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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
