What Shall I Give

I decided to keep giving, to keep giving the most valuable and precious to those who come across my path and into my space. I decided to keep giving myself...............my smile, my laughter, my attention, my time. I decided to keep sharing my space, my thoughts, my advice, my opinions. I decided to keep giving my ideas and creativity. I'm giving my love. Whoo!! MY LOVE! I'm going to keep giving my love, the love that Grace extends to me. How precious is that! It's risky too, but it's worth it. This can seem to be a great task. I find it to be overwhelming when the dependence is on my strength alone. Only when my feelings, emotions, and hurts are the driving force behind my actions and responses does loving become frightening. But GRACE.........Grace meets me at every moment. As a matter of fact, Grace has met all of my days and always stands ready to extend the courage and strength needed to give of myself. Today, Grace met me and I'm free to give. I realize that granting someone or something the power to rip that freedom away from me is too costly. It's painful and it's irritating. I would rather release who I am openly, freely, and fully because my joy is found there. Will I be hurt in doing so? Probably. Nevertheless, I have found that there is nothing more painful than shutting myself off. It is like being enclosed in a cell and each wall and bar I build locks me in tighter and tighter. I can't breathe, I can't move, I can't express. It's a dark place, a lonely place. I can't stay there or I'll lose myself, my mind, my joy, my spunk. I announce that I am released from that place and I have moved to a place of freedom. I've moved to a fearless place. It's in this place that I laugh in spite of and smile in the midst of. I share my time with people. If you talk to me, I'll listen. You can cry on my shoulder or find peace in my embrace. I'll allow you to see what's inside of me because you need that. A vulnerable place it is, yet I am at my best here. I didn't get to this place on my own. Grace led me here as only He could. Only Grace can empower you and propel you past your pain and anger, past your fears and anxieties in order to fully give of yourself to others. In ourselves, we tend to hide in isolation for protection, but Grace grabs you by the hand, leads you out, and presents you as a beautiful and wonderful presence in the earth. Grace reminds you of your importance. Someone needs you. They need what only you can give, that which has been placed inside of you. Someone needs me. I don't want to hide anymore. I don't want to shield myself in fear any longer. So I won't............ I'll keep giving instead. I'll keep giving me.