Math and reason do not come easily to me. The numbers instantly become muddled in my brain, blending into one monumental mess. I am clumsy. I trip over stationary objects and spill cups and bowls like it's my job. And along with this, I become tongue-tied at the drop of a hat, with white-noise accompanying a blank, befuddled mind.

Perhaps you have felt clumsy, silly, unimportant, and dare I say, unintelligent? But where you may lack in say, math, science, music or the like, you more-than make up in another field.

This is where Howard Gardner's nine theories of intelligence come into play. In his 1983 book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligence, he discusses these various theories and talents of the mind. He shakes the old model that intellect is merely measured in terms of logic and mathematics, and introduces that humans are much more complex than this limiting idea.

1. Naturalist Intelligence ("Nature Smart")

You are the ones able to understand nature and all of its intricate weavings and small whispers. You possess the ability to discern each animal from its kind, each cloud that runs across the sky, and each secret sign of the earth. You are the hunters, gatherers, chefs, botanists and farmers. You are the ones who must constantly remind us to be beautiful stewards of a beautiful earth, as you are the ones that understand the power and wonder each sunrise brings.

Job 12:7-10 “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind."

2. Musical Intelligence (“Musical Smart”)

You are the ones that feel rhythm in your heart like breath within lungs. You have the innate ability to detect timbre, tone and pitch. You hum under your breath, tap your fingers to imaginary tunes and pick up on delicate sound that is easily lost on the common ear. You are connected, and emotionally invested in noises and notes. You are the ones that move crowds that point them to the Source of every melody under the sun.

Psalm 150:1-5 - "Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals."

3. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence ("Number/Reasoning Smart")

You are the clever ones, discerning fact from fiction in a heartbeat. You calculate, quantify and form hypotheses with a natural wit. You are the ones to connect, and to understand the inner-workings of a grand earth. You find the symmetry in a snowflake, the complexity of the atom, and know that our God is a God of order, with every pulse working perfectly in time.

Proverbs 1:1-33 - "The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, ..."

1 Corinthians 14:33 - "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints..."

4. Existential Intelligence ("Life Smart")

You are the ones with a sensitivity to life. You sit for hours pondering, wondering and questioning life and its many mysteries. Your mind is within the depths of the earth, connecting your existence with all things above and below. You are the philosophers, the writers and the dreamers.

1 Corinthians 2:7 - "but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory"

Colossians 2:2 - "that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself..."

5. Interpersonal Intelligence ("People Smart")

You are the ones to intuitively understand your brother. You understand each gesture, each intonation and each word uttered by him. You are the one to connect your heart to the world, to understand with empathy and passion each neighbor to cross your path. Interaction with another simply flows from you, as you communicate with both word and motion. You mediate, guide, counsel, encourage and understand the dire need for community.

1 Peter 4:8 - "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

Ephesians 4:29 - "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

6. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence ("Body Smart")

You are the graceful ones, with harmony that simply flows from mind to body. You maintain the ability to manipulate many objects. Your timing is perfect, your steps are flawless and your hands maintain distinct direction. You are dancers, surgeons, athletes and craftspeople, reminding of us a God that is purposeful in all that He does.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 - "A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance."

Psalm 30:11 - "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness..."

7. Linguistic Intelligence ("Word Smart")

You are the ones who express complexity with ease. You use words to your advantage in connecting theories and ideas wholly into sentences, paragraphs and novels. In words, you find order and meaning. Together through word, you share human experience and common ground. You know the deep power of spoken language. You are the novelists, poets, journalists and linguists of the earth.

Proverbs 16:24 - "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body."

Proverbs 18:21 - "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."

8. Intra-personal Intelligence ("Self Smart")

You are the ones to understand your own self wholly. You understand each emotion and thought, and trace it back to its origins. You are deeply aware of each action, and its ripple effect of those around you. You know that by understanding your own heart, you reach a deeper conclusion of the human experience. You are the leaders, psychologists and philosophers. You know a perfect place is held for you in this world.

Romans 12:3 "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned."

9. Spatial Intelligence ("Picture Smart")

You are the ones to dream, and think, in vivid dimension, color and feeling. Your mind is filled to the brim with mental imagery and vast imagination. Image manipulation and artistic talent come effortlessly from you. Your creativity has no limits. You are painters, sculptors, pilots, architects and sailors.

Exodus 35:35 - "He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer."

Isaiah 64:8 - "But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand."

Never feel as if you are out of place, out of line, with God's grand commandment over your life. Each talent alludes to the greater power of Christ. You have been gifted for glorious work, and your intelligence, your mind and your power, have been ordained by the Creator of every living organism under our sun.