A special thanks to Brooke Sellers who so graciouslly answered my call to create a superhero.  Not to be outdone, I have given my superhero a face as well, using this FUN, if a little time-consuming contraption.  So anyway, below is a splash panel of what the first page of the comic (that my imaginary hero might inhabit) would look like:

My Gifts and Abilities: 

In order to more adequately discover my personal sweet spot, this is some information about myself that I’ve compiled.  A blog friend of mine, Billy Chia got me thinking about this the other day while I was reading his post about finding your sweet spot.  After taking a pretty hefty, honest personal evaluation, this is what I came up with:

I.) Gifts of the Spirit operating in my life as they relate to 1 Corinthians 9 (for the edification of the church):

1.) Word of Knowledge

2.) Word of Wisdom

3.) Discernment of Spirits

II.) Natural abilities I possess (strengths):

1.)    Deductive reasoning (problem solving, coming to reasonable conclusions based on given fact)

2.)    Teaching/ Communication (clearly, concisely, and accurately presenting information (speaking, visually, or writing) in a way that is engaging, enjoyable, and memorable.)

3.)    Hospitality (making a person feel welcomed, enjoyed, and engaged in unfamiliar settings.)

4.)    Networking (connecting with like-minded people and forming a mutually beneficial relationship based on shared interests and convictions.)

5.)    Musicality [derived on a scale of one to ten] (singing: 7, piano: 6, arranging/band direction: 7)

6.)    Leadership (the ability to provide oversight, motivation, and development to a group of individuals)

7.)    Discipleship (helping other Christians to develop spiritually, making right decisions, taking risks, and stepping into their calling.)

8.)    Flexibility (processing spontaneous situations and responding in a favorable manner.  While I’d prefer to have time to prepare or operate in a process with pre-known parameters, I have no problem with thinking on my feet and applying those thoughts into action.)

III.)  Natural abilities I lack (weaknesses):

1.)    Administration:  I have difficulties with some of the more managerial and organizational aspects of day-to-day tasks.

2.)    Multi-tasking:  I tend to have a one-track mind.  Whatever gets on my mind to do, I ruthlessly pursue until completion, sometimes ignoring other things that need my attention.

3.)    Aggressive initiative:  I’m a pretty laid-back person, and I have difficulty taking the aggressive approach when it comes to dealing with people and situations.  I’m more likely to take things at a slower pace.

4.)    Active perception:  (aka: reading between the lines)  I’m not good at catching “intended meanings” in words, drawing conclusions from actions, or working out what a person is thinking.  In short, I need a clear communication of wants or needs from people.  I don’t know, a lot of times, things I “should know without saying.”  I need things communicated in a clear, unambiguous manner.

5.)    Patience:  I’m not naturally patient.  I’m liable to rush things, be anxious about things, and expect things to happen sooner than they should.  I’m not good with waiting, either.  I hate surprises.

6.)    Organization:  I am not an organized person.  I have a general idea of how I want things to happen in my head, but I am not an organized person.  My workspace will be cluttered more often than not, and I will occasionally lose things.

   Personality Type:

The Teacher Idealist (ENFJ)

(emphasis added with highlights)

The Idealists called Teachers are abstract in their thought and speech, cooperative in their style of achieving goals, and directive and extraverted in their interpersonal relations. Learning in the young has to be beckoned forth, teased out from its hiding place, or, as suggested by the word “education,” it has to be “educed.” by an individual with educative capabilities. Such a one is the ENFJ, thus rightly called the educative mentor or Teacher for short. The Teacher is especially capable of educing or calling forth those inner potentials each learner possesses. Even as children the Teachers may attract a gathering of other children ready to follow their lead in play or work. And they lead without seeming to do so.

Teachers expect the very best of those around them, and this expectation, usually expressed as enthusiastic encouragement, motivates action in others and the desire to live up to their expectations. Teachers have the charming characteristic of taking for granted that their expectations will be met, their implicit commands obeyed, never doubting that people will want to do what they suggest. And, more often than not, people do, because this type has extraordinary charisma.

 The Teachers are found in no more than 2 or 3 percent of the population. They like to have things settled and arranged. They prefer to plan both work and social engagements ahead of time and tend to be absolutely reliable in honoring these commitments. At the same time, Teachers are very much at home in complex situations which require the juggling of much data with little pre-planning. An experienced Teacher group leader can dream up, effortlessly, and almost endlessly, activities for groups to engage in, and stimulating roles for members of the group to play. In some Teachers, inspired by the responsiveness of their students or followers, this can amount to genius which other types find hard to emulate. Such ability to preside without planning reminds us somewhat of an Provider, but the latter acts more as a master of ceremonies than as a leader of groups. Providers are natural hosts and hostesses, making sure that each guest is well looked after at social gatherings, or that the right things are expressed on traditional occasions, such as weddings, funerals, graduations, and the like. In much the same way, Teachers value harmonious human relations about all else, can handle people with charm and concern, and are usually popular wherever they are. But Teachers are not so much social as educational leaders, interested primarily in the personal growth and development of others, and less in attending to their social needs.

There are two video links in this post (because I can’t figure out how to embed them).  Watch the first one until the guy starts to sing (his singing’s kind of rough because he’s so emtional.  When he starts to sing, stop the first one and start the second one.  It’s the same song, just different artists.  I’m including the lyrics at the bottom of the page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chx6s3qXKt4 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWnvBM40xxw

Verse 1:

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane

I am a tree bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.

When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory.

I realize just how beautiful you are and how great your affections are for me.

Chorus 1:

Oh, how he loves us so.

Oh, how he loves us.

How he loves us so.

Verse 2:

We are his portion, he is our prize,

Drawn to redemption by the grace in his eyes.

If grace is an ocean, then we’re all sinking,

And heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,

And my heart turns violently inside of my chest.

I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about

the way…

Chorus 2:

He loves us!

Oh, how he loves us!

He loves us!

Oh, how he loves us!

(C) John Mark McMillan