I do not often write about myself. I will relate my topics to things I, or friends of mine are going through, but I feel like people will get bored reading about me. This time though I am talking as if I were telling you, personally, my story.

It has been one year since I started writing. Writing has become my way of relief. My way to inspire. My way to serve. I didn’t realize it when I started, but the words I say, the ones I write, it is my gift. I do not mean that in a conceding way. I say this humbly and with God receiving all the glory. God has given me a gift for words. January 31, 2016 I wrote in my notes, “I just realized my gift”. I was sitting in church and the topic was “Serving and Giving”. My pastor was talking about the gifts that God gives us and how we can use ours to serve Him. Some people, including myself, had searched long and hard to find my God-given gift. Finally, I could say that I had found it.

I was inspired. I had just finished reading the book, Miracle’s From Heaven. (Great book, btw.) A very small scene in the book, but the one that stuck out to me the most, went something like this. Anna, a girl who was a living miracle and met God himself, was at Boston Children’s Museum. There was a magnetic letter board where you could write whatever you wanted. She was told to leave a message for the next person who came along. Anna wrote, “YOU MATTER”. She was twelve-years-old at this point. I don’t know about you, but at the age of twelve I probably would’ve written Hannah Montana song lyrics or something dumb like that.

You matter. Those words hit me like a rock. It was freshman year in college. It was new friends and hard classes. It was an emotional roller coaster and all I was trying to do was figure out my life. Then God hit me with the truth that I now strive to get every person believe about themselves. You matter. You don’t matter because you have a 4.0 GPA. You don’t matter because you are the best on your team or because everyone knows your name. You matter because God made you. Because he placed you on this Earth with a purpose that only you can fulfill. You matter because God loves you. He has given you a gift. This gift cannot be compared to anyone else’s. It is not better or worse. It is yours and God wants you to use it to glorify Him. If you don’t know what yours is, ask God to show you. He will.

Now it has been one year since I wrote my first article titled, “You Matter”. It has been a year since I started using my gift to serve. I cannot begin to tell you the difference that one year can make. I have seen myself grow in ways that I never thought were possible. The thing is, I have prayed for as long as I can remember for God to use me as a light. A light that ultimately shines towards Him. Your gift can do that. You may not see it yet, but you will. You Matter. Never forget that.

1 Peter 4:10 – Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.