Today I was asked, "What are your personal strengths?"

Immediately I mentally listed them off:

• I can do about two pushups.
• I'm really good at buying coffee.
• I'm a boss at daily misplacing the I.D. that gets me free meals and access to my building.

I asked Brett what he thought my strengths were and he started to list off a bunch that made me feel super giddy and in love with him. I'm pretty sure my face faded into a shade of lover's embarrassment, so I just gave him kisses for awhile after that because I was so smitten with his answers.

And then I intentionally decided not to ask him the other question I was asked, "What are your personal weaknesses?" because, well, I don't think that list would have produced very many kisses.

Questions about strengths and weaknesses are almost the equivalent to meeting a celebrity for me. I honestly love KNOWING and talking about my strengths. I pride myself in being inrapersonal, reflective, and familiar with myself. I love understanding what makes me tick. I love knowing my strengths and weaknesses. I love flourishing in the gifts I've been given and figuring out how to walk this earth with the gifts I lack. But I also get the temptation to always want to focus on what we just can't get right.

I've heard people say it's difficult to love others if you don't know how to love yourself. I think part of learning to love yourself, is by looking at what you're good at. And if you have trouble coming up with a list, the best people to ask about your strengths are those you're closest with. A few years ago I was given an assignment that FORCED me to ask others what it was about me, that made them love me for me. After hearing their answers, I remember being so encouraged and confident to walk in who I am.

One of the gifts I love about me, is my creativity. I LIVE my days for opportunities to use my creativity, whether that's relationally doing something out of the ordinary with or for someone else, crafting all day long, or spending a good chunk of my evening writing out a blog post. I crave those opportunities.

The picture above is a card I conjured up for my brother-and-sister-so-wonderful-in-laws and their soon to be pop'n-out-of-the-oven-baby, Moriah Jane. I took joy in making that card. I rejoice that I've been given the creativity to make something small and temporary like that card, come into fruition for the delight and excitement of others. I think that's the best part of personal strengths, really learning to take joy in them.

Bob Goff says it this way, "I think God speaks something meaningful into our lives and it fills us up and helps us change the world regardless of ourselves and our shortcomings... He hopes we'll start to see ourselves as His beloved rather than think of all the reasons that we aren't."

What are your personal strengths? Are you letting them give life to you so you can give life to others?

Hope your week is filled with more than two pushups!

Stace-Face

P.S. I also read this article by Jen Hatmaker that a lot of my really cool friends have started sharing and I wanted to jump in on the coolness and share it too.