Purpose

Tags

dreams, Faith, God, helping people, Jesus, life, Lists, people, Prayer, Psalms, purpose, religion, Self Improvement, Sidewalk Prophets, spirituality, truth, writing

 

As 2016 comes to a close and 2017 is quickly approaching I pause to reflect on what was, what is, and what I hope is to come…I write a list of what I want to accomplish during the year 2017. I didn’t do this in 2015 in preparation for 2016, or did I…I might have but this time feels different, more purposeful. 2016 had unexpected painful moments of loss and frustration but there were also surprisingly pleasant moments that were better than I could have ever hoped for, but isn’t that what every year consists of?

As 2016 is coming to a close I am deciding that I want to live life more on purpose and with purpose because I am becoming increasingly aware of how short and fragile life can be. As I strive for that goal, I struggle to determine what that should look like for me. Could one’s purpose be something so simple as “to help people”? Could one’s life purpose be that vague? That general? I have always felt like one’s purpose was something unique, direct and specific. I feel like “help people” is what I’ve done my whole life, sometimes willingly with pleasure and sometimes overwhelmingly and with resentment but that has been my whole life, helping others. People like me, they confide in me, they ask me for sound advice. Meanwhile I don’t trust anyone (but God!), yes I have friends and family but I dare not confide in anyone about anything for fear of being judged, ridiculed, misunderstood, whatever is going on with me, I suffer silently, tears streaming down my face while laying in the dark and I try mostly to figure it out on my own (and with much prayer). Yet everyone everywhere I go sees me as a leader, I don’t set out to do this, it just happens. It’s like I have an invisible banner that everyone can see but me. So I mostly spend my time trying to live up to this role because I realize that I am talented in some ways that people need and so always, every time I can, I help.

I’m at a great place now in my career where I feel settled and I have never ever felt settled I have always been looking for the next best thing. But now, in this season, work is good, it pays the bills well, but I know that’s not all I’m here for, this cannot be all there is, I have to identify and pursue my real purpose, my real passion, my real reason for living and I intent to start in 2017.  I want to do more, give more, be more, so for 2017 I’m chasing purpose. Cliché, yeah kinda, but it’s true for me right now.

What are YOU doing in 2017? We ALL have a purpose, what’s yours? I know that life is busy. We all have a lot going on, a variety of demands tugging at each of us all the time. But what kind of life are we living if we do not enjoy it, if we are not fulfilling our purpose? So as 2016 comes to a close and 2017 is quickly approaching I encourage everyone to put some thought into it, into your life and how you want to live it, because this life, your life -it will be over for all of us before we know it.

Psalm 138:8
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Relatable Song: Live Like That by Sidewalk Prophets

GOAL DIGGER!

Tags

2014, Faith, Goals, God, Lists, Mary Mary, purpose, Resolutions

  

We are now in 2014, a New Year!

This is not the year to do nothing; this is the year to do something.  This is the year to achieve your goals, this is the year to be a goal digger! So dig in deep, get going, make those goals happen. This is that year.

I have a few goals I am working on this year a few projects already set in motion for me to accomplish and I’m sure you do too.  This time of year most people make resolutions and set goals.  Sometimes after a few weeks or months all desire to accomplish these goals and resolutions fade away into nonexistence. DON’T let this happen to you in 2014.

Let 2014 be a year unlike any other…let 2014 be YOUR year!

If you haven’t set your goals yet – it’s not too late, set them now, you still have plenty of time to make it happen.  Your goals for this year do not need to be monumental and life changing it just needs to be important to you, that’s it. The point is to strive for improvement in whatever way shape or form you see fit and you see necessary for your life, where you are, what you need and where you want to go.

 

Three Important Things About Goals:

1. Most likely something will go wrong.
2. Don’t Give up.
3. Don’t give up.

The list is self-explanatory, when on that journey to accomplish our goals things sometimes go wrong, expect it, it happens, but don’t let it stop you. Do not give up. And now here is a completely different perspective on goals.  When I’m working on a plan and things go awry I have to take a moment and pause because it reminds me and forces me to acknowledge some things. God cares enough about me (and you!) to intervene in life at times for reasons far beyond our comprehension. Sometimes when something doesn’t work out that is God literally reaching down from heaven saying don’t go that way, go this way instead. 

So, sometimes in pursuit of our goals we may need to pause and evaluate and confirm if these are the right goals for us or not.  Pay close attention to these types of moments…because we don’t want to spend our time and efforts beating at a door that has been closed for a reason or trying to climb over a wall we have no business climbing. So as you are pursuing your goals make sure that they truly are the right and best goals for you.  Then there are times when you experience something really hard, it’s not always to test your faith.  It can be that because of your faith God allows you to experience this because he is giving you an opportunity to strengthen your faith even more, a chance to use your faith (as a testament to yourself AND to others). He expects you to be faithful despite whatever you are going through.  He is faithful at all times, so we should be also. Just keep in mind that in each life a little rain (in some cases a lot of rain) must fall.

So as 2014 is now laid out before us a brand new long sprawling open road filled with endless unknowns, decide what you will make of it.  Decide right now what you want out of 2014 and decide right now how you are going to go about getting it. BUT…don’t get too busy chasing your goals that you forget to enjoy the ride. Part of the fun in achieving our goals is enjoying the journey and taking it all in as you ride the 2014 train because before you know it 2015 will be here and 2014 will be just a memory…so here’s 2014 what are you going to do with it?

 

 

 

“Proverbs 16:9 (HCSB)

⁹ A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”

Relatable Songs:
2 good ones to start your year off Right!
(Click on the links)

“Go Get It” by Mary Mary

“Get Up” by Mary Mary

If you are struggling with motivation and inspiration for achieving your goals this year click here.

If you need Jesus – his love, his forgiveness, his help to move forward in this year click here.