S.H.A.P.E. Assessment Results

Thank you Barbara Smith for taking the SHAPE Assessment. We encourage you to meet with a Church Leader that you respect, to go over your results, so that they can help you discover a place to serve in the church and/or community, and also to help you fine-tune your 5 Main Focuses/Priorities listed at the bottom of this email under the ‘Wrapping it up’ section. May God Bless You!

[S]piritual Gifts

Here is how your spiritual gifts scored:

15%

50%

43%

21%

21%

43%

15%

40%

68%

To see descriptions on the Spiritual Gifts and how you can use them to further Christ’s Kingdom on earth, visit this link.

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
I enjoy helping others know Jesus/God as I do; helping them learn that they can trust Him, lean on Him, know that He cares for them makes me feel worthwhile.

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
I’m not altogether sure I do have this gift. I can speak my faith, and I often do, but not in front of a bunch of unbelievers, unless Facebook counts.

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
Encouraging people is fun. Watching them light up, smile, be able to do something that they once thought they couldn’t, well, that makes everything worthwhile.

[H]eart

1. Spend time with my family

2. Read books, and write.

3. Crochet

People my age, my family, people who have a good outlook on life

I like to present things in a way that makes people feel good about themselves. So I like drama/ public speaking. It’s why I like to speak to a group, because I can help people feel good about their relationship with Jesus/God.

Abortion/sanctity of Life
Marriage/family issues
At-risk children

[A]bilities

I teach University Library Research at the University of Central Missouri.

teaching college level English composition; postmaster; librarian; journalism/reporter; retail; substitute teaching, all ages

I have excellent verbal and written English skills.

English composition; University Library Research; the Bible; Women’s Bible studies;

Public speaking and my sense of humor

[P]ersonality

Extrovert

50-50 High/Low Risk

Peace Maker

People Driven

50-50 Follower/Leader

Team

Variety

Your Primary was ‘The Otter’, with your Secondary coming in as ‘The Retriever’, and here are the descriptions of your Personalities, and how they can be used for God

Otter- Otters are very social creature. Otter personalities love people. They enjoys being popular and influencing and motivating others. Otter can sometimes be hurt when people do not like them. Otter personalities usually have lots of friends, but not deep relationships. They love to goof-off. (They are notorious for messy rooms.) Otters like to hurry and finish jobs. (Jobs are not often done well.) The otter personality is like Tigger in Winnie The Pooh.

Strength: People person, open, positive
Weakness: Talks too much, too permissive
Limitation: Remembering past commitments, follow through with discipline

Golden Retriever- Good at making friends. Very loyal. Retriever personalities do not like big changes. They look for security. Can be very sensitive. Very caring. Has deep relationships, but usually only a couple of close friends. Wants to be loved by everyone. Looks for appreciation. Works best in a limited situation with a steady work pattern.

Strength: Accommodating, calm, affirming
Weakness: Indecisive, indifferent, unable to express emotional, too soft on other people
Limitation: Seeing the need to be more assertive, holding others accountable

[E]xperience

I was raised in the church, was confirmed and baptized in the Presbyterian Church when I was 12. I did it because I was supposed to. I became a true Christian sitting in my car at college the week after my dad had a major stroke. I’d read CS Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, and I had prayed, earlier in the week for God’s proof that he was really there and that he cared. During that week, I “felt” God with me in pretty much every aspect of my life. I looked out over the campus, while I was sitting in the car, and spoke the words of faith out loud to God. Then I went to church and recommitted my life to God. I was 20 years old.

Camden Point Baptist Church, Camden Point, MO, VBS leader 2 years; VBS worker, MANY years; Women’s Bible Study leader, MANY years; Sunday School teacher, pre school 2 years, high school 1 year, 3-4 grade 1 year; bulletin writer/editor, several years

Gashland United Methodist, Gladstone, MO VBS teacher 2 years; preschool 4 year olds, 2 years;

Being adopted when I was almost four had a huge impact on who I am today. I don’t think I’d even be a Christian, if I hadn’t been adopted away from my birth family. (Since I’ve met my birth family, I feel quite assured that this is correct.) My adopted parents were/are Christian, and they brought me up knowing the Lord.

Knowing my dad’s mom, my grandmother, getting to spend time with her also had a huge impact on who I am today. Clara Briggs was a strong woman who called me her “one and only” and always treated me like I was a special person. She was also a Christian, and I try to treat my granddaughters now the way she treated me, like they are special and a treat to be around.

My dad is the person who made the biggest impact on me. He is the one person in my life who exemplified the words “unconditional love.” No matter what I did, he still loved me. Sure I got consequences, but I knew he loved me and wanted the best for me.

The foster care experiences I had before I was adopted, though I was very young, I can still remember, and they left me with security issues that I struggle with today. I have difficulty trusting people with the real me. I abhor change, and I don’t really believe people will come back when they leave, even my husband. I’m still surprised, even after 30 years, to see him walk through the door when he returns after a business trip. These experiences give me great compassion for other children who are in foster care, or who have no sameness in their lives.

My dad’s death 20 years ago, almost did me in emotionally. He did what he always promised me he wouldn’t, he left me. (Though I know it wasn’t his choice.) This gives me empathy for those who have lost people whom they love.

My brother leaving the family, and my mom’s dementia. Both of these things have shaken my family unit, which is the core of my identity. My brother left in conflict with my mom, so we don’t talk anymore. My mom is swept with paranoia and anger at the disease that is destroying her memory, and is taking her fear and anger out on me. Both these things help me feel for people who are going through broken relationships and debilitating diseases.

Wrapping It Up

The Challenge: Based upon your S.H.A.P.E. Assessment above (the way God wired you), If you knew you couldn’t fail … and ‘lack of money, or time’ was not an obstacle… list your Top 3 Things you would ‘Focus’ your Life on, next to #1 Loving God & #2 Loving Your Neighbor (these would be your ‘3 God-Sized Dreams’ for your life)?

1. My Relationship with GOD

2. My Relationship with Others

• Putting Your Spouse First
• Your Kids Second
• Everyone Else After those

3. I would finish my book, and go on tour helping other people to realize that God has a plan in their lives as he had in mine, by letting me find my birth parents.

4. I want to be a part of my grandchildren’s lives and teach them about God’s love for them.

5. I want to speak about my testimony, like with the Women of Faith, bringing the hope of God to women just like me.