ISFJ

Yes, that is my personality type according to some people named Myers & Briggs.

These kinds of personality types in addition to Gallup's StrengthsFinders strengths tend to come up a lot in conversation. I think about it a lot because it really does explain so much of why we respond to things the way we do. The Myers-Briggs personality types came up in conversation between Michelle, Gary, and me, and so we decided to look them up to see what they said.

Now I understand that these "personality tests" aren't "100% accurate" and should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. God created us to be such unique people and I love that. And you also have to take into consideration the percentage of each trait. You may be borderline Introvert or Extrovert and 95% Judging and another person could be 80% Extrovert and 25% Judging, which also helps us recognize our uniqueness.

But Michelle and I are both ISFJs and when Gary read us the description of our personality category, we just burst out laughing after almost every sentence he read because of how ridiculously accurate it was.

Here are some snippets from different websites' descriptions of the ISFJ personality type:

Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging

"ISFJs are characterized above all by their desire to serve others, their "need to be needed." In extreme cases, this need is so strong that standard give-and-take relationships are deeply unsatisfying to them; however, most ISFJs find more than enough with which to occupy themselves within the framework of a normal life."

"ISFJs are often unappreciated, at work, home, and play. Ironically, because they prove over and over that they can be relied on for their loyalty and unstinting, high-quality work, those around them often take them for granted--even take advantage of them. Admittedly, the problem is sometimes aggravated by the ISFJs themselves; for instance, they are notoriously bad at delegating ("If you want it done right, do it yourself"). And although they're hurt by being treated like doormats, they are often unwilling to toot their own horns about their accomplishments because they feel that although they deserve more credit than they're getting, it's somehow wrong to want any sort of reward for doing work (which is supposed to be a virtue in itself). (And as low-profile Is, their actions don't call attention to themselves as with charismatic Es.) Because of all of this, ISFJs are often overworked, and as a result may suffer from psychosomatic illnesses." <--Michelle and I particularly enjoyed this last line.

"Like most Is, ISFJs have a few, close friends. They are extremely loyal to these, and are ready to provide emotional and practical support at a moment's notice."

"One ISFJ trait that is easily misunderstood by those who haven't known them long is that they are often unable to either hide or articulate any distress they may be feeling."

"Those close to ISFJs should learn to watch for the warning signs in these situations and take the initiative themselves to uncover the problem."

Others that I've read:

"ISFJs learn best by doing, rather than by reading about something in a book, or applying theory. For this reason, they are not likely to be found in fields which require a lot of conceptual analysis or theory. They value practical application. Traditional methods of higher education, which require a lot of theorizing and abstraction, are likely to be a chore for the ISFJ. The ISFJ learns a task best by being shown its practical application. Once the task is learned, and its practical importance is understood, the ISFJ will faithfully and tirelessly carry through the task to completion. The ISFJ is extremely dependable."

"The ISFJ has an extremely well-developed sense of space, function, and aesthetic appeal. For that reason, they're likely to have beautifully furnished, functional homes. They make extremely good interior decorators." <-- This might explain why people really liked our room when Michelle and I lived together.

"ISFJs need positive feedback from others. In the absence of positive feedback, or in the face of criticism, the ISFJ gets discouraged, and may even become depressed. When down on themselves or under great stress, the ISFJ begins to imagine all of the things that might go critically wrong in their life. They have strong feelings of inadequacy, and become convinced that "everything is all wrong", or "I can't do anything right"."

"We are lucky that Protectors make up as much as ten percent the population, because their primary interest is in the safety and security of those they care about - their family, their circle of friends, their students, their patients, their boss, their fellow-workers, or their employees."

I guess you're lucky to have Protectors like me and Michelle :]