I am one of the busiest moms I know. I write three to four books a year, blog, homeschool and lead a teen moms’ support group. Oh yes, and I’m working with an amazing production company that’s making huge progress in having one of my book series turned into a TV series! (I know; it blows me away too!)
Sometimes I can’t believe this is my life. I’m a former teenage mother. I have no college degree. I live in Arkansas, not Hollywood, Chicago or New York. Yet all I do and have goes back to one thing: realizing God’s designed purpose for my life … and having the faith to run with it.
Purpose:
[pur-puh s]
noun
the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.
Faith:
[feyth]
noun
confidence or trust in a person or thing.
My purpose in life is to inspire people to “live God’s story.” To find their own purpose. To dare to step out in faith. To realize they are part of God’s plan for this world.
This is the theme of the books I write.
This is why I homeschool.
This is why I mentor teen moms.
This is why John and I have adopted three kids (adding to our three biological children), and we hope to expand our family in 2015 through adoption.
It sounds like a lot. But because I know my purpose, I know what to say yes to … and what to walk away from (something I talk a lot about in my ebook Balanced).
I’m busy, yes, but I wake up excited about each day and eager to see where God’s taking me. I live not to impress people, but to offer glory to God.
Are you living a life of purpose? Or are you floundering, about to sink? Most likely you’re somewhere in between.
Here are 15 question to ask that will hopefully help to get you on the right track. These question aren’t the typical ones you find in most life-coaching seminars. Instead, they are questions I asked myself.
- If I had a magic eraser, what is one thing I’d take off my schedule tomorrow? (We don’t have the time to live our purpose if our time is filled with unimportant things.)
- How do I want my children to describe our family to their friends when they are teenagers? (We need to establish purposeful routines now to become the family we want to be.)
- What’s one thing has God asked me to do that I’m too scared to try? (God won’t do “the next big thing” unless you trust Him with the “first little thing.”)
- How can I help my husband support his purpose? (My life and marriage isn’t all about me. Working together helps me find my unique purpose and helps us discover our purpose together.)
- Where did I find my greatest joy as a child? (God plants seeds of purpose inside us.)
- How does my childhood joy point to my life purpose today?
- What are the themes of my three favorite movies? (I bet the themes are tied to your purpose.)
- What unique group of people do I feel called to share the good news of Jesus with in everyday life? (We’re missing our true purpose if we’re the only ones who are benefiting. We are created to be interconnected with the needy world.)
- What can God do that I can’t concerning my purpose? (This is where the faith comes in.)
- How is God glorified when I’m following my purpose?
- What is one way that following my purpose will teach my children about their purpose? (Kids do what we do, not what we say.)
- Whom can I lean on to support my purpose?
- How can I reach out to support a friend’s purpose?
- How will following my purpose force me to trust God more?
- What is God asking me to do today?
Take time to answer these questions. Answer them today. Answer them next week. Answer them in six months.
When you live your purpose, you’ll be joyful and excited about life as a wife and mom. You’ll also be a perfect model for your kids. After all, don’t we want them to find their God-given purpose?
Be the role model to show your children how living God’s purpose works! And have faith that what God calls you to do will be for your children’s best benefit too. He’s amazing to work like that.
Tricia Goyer has written more than 35 books, including two novels that delight and entertain readers and nonfiction titles that offer encouragement and hope. She has also published more than 500 articles in national publications such as Guideposts, Thriving Family, Proverbs 31, and HomeLife Magazine.
