Good Monday, Church!
I hope your week is off to a good start. Yesterday, we officially affirmed four men as new deacons of the church. Please keep all of our deacons and their families in your prayers, and encourage them whenever you can. They serve the church out of love, and I’m sure you do the same in 
whatever ways God calls you.
If you think you aren’t serving as much as you ought, let me give you some things to consider:
Sometimes we complicate things too much when it comes to trying to figure out what God wants us to do. Many of us wonder what our gifts are as if we can’t serve someone unless we’ve identified what one specific gift God has given us, but there are problems with that mindset. First, I seriously doubt that anyone only has received one gift from God; most everyone I know is clearly talented in multiple ways. Second, there’s no rule that says you can only work within range of your primary giftedness.
God doesn’t only accept offerings from the people who are most highly qualified. God will take whatever you are willing to give and, assuming you are truly trying to serve, God will do more than you think through your offering. Really, one of the biggest mistakes we make is thinking we aren’t good enough or talented enough to be used by God. And who is that really limiting? God!
So, trust God, and find someone to bless. You can do that at home, at school, on the job, out in the neighborhood, or even within the church. Remember that the Holy Spirit is working through you to advance God’s mission whenever you sacrificially serve in Jesus’ name.
Before you go to bed tonight, take five minutes to make a simple plan to bless someone tomorrow. Seriously, you can do this in five minutes. Think about a need you’re aware of, pray about it, and find a way to address that need. It could be as simple as a call, email, or text to someone who you know is lonely or discouraged. It could be buying someone a coffee. Maybe you guys get up early and make breakfast for your wife. Whatever you do, just don’t do nothing.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:10-11).
Make this a blessed week,
Patrick