The Titus 2:4 Project

What are you called to do?  Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." To do good works.  God didn't prepare us in advance to complain, gossip, act selfishly, promote negativity or to live in a constant state of drama-induced exasperation.  No!  He prepared us for good works.  And as far as I can tell - every single good work mentioned in the Bible hinges on ONE WORD.  LOVE. According to Romans 12:6 - 8 we all have different gifts.  Some people might use the term 'calling'.  "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. (7)  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; (8) if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of other, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern...

I enjoy talking to people I've never met before.  I start with a warm, genuine smile and a sincere compliment, and just let the conversation take a natural flow, like rain water rushing through the countryside.  On a trip to Key West, Florida several years ago, I exercised this strategy.  We were crowded into a shuttle bus that would take us from the plane to the tiny little airport.  Somehow over the course of the very short ride, I engaged another female passenger and her sister in a conversation about our pedicures.  She had hot pink toe nails with little white flowers...and from there it went to our purses, our dogs, our trip, our names, and by the time we stepped off the shuttle we were Facebook friends.  (And six years later we still are!) Another perfect example, I was at a large park with my in-laws.  Our men were out riding bikes and we girls were responsible for cooking out.  No one remembered aluminum foil...but there was another wo...