Deploy Your Gift
As you’ve spent the last few weeks discovered your gift, dedicating your gift, and developing your gift, you’ve essentially been preparing yourself for the final step in your journey to building a life of joy and purpose — Deploy Your Gift.
I set out on this journey to find similar joy and happiness as Jim Downing, the 103-year-old survivor of Pearl Harbor exudes in his life. I’ve discovered some parts of this process can be easy, while other parts are more challenging, including the process of deploying your gift.
What Does Deploy Mean?
When I served in the navy, our ships spent time in the harbor preparing for deployment, restocking supplies, and going through repairs. However, ships weren’t made to stay in the safety of the harbor; they were made to go on a mission.
Similarly, you’ve spent the last few weeks sitting in the safety of harbor going through the necessary steps to prepare for the unknown. Just like the naval ships I spent time on, YOU are made to journey out of your safe place and move forward with a deliberate purpose into wide open spaces.
How Do I Deploy My Gift?
I know, deploying your gift may seem daunting. I remember looking into the vast sea wondering what I’d be encountering, but my sea legs reminded me we’d spent enough time in the harbor to encounter any challenge.
You know the command is to go, so realize you may not be entirely ready for whatever you’ll encounter in life, new experiences you’ve never had before, and challenges you may not want to endure. However, your preparation in the first steps of discovering, dedicating, and developing your gift gives you the ability to go further than you may think you can and expand your horizons in ways you never thought possible.
In my focus to help train the next generation, I recall being on the phone one time with an educator who asked if I’ve always spoken so well. I had to smile because it was through training the next generation that helped me deploy my gift of speaking to others. To me, deployment is a life message of what God does in you to help impact others.
Evaluate Your Journey
As we wrap up this journey to happiness with the final step to Deploy Your Gift, take a minute to look back and evaluate your journey thus far and remember your journey doesn’t end here. You’ll keep cycling back to your harbor to go through these steps again as you recharge and prepare for the next adventure! So take what you’ve discovered God made for you to do, set sail, and enjoy the open seas as you deploy your gift!