**Welcome to my Glorygram and to my table! Pull up a chair and join me for a bowl of flavorful Tomato Basil Bisque. Each week I write this letter as an arrow pointing you back to God's glory and the ways He is working in our world. I use this space to get to know you better so please introduce yourself and share your stories in the comments too!
Throughout my elementary and middle school years, I spent many hours at the dance studio — starting with tap and then signing up for ballet and jazz. The music moved me, but it took practice and discipline to get the steps just right.
One of my teachers used a large stick to pound out the rhythm of our dances on the wooden floor as we practiced. She wanted to make sure every movement was precise but also flowed with the mood of the music. Sometimes she would demonstrate sections of the dance for us. I deeply longed to dance like her — elegantly expressing the emotion of the song with every sashay and compass turn.
Just as I had a dance mentor, a young man named Timothy in the Bible had a spiritual mentor in the Apostle Paul. Paul wrote the book of 2 Timothy as a letter to encourage Timothy to follow in his footsteps and to fix Timothy’s focus on the faith.
“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
When Paul said “fan into flames,” he used a Greek word that essentially meant “fire it up.” He was encouraging Timothy to ignite his spiritual gifts and let them burn for others to see.
Sometimes learning something new is surprisingly hard. But as we unwrap our gifts, nurture them, and invest time in practicing, we make progress toward full flourishing.
In this passage, Paul was also addressing Timothy’s lack of confidence. Timothy may have felt unsure of his gifts, but Paul reminded him that fear and timidity do not come from God.
Maybe you’ve felt this way too. I know I have. The voices saying you’re not good enough, you can’t do it like her, and you’re going to mess this up seem to be shouting from every direction.
We need a community to cheer us on in our giftings. Timothy needed Paul’s coaching to remind him that God had given him gifts and urge him to keep seeking God's purpose. I needed my dance teacher to pound out the rhythm and demonstrate the movements of the dance so I could find the flow. We all need mentors, teachers, fellow believers and friends to encourage us in the dance of life.
It takes courage to step out and use our gifts with power, love and self-discipline. And God has already given us that courage through the Holy Spirit within us. So put on your dance shoes, my friend — it’s time to get moving.
Dear God, help me to hear Your voice above the rest. Ignite the gifts within me, and give me courage to use them for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
BOOK BABY RELEASES
This devotional was published on Proverbs 31 Ministries and is based on the themes in my new multicultural children’s book, Kailani’s Gift. This colorful picture book is a celebration of family, Filipino heritage and dance, showcasing the value of patience, perseverance, and blessing others with your gifts and talents. Kailani watches her siblings practice a traditional dance for their grandparents' anniversary party and longs to join them, but keeping up with the rhythm of the Tinikling is much harder than she imagined! With Daddy's help, Kailani practices step by step. Will she be able to learn the Tinikling in time to surprise her Lolo and Lola? Preorder your copy today!
FOR DEEPER STUDY
James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (ESV).
God grants each of us spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8). We are called to use these talents, passions and unique wirings for His glory. How do the above Bible passages encourage you to ignite your gifts?
*This devotional was published at Proverbs 31 Ministries this week. You can check it out and read more of my writing there.
Glory recommendations
Each week I like to share links to some of my own work or resources that are inspiring me and my family to chase after God’s glory! Here are five for you to check out this week:
Kailani's Gift is my newest picture book, releasing on April 16! It's a book for kids of all ages about perseverance and using our gifts to bless others.
-Today I’m reading and signing books at Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Michigan at 10:30 am. If you’re in the area, please stop by and bring your kiddos.
-If you’re outside of California’s Central Valley, join us for a fun virtual book launch party at 4 pm PT/ 7 pm ET Tuesday with prizes, book reading, and some special guests.
-Local friends, come join me for a party 4-5:30 pm on Saturday, April 27 - complete with activities for kids, Filipino food, tinikling dance performance, and a reading of the new book. Invite your friends, your families & don't forget to RSVP here!
-And don’t forget to pre-order your copy today! Pre-orders help more people hear about the book and retailers to carry it. Deeply grateful for your help in this!
Beautycounter is a skin care and makeup line I have used for the last six years. When my cousin introduced me to this company, I was intrigued because of their commitment to developing products that didn’t use harmful chemicals and toxic fillers. This month I took a leap and signed up to be a brand advocate because I have come to love these products and use them daily. I especially love their anti-aging line of lotions and makeup that doesn’t cause a breakout on my sensitive skin. My daughters use the anti-acne regimen and sunscreen as well. This podcast episode about “Setting New Standards in the Beauty Industry” speaks to Beautycounter’s high value for using quality ingredients and creating clean products.
Intrigued? Check out the products here and use my code CLEANFORALL20 (Message me if you have questions! I’d love to share more about what I’ve learned.)
Each month I do a fun giveaway with a book I’m loving. Sharing good resources with you is such a joy for me. For April, I’m featuring a children’s poetry book in honor of Earth Day and National Poetry Month. Bless this Earth shows the miracle of our planet Earth through beautiful imagery and delightful poetry, calling all people, young and old, to care for our wonderful world. This sweet and welcoming anthology for children ages 3-7 knits together our common humanity and the natural world in an engaging way that is simple for young readers to understand. Bless the Earth contains approximately sixty selections of original as well as classic poems. Comment below if you’re interested in winning this one!
In this episode of the Writing at the Red House podcast, Kathi Lipp and I discuss multicultural representation in writing, particularly in Christian books. I loved this opportunity to share about why and how I value diversity in my work and leadership. Listen in and learn more about:
How to draw from life’s experiences in your writing.
How to honor and respect people of different backgrounds and cultures.
How the Redbud Writers Guild is a multicultural organization and helps bring writers together.
5. Friend, I’m so grateful you are a part of my Glorygram tribe! For the past eight years, I've been sharing reflections and resources on grief, running, leadership, food, family, and faith. I count it an incredible privilege to connect with each of you through this Glorygram. Are you interested in more perks and robust content? For $50 per year (or $5 a month), you'll gain access to my full archive, bonus posts, recipes, and sneak peeks of my coming books! While the free weekly emails will continue, our subscription-only content will be an extension of the foundation we've built together. To subscribe and unlock this exclusive content, simply hit the Subscribe Now button and choose what level you’d like. Founding members will also get a personalized, signed copy of one of my books! Thank you to so many of you who have already generously given!) I am so grateful for all of your prayers and support!
Congrats on your latest Book Beauty!!!! What a fabulous message. And I’d love a copy of Bless the Earth!