Lions, Tigers, Jaguars and Zebra roamed freely in Altoon, PA on March 28th at the South Central West Spring Celebration!  Sectional Women of Purpose Rep, Karen Maher, and her team of talented, creative women set the atmosphere for a day of fun and discovery.  Animal print ballons marked the path from registration to the meeting room in the Casino Restaurant. The room was well decorated with spring colors of animal print gift bags on each table while the dining area was surrounded by decorated tables and lifesize cardboard cutouts of a Lion, Gorilla and Tiger.  Animal sounds and the music of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” kept the theme going throughout the day.  As I walked into the restroom I felt pampered as animal print napkins were left for drying our hands and a large Cheetah shower curtain decorated the wall. Every detail had been thoroughly prepared down to the “stripe” gum and animal print tissue boxes.  All of these decorations were emphasizing our theme, “Uniquely His”.  Why the Jungle animals?  No two Zebra are striped exactly alike and neither are the Tigers.  Each animal is unique.  So are we as humans, uniquely and divinely designed to be “one-of-a-kind.”

Using the theme, I described the four different personalities using the different characteristics of the Zebra, Jaguar, Tiger and Lion.   As I read about each animal I was surprised how well they fit into one of the personalities.  I was pleased to discover that while the Lion is King of the Jungle he was not the Choleric Born Leader as others have described.  He sleeps twenty hours a day.   Most Cholerics I know sleep less than any other personality; its a waste of time.   To find out which personality fits each animal you’ll have to schedule me to speak.  Hmm…  In the afternoon I gave them a Personality Challenge to accept, embrace and Celebrate their Divinely Designed body and personality.

Thanks to the wonderful ladies of the South Central West Section in Pennsylvania for their kind invitation to speak.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them.   May you dare to step out of the boat of public opinion and into God’s view and Divine Design for you.

In 1983 I was going through a hormonal depression.  My goals had been thwarted by an unplanned pregnancy, life was no fun because I spent most of my day sick and at home. I felt like a mess.  I had spent most of my life comparing myself with others and usually came up “wanting.”  Too loud, too opinionated, cared too much, too bold, too intense,  and the list goes on. Too much or not enough of something.   It just seemed like there was something wrong with me.

 A lady in the church had just moved from California and she was going through a depression too.  She gave me the book Personality Plus signed by Florence Littauer.  As I read it I laughed and cried.  For the first time I realized that there wasn’t something wrong with me. I just wasn’t a Perfectly organized, scheduled, sensitive, quietly reserved Melancholy.  I definitely was not a calm, cool, collected Peaceful Phlegmatic.  I was a Choleric/Sanguine and it was okay to be me. 

 It was as if a weight had been lifted from my soul.  I wish I could say that I accepted my personality right away but I didn’t.  Cholerics are not popular.  It took me a few years but it started me on my journey to wholeness and my identity in Christ.

In 1987 I went through another depression but this one was not hormonal; it was a spiritual surgery.  I had stuffed the pain of abuse and was oblivious to the cloak of shame that shrouded my spirit and soul.  The surgery took a year of sitting at the feet of Jesus, searching the Word, worshipping at the piano, saying the name of Jesus.  I had lost my smile and didn’t know what was wrong with me but I was leaning on the Lord and underneath me were his everlasting arms. 

I soaked my mind and heart in Romans 3-8, Ephesians and Colossians.  One morning when I knelt to pray and journal I suddenly  “got it.”  The light bulb came on and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was “accepted in the beloved.”  Others may never accept me as a Choleric/Sanguine    but I am totally and unconditionally loved and accepted by the one who knows me best – my heavenly Father.  I never felt accepted by my own father so this was especially comforting to me.

Not long after that God supernaturally orchestrated a friend to ask me out to coffee.  It was a Phlegmatic friend who was very good at listening and being quiet.  I poured my heart out to her for forty five minutes. Then out of no where I started sharing about my abuse, the pain and the shame.  Freedom came almost immediately and has kept coming in waves of His grace. 

To make a long story short, knowing the personalities was a tool that opened my mind to know, accept and celebrate who I am.  Knowing my identity in Christ has defeated the giant of shame.  I’m no longer in a row boat, up the creek without a paddle but I’m a majestic Tall ship sailing the uncharted seas of life with confidence.  The ship’s keel is weighted with my knowledge of the Word, the Masts are lifted high by faith and are holding the sails of my identity in Christ.  The Holy Spirit blows on the sails empowering me to navigate the stormy, rough waters or calm breezes of life. 

I’m no longer tossed to and fro by the opinions of people –I’m anchored in the Word.  I’m a Powerful Choleric submitted to the control of the Holy Spirit and I’m a Popular Sanguine cheering others on to become all God has designed them to be – Uniquely His