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

Thank you Mark R. Seaholm 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:

46%

68%

78%

84%

81%

56%

62%

62%

71%

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:
God has blessed me with the desire to provide for others according to their needs. I’m not saying that I’m “rolling in the dough”, but there are other ways of giving: time, living space, etc. Besides, it’s a mandate: “Give to anyone who asks.”

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
As someone who has experienced his share of abuses and issues, I can sympathize with others suffering from issues of their own. Sometimes, however, I believe that mercy needs to be firm, as in “tough love.” Jesus himself didn’t hold back. “Get behind me, Satan!”

This gift’s evident in my life in the following ways:
I work with individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, so I am accustomed to being encouraging. I may not agree that it is a gift, per se, but something that I’m used to and, possibly, skilled at.

[H]eart

1. I believe that my biggest gift from God is creativity. This can be anything from assisting a co-worker with building a shed, to doing anything in the visual, written and performing arts. I would love to be involved in music in some fashion (I can carry a tune!) and I have written and acted in skits in the past. I once led worship for a tiny, inner city church, back in the days when we put the lyrics on the wall with an overhead projector. I am currently writing a novel, and enjoy writing so much that I wish it were my job! Although it is not overtly a Christian novel (it is not my desire to preach to the choir), my intention is to glorify God and convict others of certain issues in our culture. I have experience in the stained glass industry, in design, construction, retail sales of supplies and in teaching the craft.

2. I delight in seeing others delight in something. I can’t think of an example at the moment, but seeing someone smile spontaneously over something is a treasure!

3. As mentioned above, I enjoyed teaching stained glass classes, in a local adult education venue. I did this for thirty years. It is probably my favorite job. I have taught Sunday school in the past (before it was called children’s church) and I taught in my local school system as a substitute teacher for a few months. I traveled to Kenya on a short-term missions trip and did a few skits for and with the kids at an orphanage there. Again, this all harkens back to “creativity”.

For the past six years, I have worked with the intellectually disabled (formerly known as mentally retarded). I doubt that this is the answer that you’re looking for, but it is very gratifying to work with some of these special people. I have also recently taken great delight in discovering and getting to know new brothers and sisters in Christ!

Providing for the poor and needy, be they in our church or outside our church, would seem important to me. Attending to people’s physical needs could certainly lead into – or go hand-in-hand with – attending to their spiritual needs. iI also feel that educating people of all ages is important.

Abortion/sanctity of Life
Compulsive behavior
Disabilities

[A]bilities

As mentioned above, I work for the intellectually and physically handicapped in a day-hab facility.

I worked in the stained glass industry for twenty-five years, also concurrently teaching the craft at a local junior college for thirty years. I worked for four years at a garden center, in a retail capacity.

I believe that God has gifted me with the ability to express ideas through writing. Also, I was an art major in college, so I have certain talents/skills in the visual arts. I love to sing and have some experience with choirs. I’ve signed up for guitar lessons that will start soon. I’ve performed minor rolls in skits and movies. I can swing a hammer and pound a nail. I can drive a 15-passenger van. I am good with interacting with children.

Stained glass, glass etching, glass bead making

I feel that I am pretty good at getting along with others, regardless of their background or age. I am conscious of propriety, manners and feelings, for the most part. I’m not saying that I’m perfect at it, but, in as much as it is within my power, I try to get along with everyone.

[P]ersonality

50-50 Extrovert/Reserved

Low Risk

Peace Maker

50-50 People/Project Driven

50-50 Follower/Leader

Team

50-50 Routine/Variety

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

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

Beaver- Organized. Beavers think that there is a right way to do everything and they want to do it exactly that way. Beaver personalities are very creative. They desire to solve everything. Desire to take their time and do it right. Beavers do not like sudden changes. They need reassurance.

Strength: High standards, order, respect
Weakness: Unrealistic expectations of self & others, too perfect.
Limitation: Seeing the optimistic side of things, expressing flexibility

[E]xperience

After my divorce, I sought counselling through my doctor in a couple of support groups, based on the “twelve steps” of AA, etc. I had gone to church since birth, but did not have a relationship with Christ. I wasn’t even sure I believed in God, when it came down to it. When I learned that twelve-step support groups spoke of a “higher power”, I thought, “Are you kidding me?!” I was looking for a scientific or even social solution to my problems, and here are these people talking of God?! I rolled my eyes, but went with it. After a friend in one of these groups suggested we check out a new church, supposedly full of pretty women, I went to check it out. What I found there was Christ. I finally found real people, my age, who were in love with Jesus and treated me like they really were interested in me. Long story short, I accepted Christ as my savior on October 8, 1995 and was baptized the following summer. It has been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t give it up for the world! Thank you, Jesus, for all you’ve done!!

