It seems these days we are all taking about shape in one way or another. We cannot possibly watch TV, grab some munchies from a fast food drive-through, or maneuver a cart down the aisle of a grocery store without thinking about shape and the notion that low-carb eating might be the ticket to a leaner you.

It’s the new shape of the diet industry and a whole lot of us are giving it a try because we are packing on the pounds, much to our own chagrin. New government figures show that almost one in three American adults is obese and well over half are overweight. An alarming number of kids, even toddlers, are packing on too many pounds as well. This is because we live in a state of hurry most all the time. We grab and go. We want our food quick and easy. We decide there is no time to purchase lean meats and fresh veggies that must be washed, chopped, and prepared. We cannot imagine dirtying up pans and setting dinner tables. There are sports events to attend and e-mails to answer.

But I, like so many others, now live with the legacy of such choices. Good things are happening when we decide to serve others. But too many of us are expanding in the process. As I observe what my coworkers are now eating for lunch, I see change around the table. There are bottles of low carb dressing and salads mounded high on paper plates. Breads, baked potatoes, pastas, and rice dishes are on the decline. These days we share apple slices and snack on each other’s selections of nuts and sliced vegetables.

Best of all, we celebrate when we observe change. With diligence and the reorganizing of one’s time (meaning more time chopping, stirring, and exercising!) the jeans that have been hanging in the closet are beginning to fit once again. The bounce in our steps is reappearing because there is a renewed sense of accomplishment. There is also the growing hope that hiding behind baggy clothing and saying no to certain activities will be less frequent choices as the weight comes off.

Rick Warren, author of the best-selling book, “The Purpose Driven Life, “also talks about shape. In fact, he uses the acronym SHAPE to explain our uniqueness as individuals. He contends that God has individually shaped each one of us for service, giving us spiritual gifts, heart (desires, hopes, and dreams), abilities, personality, and experiences. All this is to be used to serve the people of this world and to honor Him.

During the last few weeks we have been breaking down this acronym and today we cannot close out this topic without a nod to experience, the “E” in SHAPE. We have been shaped by the experiences of our lives and like them or not, God has allowed these experiences for His own purposes. He sees our lives in totality. He knows if we make use of our experiences, we will become amazingly effective as we serve others.

So what kinds of experiences are we talking about? There are six. It is time to take inventory.

The first experiences fall under the heading of education. What schooling and training have you had?

The second are family experiences. What was your childhood like? What legacies do you bring into your adult life?

The third are vocational experiences. What kind of jobs have you chosen? Which ones did you most enjoy and why? What did your choices reveal about you?

The fourth can be termed “ministry” experiences. Have you served God and the people around you? What have you done?

The fifth are spiritual experiences. What kinds of situations have drawn you close to God?

The sixth are painful experiences. Oh yes–those experiences that brought tears and stress and frustrations into your life. What have you learned from those trials and traumas?

It is perhaps the painful experiences of our lives that may be the most revealing. This is because there are no lives lived that do not include trauma and a certain degree of suffering. When we look at our lists and work down to those painful experiences, it becomes quite apparent that this is when our own choices play strongly into the story. While we often feel powerless when facing the painful moments of our lives, we certainly have power when it comes to responding to our pain. We can choose to connect with people and God himself or we can choose to suffer in isolation and bitterness.

Understanding your unique SHAPE and boldly expressing all that you are has the power to reshape your life. Asking God to draw near, to encourage and guide you can be the beginning of an amazing adventure.

Let’s go!

Freelance writer Joan Bay Klope’s e-mail address is jbklope@hotmail.com.