03-01-2012
If the little things in our lives aren't little, then how do we come to see them as big things and the purpose? The answer is so simple that we all brush it off and say "yeah, yeah, I know that but really what do I need to do to live a purposeful life?"
Hello, my name is Alene and I'm a self-help addict! I've mentioned before, for years I struggled with finding that "one purpose" I was made for. If you are a "self-help" junkie like me, you are probably living in that section at the book store like I did for years. I couldn't get enough learning about personalities, strengths, leadership, passions and so on. I read furiously everything I could get my hands on and my mind around, YET I was still frustrated.
Yep, I learned a lot about myself in the process (that was a good thing), but walked away still empty. Still longing. Still wanting. It was one day when I was crying out to God trying to put all my frustrations into a prayer that He impressed on my heart to go read Hebrews 4:12. After much nudging from Him I went and got my Bible.
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Those 9 words - for the word of God is living and active - caught me off guard that day. My mind dwelled on them and I felt God impress upon my heart "You'll never have the peace and fulfilling purpose that you want until you turn to ME. What you are looking for will not be found in all the other books you are reading, but only through ME. Come read what I have to say and I'll teach you."
You betcha'! That day I got my Bible out and started digging in. I was amazed at what a fresh light He shined into my heart and life when I started viewing my everyday ordinary life in light of HIS TRUTH! It was then that the little things began to become bigger. As I looked at Christ's life, everything He stood for was ordinary, yet HUGE.
He sought God is such ordinary ways -- in the morning, by the lake, on the mountain. And He served others with ordinary things in huge ways -- towels, mud, spit, rocks, thorns.
Through the course of that journey, God revealed to me two things you must do to find that peaceful purpose you are looking for:
1. Seek God everyday-- only He can reveal your purpose in each moment.
2. Serve Others with everything you have.
Come back tomorrow and we’ll talk about what happens when you begin to seek God with everything you have and serve others. Can you keep a secret? It's all about the sweet spot!
Let me hear from all you "self-help junkies" out there. Alene
02-10-2012
I don't know about you, but I've spent many a moment on my journey to living with purpose comparing myself to others. What I've FINALLY realized is that I lose out on being me when I'm trying to be somebody else. There will always be somebody whose purpose looks better, funner, prettier, messier, busier, and even more important-er. :) But we aren't to waste our life by comparing ourselves to others. We are instead called to live our lives serving others.
Our purpose is to please God, not people. 1 Thess. 2:4 NLT
That's it! Please God. Not people. Not our friends, family, co-workers, ministry partners. Just God!
When we waste our precious moments comparing what we have or don't have to others, we miss out on the opportunity to use our gifts and talents. When are eyes are on others purposes, we have no time to step out into our own future to grow our own gifts and talents. Put your eyes on God. He'll reveal that purpose as you seek Him and look to serve others.
Your purpose lies within you. Your purpose awaits you.
Rule for purposeful living: Quit comparing yourself to others, it kills the growth of your purpose.
Do you struggle with comparing your purpose in life to others life journey's?
Alene
02-02-2012
Did you like playing with Play-Doh when you were young? My sister and I did! We would roll, cut and form the dough into cups, vases, and flowers. From the moment we popped the blue, yellow and red lids off the yellow cans and felt the cool, soft Play-Doh squish through our fingers, we had fun—unless we had forgotten to securely place the lids on the cans the last time we played. If we didn’t seal the lids, the Play-Doh hardened and we had no choice but to throw it away. Hardened Play-Doh couldn’t fulfill the purpose for which it was created: to be molded and shaped.
Just as my sister and I shaped the Play-Doh, God, as the Bible describes Him, is a Potter
who forms us into objects of usefulness if we stay soft and pliable in His hand. As the master Potter sculpted and formed our earth, so He longs to sculpt and form our earthly bodies to be carriers of His glory. He yearns to shape our hearts to be vessels of His love. He desires to mold our minds to be containers of His wisdom.
As we look further at God’s Word regarding His role as the Potter and our as the clay, let us prayerfully respond to His warning to not become hardened, unable to fulfill the purpose for which we were created.
Dear Lord, You are the Potter: I am the clay. Forgive me when I rebel against Your purposes for my life. Please mold my mind, heart and will into Your image. Make me a vessel of honor and holiness that brings You praise. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Debbie
01-25-2012
Do you ever set goals and then
BAM …interruptions out of the ordinary happen to throw you off course?
Have you ever stepped out into the fear of the unknown to accomplish something and then BAM… interruptions out of nowhere happen to make you stop and doubt?
Have you ever sat down to write out your goals and then
BAM… your mind is interrupted by a fear that invades your thought processes?
Living with purpose is not for the faint of heart.
Interruptions continually happen.
Living with purpose is not for those who have their act together.
Interruptions create chaos.
Living with purpose is not a walk in the park.
Interruptions are bumps in the road.
Living with purpose takes focus every minute of every day!
Are you having a week of being hit with BAM, BAM, BAM?
Be determined to stay the path.
Declare, I might be interrupted for a moment, but not for a lifetime.
Alene
01-15-2012
If life is a balancing act, why am I so clumsy? Does that questions strike a nerve somewhere within your soul?
Well, it does mine! For years people have said, "you need to make sure you are keeping your priorities straight . . . God, kids, hubby, family, work, ministry . . . and the list goes on and on." But the thing is, I'm not a juggler. Nor am I good at balancing balls, plates, or life. I'm just your everyday ordinary girl trying to live my life with purpose.
So, where is that balance everyone is talking about? How do those priorities measure up? Truthfully, some days I think I have it. Other days, I feel like a failure. A few years ago I read a book by Christine Caine "Can I Have and Do it All, Please?" It was just the answer I needed. She gave me permission not to balance. I didn't have to set priorities. I could have it all!
The secret: Live your life out like an ooey-gooey chocolate cake!
You see, we've been taught for years to prioritize our lives. When we do that we set our priorities up to complete with one another. Which really is crazy! Why should my hubby have to compete with God or my kids with my hubby?
That's the pie mentality. There are only so many slices to pie and who is going to get them? Who is going to lose out today?
But the ooey-gooey chocolate cake, think about all those scrumptious ingredients that go into making it. Each one of those ingredients is like elements in our lives: God, hubby, children, church, work, ministry, volunteer work, education, and finances. As we put all ingredients into the mixing bowl and work them together then eventually we get to taste and savor the ooey-gooey chocolate cake.
Our lives are like chocolate cake. There will be days when hubby gets more attention than kids, or ministry gets more attention than family, or our education gets more attention than volunteering. But in the end if we focus on those things that we are passionate about, we will savor our ooey-gooey purpose-filled life.
Living life on purpose is not a balancing act, it is the sum total of your purpose-filled days.
It's all about the chocolate cake! Yum.
Alene
