October 2009, my life began to change. I wanted God like I never wanted him. I wanted to be a better woman and so began my journey. It's been years of literally dealing with so much of my junk, digging into the deepest parts of my heart, my past, my pain and just getting rid of it, understanding it, and leaving it behind. It has shaped me, but it does not define me.
Most can tell you their shortcomings...but what about their strengths?
So what I'm about to do is tell you who I am! I am going to tell you my strengths and by strengths I don't mean the things I'm good at, I mean my strengths. It's like the muscles in my body, they were there at my birth, but I had the choice to use them. God put strengths inside of me and I have the choice to use them. This past week in our school we had a man come and speak on team building, part of this week was using the Strength Finder 2.0 test. I took the test and they gave me my top 5 strengths, now I have a choice...I can know them or I can use them. I know them and I want to use them. So now I am going to tell you about them, because I can know them but I also want to be able to express my strengths as well. I can tell you my shortcomings but I want to be a woman who walks boldly in my identity...
Strength Finder has 34 different strengths and from the test they score and output my top 5 strengths.
My name is Lucianne Marie Crenshaw and these are 5 of my greatest strengths:
I have a very solid foundation of my BELIEF. The truths that I choose to stand on are very deeply rooted inside of me. My beliefs are so strong they help me to stand strong no matter what. Belief is central to my very character, but what results is meaning, purpose, and direction in my life. This translates into a great amount of power, drive and motivation inside of me. When I keep my life centered around what I believe to be true I will stay rooted and grounded but it will also impact the lives of others.
I do BELIEVE in many things including who God says I am, His truths, and also I believe in people and the true capabilities inside of them. I agree to this strength God has given me.
This next one was very hard for me because as much as I didn't want to be COMPETITIVE I hated how competitive I actually was. I felt like it made me super intense and I hated that. So again remember these are strengths and I can choose to use them or not to use them. Because I am competitive I desire to be successful in my life, excellence not only brings me joy but it also inspires those around me. I have tremendous energy, drive, determination that I think my entire life I have been trying to run away from and not into (it's a new day). My drive to win, succeed, and achieve isn't focused on me alone. It inspires others to join me and also gives me a platform in their lives to call them higher because of who I am. "You are someone who grabs the attention of others and they begin to believe that they too can achieve" -Edward Anderson.
I am competitive, I do work hard, I do enjoy excellence, and even more than that I love watching people truly rise to be who they were created to be. I agree to this strength God has given me.
My RESTORATIVE strength I have to say I LOVE!!! I love to problem solve but it goes beyond patching things together. The way I restore things is that I bring them back to life. "Accordingly, you can have a restorative effect on relationships and in fact, entire organizations" -Edward Anderson. I am good at figuring out what is not working, resolving it and then guiding people to a healthier way and helping them to be highly functional.
I have a heart for restoration because it's part of the character of God. His entire purpose in life is restoration and redemption. I am restorative, what if I had never allowed God to restore me? I would have no idea what this strength was. I agree to this strength God has given me.
I possess a great amount of FOCUS. Now, this strength is one that when it showed up on my test I didn't agree with. I didn't think that was me, then I realized that it's just not something that I have used much. I enjoy flying by the seat of my pants. I tend to totally procrastinate and if I don't like something I move on...well but my strength is focus, so I need to learn to use it. I need to train it, because with focus I can put great attention to things with a high level of concentration. I can read, understand, and solve problems with great precision. I like to multi-task but what would happen if I cut down on ALL things I'm doing and focus right in on the few things I'm good at? It states that because I have such good focus I'm a good planner (I'm laughing out loud right now). Focus, a muscle I desire to start using and training.
This one I'm going to have to work on, embrace, and choose to use. I don't see it as something I'm good at, but it's in me...So I'm going to find it. I agree to this strength God has given me.
COMMAND is something I have tried and failed miserably to run from. I constantly just saw it as bad and that is covered up any softness that might be inside me. I can and will influence others and I will do this with great power. My command comes with great courage to enter into crisis and even dangerous situations. It gives me the ability to take charge when people are threatened and in emergencies I have clarity. I also have the willingness to voice my ideas. I am willing to see the way through conflict and misunderstandings by bringing light to what is often hidden. Some get nervous when the powerful part of me comes out, everyone is grateful when I address the emergency, danger, crisis, conflict and danger.
I am loving this strength more and more everyday. God is teaching me love and patience, grace and mercy, so it makes this command thing so much easier. I agree to this strength God has given me.
Thank you for allowing me to tell you who I am. Thank you for allowing me to tell you what I am good at. Thank you for allowing me to use my strengths. Thank you for allowing me to be who God has called me to be.
I think that I have realized in the last year or so that I can be strong and beautiful at the same time. I can be commanding and feminine in the same exact moment. Not because I have to try but because I am. They are not oil and water. "I am not either or, I am both and more." -Heidi Baker
(this video was a day that marked a massive revelation in my life...READ)
What looks like oil and water in your life?
OK I will kick off the "Oil and Water" thing... hmmmm... I am bold (aka assertive) and loving... (well working on the loving part)... a leader and encourager of other people stepping up... tender hearted and passionate speaker of the truth (which is not always fluffy and feel goody in nature)
ReplyDeleteOK !! There's mine... we want to hear from you guys though!!! Give us your oil and water baby!
I would have to think about the oil and water thing, but I took Strengths Finder 2 also! Here's mine, with a copy of the definition that was emailed to me after the test: POSITIVITY (People who are especially talented in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.), EMPATHY (People who are especially talented in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situations), FUTURISTIC (People who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future), DEVELOPER (People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements), CONNECTEDNESS (People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason). You can pick up the book at any local book store and it gives you a code to take the test online. Super fun!
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