Values

Values represent who I am. It is the foundation and conviction of everything I do in my life. I believe that without values, we would have no direction. Therefore, if I were to choose to 5 values that are most important to me, it would be these:

Compassion

People say that my name matches me perfectly. I believe that being compassionate towards those who are in pain, hurt, and sharing in their sufferings is something that God calls us to do. I value compassion because without it, I cannot minister to people well. In Colossians 3:12, it says, "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." I must have that Christ like heart to simply love those who are hard to love and empathize with those who are suffering. I believe that simply showing compassion, people can come to see God's love and grace for them.

Authenticity

I strongly value phrases like "be yourself" and "come as you are." I love seeing people for who they are. Often times, especially when it comes to ministry, it's so hard to just be real and authentic. For me personally, involved in so many ministries and having leadership position, it can be hard to just show how I'm feeling. However, I learn that when I take that first step to be real and authentic, others will follow too. It becomes a chain reaction. I believe that authenticity brings people closer together. It makes us love one another and accept each other as we are. It is such a beautiful picture of loving one another as Christ loves us.

Humility

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16, NIV). True humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. Jesus is the prime example of one who exemplified humility to the point of death. He came to earth and became the lowest of low. He did the extreme of eating with and loving on those who were outcast. I value humility because it allows for me to see the bigger picture and purpose in life. We can love and serve well. Humility leads us to go far beyond because when we humble ourselves, we are allowing for the Spirit to work in us and recognizing that everything comes from Him.

Commitment

Especially when it comes to ministry, commitment is something I value most. Commitment is not easy and many people have the heart but are not willing to commit. Commitment means sacrificing time and effort in order to do something. It is prioritizing what is important. I believe that without commitment, there is no purpose or destination. It will be so easy to get side tracked and off course. Therefore, I believe commitment is key. It is having the attitude to keep going and keep showing up.

Faith

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."(Hebrews 11:1) Above all, everything comes down to faith. Do we still believe? What we have faith in and what we believe will shape every action, decision, and choices we make. Therefore, it is important to be rooted in the Word of God because it is from there we find knowledge and our faith can be made stronger. Faith allows for us to believe in the impossible and gives us courage to do it, knowing that God is at work in us. It is truly in believing that anything is possible through God.

tags: #values, #compassion, #authenticity, #humility, #commitment, #faith