The world has gone through a lot over the last few years, yet God’s hand has been at work. I’m excited about what he is doing in the lives of people I’m connected to and in your life, too. As we begin a new year, I want to encourage you with a word I felt the Lord lay on my heart several months ago.

In Judges 6, the Lord had given Israel over to the Midianites for seven years as a result of their disobedience. Throughout this time, the Midianites would come to steal all their crops, take their belongings, and oppress them in every way.

Maybe you’re familiar with this part of the story: a man named Gideon was hiding in a wine press. He was threshing his wheat in hiding in order to conceal it from the Midianites.

It was in this scene that an angel appeared to Gideon and called him out to lead an army against the Midianites, saying, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12).

Gideon was reluctant to respond at first, but he discovered through obedience to God’s assignment that the gift of courageous leadership was inside of him.

The point here is not the miraculous victory for God’s people (although they did defeat the Midianites in God’s strength with an army of only 300 men!). What I want you to catch is this: Gideon did not know that he had a gift of leadership inside of him. He discovered it when God called him and deployed him into an assignment He had prepared for him.

In his deployment, Gideon discovered and developed a gifting that was hidden inside him. Gideon discovered he was created for more!

What is hidden in you? What giftings, abilities, and desires are inside of you that you’ve allowed to lie dormant? Are you hiding?

Like Gideon, God has created you for more, and he’s calling it out of you as a new year begins. If you have breath in your lungs, there is more of you that God wants to use in and for his Kingdom!

“For you are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that you should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). I made this personal to you!

First, you are His! You are His child and His creation, uniquely made for a purpose. He not only created you, but He purchased you with the sacrifice of His Son. You are literally His. This should never get old!

Second, you are also his workmanship! Created with a special purpose in mind! If you are His, then you are who He says you are!

All your giftings, personality, strengths and talents were put in you for a purpose. How might God use all this, plus your life experiences, to help benefit others?

Just like Gideon, no matter what season of life you are in, I believe God still wants to use you to accomplish more.

My prayer is that you would have a deeper personal revelation of these truths in 2023!