhaps a little of the apostle, too. Ignite the flame in your students and yourself.

What can you do to ignite a flame in your students?
What can you do to ignite a flame in yourself?

MENTOR AND MENTEE:

Here’s another way to stir up your gifts: Always have someone in your life who is one step ahead of you in the writing game, and another in your life you can mentor. Don’t lean too heavily on the one who’s mentoring you; nor do you give all your time to the one you’re mentoring. Keep everything in balance.

Who are you mentoring right now?
How are things going with the person you’re mentoring?
Who is mentoring you?
How are things going with the person who’s mentoring you?

GIFT-STIRRING EXERCISES:

My textbook, “Creative Writing for the Christian Student” – which you received as a bonus feature for this course, is loaded with a host of creativity lessons to help you stir up the gifts. Use it as you teach, but use it first to stir up your own gifts!

In the meantime, here are some things you can do to stir up your gifts.

If you’re a fiction writer, take non-fiction courses.
If you’re a poet, try devotion lessons.
Take field trips. They are a great way to stir up the writing gift. (I have an excellent book titled 52 Fabulous Field which is also available for download.)
The next time you’re watching a movie, try to find the story inside the story
Make an adventure out of every little thing! Turn your pens and pencils into characters in a story. Make your knife and fork sing opera. Get creative!
People-watch. See if you can create characters based on folks you see in public places. (Disclaimer: Be careful HOW you people watch!)

WHAT IF…

A simple exercise can really stir up the imagination. This gets the gifts stirred. Play the “what if” game. Create a character from a certain town. Get really specific about him/her, describing outward appearance and inward motivations. Now, let’s play the “what if” game using that character:

What if… a hurricane blew through her town?
What if… her family members were threatened?
What if… her life were at stake?
What if… she lost a loved one?
What if… she were named the mother of the year?

You can see that the creative gifts are easily stirred by these exercises. I would suggest at least one creative writing exercise a day to keep your writing fresh.

Go forth, writers—and stir your gifts! I hope you have enjoyed this Biblical inspiration for writers from Free Writing Lessons.com. Faith-based writing tips are our speciality!

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Stir Up the Gifts! – Janice Thompson, Author Download

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