It’s Mama……..Find Yourself and Do It On Purpose

It’s Mama….Find Yourself and Do It On Purpose

My Sweet Madison,

One of the hardest things in this life we are called to do is to find our purpose and live it. God put us here for a reason but sometimes, that reason is not always clear. In fact, I would say for most people, that reason may not be clear.

We see this in our practice as therapists. We see it in family members, friends, co-workers, partners, spouses, and children.

It’s a hard thing to walk this earth and not be certain what the time we have been given is to look like…

Life comes to us at times in a cloudy cover of uncertainty and confusion…society gives us “norms” to follow and families at times give us “standards” to attain, but the reality is that we need only seek our purpose through our maker to find the elusive peace we seek while we watch for our purpose.

God puts each of us here for a season and a reason and even tells us that our life is just a breath and then we are gone…perhaps that is why we fight so diligently to figure out our why of being here so strongly…rather than lean in to His clarity, we compare with what the world shows and tells us we should do.

But, as your Mama, I want to encourage you to be different….do not succumb to the patterns of this world but lean your whole heart into the calling of our Heavenly Father who will direct us on how we are to pattern our days and our ways.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare^[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Your being here at this time, in this season, in this year….its not an accident. God placed you here “for such a time as this” and you can have confidence that His plans include all that is best and good for you…if you but follow Him. And in those last five words are the key to this life…

“If you but follow him”

As humans, we are often wont to go our own way and many times, that works out fine for us….we find that illusive person, job, home, life for a season….for God allows us to make plans with or without Him. And things “feel good” because we are meeting what society and humanity deem right….money, property, travel, people….and, it is good.

And, for a while, we deem ourselves happy and joyful…we laugh and buy things, do things, find things…and, before you know it, if you are not careful, the living of this life has moved from spiritual direction to earthly expectation. And therein lies the stumbling block.

You see….God loves you and He wants you to love Him more than any other person or thing on this planet. Scripture tells us He is a jealous God. Not because He is selfish but because great is His love for you…and us.

He will fight for you…to hold you close, to keep you near his embrace, and to lift you up to heaven because He knows what we forget….this world is not your home. It is merely where God places us to shing the light of our being on His glory and presence…to let others come to know Him by knowing us. That’s it. Your whole goal in life is that simple.

And, when we get too caught up in the day to day of living here to the point that we forget He is living there….He will drop us to our knees…every single time.

He loves you…and, as much as it pains me to say this…even more than do I….

Some who walk this earth get an easy path….born into a healthy family, physically fit from birth, academics come easily, friendship making is blessed, finding a vocation is clear, a mate is selected with confidence, children are born without effort, homes are affordable, cars are accessible, family gets a long, physical wellness remains, travel is often, dreams come true….

And, at times, we look at those who have this and cannot understand why we do not…

But you know from your chosen profession that what I just described is rare….like that jewel placed deep into the earth and rarely being seen in the light.

The reality is that most of us have some challenges which make this life painful and hard to endure. And, if we are not careful to guard our thoughts and our hearts…to keep giving them over to God for his direction and protection, we will find ourselves living in the darkness that comes from living for worldly success rather than spiritual gain.

I honor your own challenges and want you to know that I bear witness to them from the moment you were born to this very day. I see your walk and I know that it has not always been one filled with joy and simplicity. I have prayed every day of your life that God bless you immeasurably with all of His promises and with only those challenges required to keep you on the path to Him.

My prayer is that in this year 2024 you embrace your life with the joy and hope that comes from being God’s girl…remembering that He who loves you most will challenge you most to keep you close to Him. Sometimes, that will look like blessings and you will find laughter and happiness beyond measure. But, baby, other times, that will feel like sorrow and confusion, anger, and frustration.

God calls us to the same in good times and bad and that is to keep faith in Him…and in His plan for your life. Rather than focusing on what you do not have on this earth…focus on the blessings you do have. It is our choice on which way to view our life…and God is relentless with us because He loves us passionately.

I finally have learned that sometimes (not always), but sometimes, when my life is not going the way, I had dreamed or hoped, it is often because I have left the path God called me to and gone a direction that is not His. As I near sixty-two, I realize He does this because He does not want me to miss a single blessing, He has for me…and He feels this way about you as well.

I encourage you when things go awry from what you were hoping to consider the good you have had in your life and how that goodness came to be rather than dwell on what is not as you had hoped.

Our thoughts and focus are important….we know that as therapists…but it is hard at times in our humanity to do. I understand that very much.

I am personally on a journey that I do not understand nor did I ask or want it, but my time on this earth has helped grow me to realize that I trust God…and, where He leads me, I will follow. There is great peace in making the decision to do that…and my Mama’s prayer for you is that you find your peace in doing that as well.

Trust in God with your life, for your life.

Not just when things are all sparkly and shiny, but also when things are not.

The true test of our faith is not when everything is going our way but the true test is when things are not going our way, we don’t understand, we lack direction, but we chose to

KEEP FAITH

In God’s plan for us…..

When you learn to do that consistently, that is when you will feel the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Chose to give over all of your life…all of the time…to the God who made you and knit you in my womb. Whose plans for you are solid and whose direction for your life can be trusted.

Grow firm in your conviction to live as God’s girl.

God is the one person in life you can trust to love you and have fully your best interests at heart…

Seek Him with all of yours…

And, have confidence that when you do, YOU WILL find the best life for you…the best path…the right mate….the perfect home….the blessed family….