About the Gift Circle
Please Refer to chapter 4 of The Spiritual Gifts Blueprint
The Gift circle is referred to in chapter 4 of the Spiritual Gifts Blueprint. In that chapter there is a black and white Gift Circle but colors are referred to, as is this web site.
It has been tested over 250 times with amazing results. "I know my gifting. Who knew it could be so easy?!" is the comment of so many.
While the Gift Circle is not specifically in scripture, the Gift Circle is derived from three scriptures describing spiritual gifts and manifestations: 1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, and Romans 12:3-8. By combining the principles articulated in these verses, and paying close attention to the wording, every facet of the gift circle emerges.
Like the seven main colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV) describe a billion variations of color, the seven charisma gifts mentioned by Paul in Romans can be considered the "primary colors" of God's grace gifts to us. There are no lines separating the actual gifts. They simply merge into one another, and each charisma gift is influenced by those on either side.
We each occupy a primary "arc" in the circle that can be part of two adjacent gifts. That is our home base. We can visit other places when the occation demands, but we "live" within our arc. And that arc influences how we see things, our motivation in any situation, and decisions we make during our lifetime concerning the purposes and plans of God for us.
Please refer to chapter 4 of the book to walk through the steps in finding your own arc in the circle. Generally there are three: am I primarily speaking or serving, if speaking or if serving, which of the three might predominate in my life?
About Me
Andy Reese is a thankful follower of God, husband, father of four, grandfather, ex-military officer, engineer, writer, and serial idea entrepreneur. From Minnesota, he is a graduate of Cornell University in Ithaca NY (civil engineering), with master’s degrees from Colorado State (water engineering), and Boston University (business).
He is well known leader in rainwater management and sustainable design having co-authored a standard textbook in the field (Municipal Stormwater Management, Lewis Pub. 2nd ed.), taught at Vanderbilt, Lipscomb, and Williamson Universities, given many national and international keynote addresses, and worked in every state and several countries.
In ministry, he has a long history as a church leader and minister in inner healing and freedom. He is the Co-author of a book (Freedom Tools, Chosen Books, 2nd ed.) and co-founder of a non-profit ministry (Freedom Prayer) that seeks to help bring greater freedom and spiritual vitality to believers. This book’s simple, God-led and biblical approach is used in a fast-growing number of churches in the USA and in many countries; and it has been published in several languages.
He is also the author of The Spiritual Gifts Blueprint and The Spiritual Gifts Blueprint Study Guide (Chosen Books, 2023) which focus on moving beyond freedom to purpose. It has been tested in hundreds of situations and has been found effective in helping people tio easily find their gifting, connect with God, and move into a more fulfilling and purposeful life.
Andy has also developed a number of projects over the years including:
Bleats – “Too short for a blog. Too long for a tweet. One sheep to another.” Bleats consists of hundreds of short and sometimes edgy observations on God and life, and which exists on Facebook and in two self-published books available on Amazon (Bleats & Bleats 365);
Magi - a compelling and science-based presentation of the Star of Bethlehem with 115,000 YouTube views;
Growing Up On Purpose – a discipleship in the Spirit program taught to students at Belmont College years ago;
and several other projects - some of which are summarized below.
Freedom Tools
Freedom Tools is the instruction guide for the ministry of Freedom Prayer (www.freedomprayer.org) which is a multi-national non-profit organization whose goal is to freely train, provide assistance, and coach an effective inner healing approach called Freedom Prayer; that is biblical, practical, God-connecting and transformative. It is growing rapidly around the world and is offered free of charge to any church or organization wishing to better equip their leaders and themselves to help others overcome the limiting effects of wounding, entanglements, sin, and ungodly beliefs and to thrive in their Christian walks and purposes.
Freedom Prayer can serve as an "on ramp" for The Spiritual Gifts Blueprint in that it provides significant freedom from the things that limit and constrain a person's growth into the plan of God fior them. Contact Freedom Prayer at the admin@freedomprayer.org.
Magi
Magi is both a story and a ministry begun by Andy Reese many years ago when he was confronted by a cartoonish Magi billboard placed by the American Athiest Association at the Lincoln tunnel proclaiming that "You know the Magi story is a myth. This season celebrate reason." Andy began a years-long effort to prove the story could have happened exactly as written in scripture.
He produced a two popular YouTube videos with over 130,000 views which provide an "airtight" description of how the historical, cultural, astronomical, religious, and timing/geography of the story could have happened exactly as stated. the story, as further developed, also provides surprising reasons why the story itself had to ahve happened.
Andy is available to speak on the subject any time of year by contacting him at andy@andyreese.org.
Bleats
Andy is a prolific and daily writer on his Facebook page of a blog called "Bleats" (Too short for a blog. too long for a tweet... BLEATs). A collection of 366 of his best are available on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bleats-365-short-tweet-another/dp/0692593705.
Here are a couple recent examples:
Satan's Tools
So... Satan seems to have two main tools in Revelation 12: deception and accusation. Men seem to have two main weaknesses: sinfulness and the ability to be shamed.
Bloody good match.
God has one elegant solution.
In Rom 6 sin in the flesh is the slave owner and we are the slaves. The slave owner is not going anywhere so God kills us. The temptation remains but has no one to tempt. Free!!
In Rom 7 the Law is our perfect and demanding husband we are the imperfect shamed wife. The law is not going anywhere so God kills us. The accusation remains - but has no place to land. Free!!
Get the picture? His plan is not to strengthen what was, but to kill it and resurrect what we are to be... free!!
As a friend told me, "I just see it this way. When tempted or shamed I just say to him - 'There is the old me over there in the coffin. Have at it.'"
Same old tormentors - new immune me, beyond the grave and of their reach... free at last, free at last, thank God almighty I am free at last!
Passing Too Soon
So... I can't tell you I know why it happens that someone passes from this earth before I am ready for them to.
And I can't tell you I like it.
But I can say that God is a far better chess player than His opponent and at the end of the game, when He calls "checkmate,” all His light pieces will be found placed with love in a velvet bag on a silver cord hung close to His heart.
And darkness vanquished.
All.
Staying Connected
I keep an active Facebook Page on which I write daily musings on life and God and respond to comments and requests through Facebook Messenger, or messaging on this site.
You can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/andyreese.1953