By Pastor Linda Skinner

I hope everyone has or has had someone in their life that they could say, regardless of their age: “When I grow up, I want to be just like _________.” Well for me there have been and still are several of those people. Of course, we believe that everyone is a “Gift” and that everyone is “Gifted”. But there are some of those people whose gifts are “something special.” It doesn’t matter what their gift is, it can come in all shapes and sizes. But you see them using their gift and it is beautiful.

I’ll give you an example. “When I grow up, I want to be like Marilyn Biggs.” (I’m 73 years old and I’m still feeling that way.) I think Marilyn had gifts of faith, teaching, prayer and evangelism. And often sprinkled with a few other things as well as the need arose. But it wasn’t her gifts that impressed me over the years. It was the way she used those gifts. Every gift the Holy Spirit gave her, she wrapped it in God’s love. She was strong lady and she would speak truth into your life without hesitation. But it was always wrapped in love.

When I visited with Marilyn about 10 days before she went to be with Jesus for eternity; she told me about a nurse she encountered at the hospital. It was the first time I ever heard her say anything bad about another person. She told me this nurse was grouchy all the time, never smiled and Marilyn was pretty sick. Marilyn told me she said to her “you are not a very nice person.” I said a “woohoo—how did she take that?” Her response to Marilyn’s was, “no one has ever told me that.” Marilyn just gave her the Marilyn look, and said “I’ll be praying for you, maybe you need the love of Jesus in your life.” (I don’t know how to write that look down, but the next time you see me I’ll show you.) The nurse said, “I’m sorry, please forgive me.” Now only Marilyn could pull that one off. A gift wrapped in the love of God.

As I am preparing to wrap up our 8-week series on Spiritual Gifts this Sunday with 1 Corinthians 13 (the Love Chapter) I couldn’t help but think of my friend, my mentor, my sister in Christ. I learned so much from her and I miss her terribly. We will have a lot of catching up to do in heaven. And who knows, maybe I will get to meet her nurse there with her. I wouldn’t be surprised.

Hope you can join us this Sunday at 10:30 am In Person at Spirit Falls Sanctuary or Online via Facebook Live, YouTube Live, www.wacathedral.org, or WaCathedral App (Apple, Google, Amazon)

Just remember always “You are a Gift – Embrace It.”

God Bless You,

Pastor Linda Skinner