Have you ever met a person that wastes nothing? They seem to have an idea for everything. They use what most people see as trash for compost, or crafts. They use every part of the chicken. The meat to eat, the carcass to make broth, and even the fat from the skin to add to mashed potatoes to flavor them. God is great at using things in our lives that we think might be a waste or just a side detail. He wastes nothing of our knowledge, skills or past experiences if we are willing to give Him all that we are.
My family has joined the boots on the ground IMM team a little over 6 weeks ago, and we have already used some talents we didn't really even know we had, or at least didn't realize were talents. The first few days we were here, it was noticed that my husband had carving tools. He picked up whittling a few years ago, as just a side hobby, never even thinking that this talent could one day be used for God's glory and yet, he has already been able to hand carve a prop that will be used in the Heritage project.
I grew up as a missionary kid in a French speaking country. I used to watch a Christian puppet show that I had only forgotten about until we were getting the tour of IMM, and I saw the box on the shelf. IMM had produced this children's series in French years ago, and I had shared it with some of my African friends when I was young. Just a week ago I was able to use my french to email an African Christian who was requesting these very children's shows.
It's the things that we never thought we would use that make us in awe of what God can do, and what he has planned before we even know it. As small as these things are, God cares about the details and will make his name famous in all parts of the earth.
1 Peter 4:10-11
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."