Don't Be Shy!

Fall turns our hearts and minds to school beginning, colors on trees changing, crisp air, brilliant blue skies, and a host of other fall-related activities.  For me, I begin to think of the start of a new year for Mothers of Preschoolers group at church.  It's a time of revisiting friendships made, meeting new moms, watching moms move into leadership roles, and a new theme for the year.

When my mentor mom packet arrived from MOPS, I was startled by something new.  The theme was one I felt strongly about -- MomSense -- something every mom needs in her tool box.  The theme verse was an old favorite, 2 Timothy 1:7.  What startled me was that for the first time ever the verse had not been taken from the NIV version of the Bible, but from The Message.  What goes here I thought to myself?  I began digging through and there it was -- the answer to my question.  MOPS had chosen The Message because of three words:  bold, sensible and loving.  These were words the organization's planners felt young moms could more easily relate to.  I like them too!

I like that in The Message the words "God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts" call us to sharing by stepping up, reaching out, and showing His love in a fresh new way.  As a child, I was very shy and have had to work hard to be less so as I've grown older.  Sometimes, I think a little of my shyness might be in order, but when it comes to spreading God's gifts and love, we just can't be shy -- we need to be bold, loving and sensible.

"God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts,

but bold, and loving, and sensible."  2 Tim. 1:7 (The Message)

Q4U:  What keeps you from being bold in your daily life?