House of God Mission, Davenport, IA, 1990’s (disbanded), worship leader (cassette tapes and overhead projector), deacon (I was the only adult male member; female pastor), Sunday school teacher, maintenance man, custodian, driver of kids to church. This sounds more impressive than it is. Four adults and twelve kids was considered a really good turnout.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Silvis, IL, early 2000’s, deacon, choir member, usher, Sunday school teacher, drama team.

New Life Fellowship, Moline, IL, 2005(?) – 2011, choir, usher, turned down nomination for deacon, drama team. Harvest Bible Chapel, Davenport, IA, 2011 – present. Rock Island Bible Church (church plant from Harvest), beginning 2017/18, start up team, core team.

God has blessed me in so many ways, although I deserve none of it. I have a wife that loves me, kids and grandkids. I don’t have a great job, but I have a job. I’ve experienced healing from both frozen shoulder and rotator cuff issues. My life is full of blessings too numerous to mention.

Recently, I’ve been touched, seemingly for the first time, by the fact that I have brothers and sisters in Christ right in my own back yard, so to speak, and, for that matter, all over the world! I don’t know why this fact has eluded me thus far, but it is for some reason just beginning to sink in. I meet a fellow Christian – at work or at an event – and feel like I’ve gained a family member that I didn’t know existed! It is an amazing blessing!

The story is too long to get into here, but my wife and I had an amazing experience when buying a car a few years ago. We looked at a car and the price on the window, decided on a counter offer and prayed, giving it to God. At first they dealership turned us down flat, countering themselves. We explained that, although they may not understand, we had given it to God, and couldn’t go back on it. We thanked them for their time and went on our way. They called two days later with a counter offer that was only $187.00 over our offer. My wife called me at work excitedly and asked if that was close enough. I reminded her of our commitment, having given it to God, and she called the dealership to turn them down. About five minutes later, the dealership called back and asked when we wanted to pick up the car! They had come down to our price! We were leaving on a vacation in two days, so we picked up the new car the next day and had a new car for our trip! It may sound ludicrous, but when you’re right in the middle of a “God Thing”, you know it!

I believe that I was raised in a Christian home, but I was verbally abused, belittled, and made to feel worthless. This has shaped my self esteem and self confidence profoundly. I am learning to embrace and used what circumstances have molded me, although unconventional by the world’s standards, to make a difference in my life, and hopefully in the lives of others. It’s a work in progress.

A few years ago, I began to have panic attacks while driving, especially on highways and near semis. It is unclear what brought this on: the onset of type 2 diabetes was one explanation. PTSD from a minor fender bender while driving in a snowstorm was another possible explanation. Whatever the reason, I became terrified of driving on interstate highways, especially on the interstate bridge I crossed every day to go to work. The fear was crippling. I’d been driving for forty years. I’d crossed that bridge a thousand times and never had a problem like this before. After a while, I was healed of this issue. Things began to return to normal. But at the same time, I learned from talking with others that quite a few people had fears when driving on that bridge. It is quite high in the air, above the Mississippi River. One woman I’d talked to couldn’t even bear to drive over it at all. Realizing this fact, I now have compassion when I see the driver crossing that bridge who is driving much slower than the rest of the traffic flow. I get it now. They’re scared. Others zoom by them, but I give them space. I pray for them. I’ve been there. And when I pray, I also thank God that, although I’ve been healed, I haven’t forgotten what it was like, and that I can turn that memory into compassion for those that are struggling.

I am responsible for two abortions. This is a negative experience in the sense that it is something that I have to live with every day that will never go away. I cannot undo it. I have dealt with it with God. I may be guilty of blood, but I am washed in HIS blood. I know I’m forgiven by God. I just have trouble forgiving myself. I now vote almost solely based on this issue. I have gone to several candlelight vigils at a local pregnancy center on the anniversary of Rowe vs. Wade. These are understandably attended mostly by women, but I still feel compelled to attend as well. The last one I attended had several video segments presented, one of which showed three men who had be responsible for abortions. It touched my heart that the pain of the men involved was being addressed also. After discussing the issue with a sister in Christ at work, she revealed to me that her husband is involved in counselling post-abortive men. It is now my desire to counsel men as well, and I am in dialogue with my coworker to connect me with her husband for training. There have been some roadblocks, but I will not give up!

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. Having health issues for some time, one thing I have always dreamed of being able to do, is I would like to be able to do is provide hospitals and clinics with diagnostic equipment specifially so that they can easily, efficiently and quickly diagnose medical issues for anyone in need.

4. I would like to be able to provide a safe haven for various groups of people in need: a home for pregnant women as an alternative to abortion, a home for abused women / children where they are safe from their abusers, a better place for refugees to be housed other than being placed in the worst parts of town. Related to the ‘safe haven’ subject: I would like to start a chain of gas station / convenience stores called “Safe Stop” where there is no alcohol, no tobacco, no lottery and no pornography sold. A place where one is safe from these temptations that prey upon the week.

5. This is my selfish one: To have my novel published and turned into a movie, so that many people will read/see it and that ultimately God would be glorified by the turning of many from their sins.