It was the middle of the night, and I woke from a dream. My eyes popped open. My heart raced. In the dream I was standing before God. He asked me, “Why didn’t you do what I wanted you to do with your life?” I was shamefully speechless. Shaken to the core.
The dream was in 2004. I was 29, my first child was one year old, and I was a wife and stay-at-home mom. I was happy and fulfilled pouring my life into motherhood, but I knew God had something else for me to do. I had no idea what His plan or purpose for me was, but I was determined I would obey and follow when He revealed it to me. I did not want that dream to become a reality. I trusted that God would prepare me for the ministry He had chosen for me.
When I was in college, I read Psalm 138:8, “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever–do not abandon the works of your hands.” In my Bible, I wrote on the top of the page, “The Lord WILL fulfill his purpose for me!!” I clung to that verse and believed it with all my heart even though I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I didn’t even know what my major should be.
Since college God has taken me on an amazing journey of discovering His truth about hopes, talents, gifts, and purpose. The dream I had in 2004 was just one stepping stone on the path as God taught me His truth. Along the journey I learned my general purpose as a believer is to glorify God; be conformed to the image of Christ; and minister to my family, believers, and unbelievers. In 2009, God revealed His specific purpose for me is to use my love of writing to minister to others.
Through my life and my writing, if I encourage one person to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ or inspire one person to walk closer to God, then I will be able to stand before God one day and humbly say, “I fulfilled my purpose.”
What is that Max lucado quote about purpose..?
What have you discovered, how do you think and what did it take, where did it take you?
Tim, I’m not sure what Max Lucado quote you are talking about, but I did find this quote on maxlucado.com : “God’s purpose is greater than your pain, and he has a greater purpose than your problems.” It was from a daily devotional called “The Purpose In Our Pain.”