T5+: Beautiful Work

Nestled in the mountains of northeast Arkansas sits a little chapel. If you don't know exactly how to get there, you're likely to miss it completely. But this chapel is anything but ordinary. Rising over 48 feet into the sky, it contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. The dream of retired schoolteacher Jim Reed and architect E. Fay Jones, Thorncrown Chapel first opened in 1980. Since then it has won numerous architectural awards, and it has been featured on the NBC Nightly News and in magazines such as Times and Newsweek. It has hosted over five million visitors, helping them find a deeper walk with the Lord and a greater understanding of the Scripture.

He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work (Exodus 35:35)

Building a chapel, or a temple, might not seem like the work of ministry to some. But God gifted specific individuals with the talent to create magnificent buildings with wood, stone, glass, and other materials. These were individuals He chose to build His tabernacle in the wilderness. You may not feel very gifted because perhaps you cannot sing or speak eloquently. But God has given you a very special talent to be used for Him. Your job is to discover and use that talent.

I believe God has given me talents to be friendly to others and to be welcoming to those who need welcoming. I believe that God's gifts of technical skills also provide me other ways to reach out to people.

Father, I thank you for your love for me and the gifts and talents that you have carefully bestowed me with. I pray that I may be able to use these talents to reach out to others and to build up your people. I thank you for all these things and I pray that I may multiply it for your kingdom. I pray all these in your Holy name.
Amen.