A Purpose Revealed. Is this the Year You Pursue Yours?

Children at play. What dream did you have when you were a child? 

Continuing my theme of helping people with their purpose this year, I wanted to add a snippet from a book I started years ago and that I am currently working on. Will 2018 be the year you finally start working on your "purpose?"

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen.  If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.  I will be found by you.” says the Lord.

- Jeremiah 29: 11-12 (NLT)

Do you remember when you were a child and you knew exactly what you wanted to do when you grew up? However, as you grew older, there were life-changing events that impacted your decision so much you changed your career choice.  Those life-changing events could have been a death in a family, an abusive or embarrassing situation or a comment from a teacher or other trusted adult. My life changing event was a shooting death on national television.  

From the time I was maybe four or five, I knew I wanted to become a journalist.  In retrospect, I don’t think I could even spell journalist, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.  I can’t even tell you how I knew, but I did. Then I saw the shooting. A television journalist was shot on national television in a foreign country.  He was made to lie on his stomach. To my horror, a rifle was placed to his head and the gunmen pulled the trigger. I remember watching the journalist’s body jerk as the bullet entered the journalist’s head. I was traumatized!  There was no way I could pursue a journalism career. I did not want to end up like the television reporter. From that day, I changed my career choice to secretary. 

       I attended any classes related to business and clerical in high school. I became a secretary. Most days, I enjoyed being a secretary. I later wondered to myself the reasons why I chose to become a secretary. Why not a doctor or nurse? After all, my mother was an LPN?  Now don’t get me wrong there is absolutely nothing wrong with secretaries. Many will agree that secretaries are the backbone of a company. The problem is that secretaries, teachers or nurses were the only “professional” positions seen as career options for women during that time. My parents’ expectations were that we did well in grade school, graduate from high school and learn how to type to “fall back on.”   

Even though I changed my career choice, I still longed to write. I kept a journal.  (We called them diaries back then). I wrote poems, plays, stories, and songs. I read novels and rewrote them in my mind.  When I entered college, I first opted to major in journalism.  As I began thinking about my major, I replayed the murder of the television journalist.  I changed my major to Marketing/Advertising. I figured I could write commercials or ads; still realizing my goals.   I continued to let the fear of danger dictate my destiny.  After many career pursuits that failed to satisfy me, I began to wonder why a writing career continually persisted within me. Was it my purpose? I found the answer in the bible. “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” Proverbs 19:21 NLT.    (Selah. Praise God!) 

Of course!  I finally realized my true purpose.  I sought to strengthen my relationship with Jesus Christ through faith, bible study, and prayer.  I finally knew I could step out in faith to pursue my purpose.  I knew I no longer needed to fear danger or destruction. “Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty.  He alone is the Holy One.  If you fear him, you need fear nothing else.” Isaiah 8:13 NLT. 

Has God revealed his purpose for you?  What is keeping you from pursuing it?