Have you ever thought about what life has in store for you?  Did you ever sit around and think about what you were meant to do or who you were meant to be?  Did you find out or are you still questioning yourself?

I remember when I was little I went through many phases in which one day I would be a teacher and the next I would be an actress.  Basically I had no clue and apparently I was very indecisive as well.  We all question this and we all find our purpose one way or another.  For some of us it appears rather quickly and for some it may take a decade or two or three.  It takes whatever time it needs before it appears, so please be patient and do not give up.

When I gave my life to Christ I again questioned myself.  I wanted to be a better person and make wiser choices.  I knew that I wanted to follow Him, but I still wasn’t sure what my purpose was.  Right now I am about 98% sure, but I have to leave a little wiggle room in case I may have misinterpreted a thing or two.

Some people reading this blog may question this idea of an individual’s purpose, but set aside any doubt and take a closer look.  The bible clearly states in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.”  “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  God is clearly saying that he has plans for all of us; thus we have a purpose for being here on this earth.  He would not have made plans for us to just exist and walk about aimlessly.  We are here for a reason.

The next step a person would take is to inquire as to what their purpose is.  This is a difficult step and do not let anyone tell you otherwise.  It is here that we have to depend on God and our faith in him to determine what it is we are being called to do.  God has given all of us a gift and we need to search ourselves to find out what that gift is.  For some it is encouragement, for some it may be athletic talent, or singing, or writing, even public speaking, but we all have a gift.  It is something that drives us and pushes us to continue on during the hard times or get us through the obstacles that we encounter in this life.

Not everyone recognizes their calling at the same time.  It comes to each of us at the appointed time so do not get discouraged if you are still struggling with this issue. The path to finding this can be winding and exhausting, but if we persevere we can determine what he is asking us to do.  Keep in mind that we all make plans, but only he determines our steps.  Our purpose will always be revealed despite our fears of not finding it.  In other words, don’t worry.

As I mentioned earlier I went through many days focusing on one or more career paths.  I had nothing that called out to me at first.  I had many interests, but nothing was set in stone or felt certain.  I thought I had all of time in the world to find myself and my purpose, so I put it on the back burner and went on with my life.

Soon it was time for college.  I had aspirations, but basically I was chasing after a dream.   A dream that I thought was the obvious choice for me.   As I progressed in school, I realized that it wasn’t a dream, but more like a fantasy.  There was a desire, but no passion for my choice.  It was here that I gave up the fantasy and I learned to wait for the purpose to appear.  I decided while I was waiting anyway, that I would settle for whatever came along.  I found out that by settling I gave up that quest to find my purpose.

However, years would go on and I would be so unhappy because I wasn’t doing what I felt I was meant to do.  A slow hunger started deep within me and I began my search again.  I was done settling.  I wanted something concrete for me to hold onto.  I wanted to know why I was here.

Soon my quest began to consume me.  For years since the quest began I had an inkling as to what my purpose may be.  Again, fear crept in and I questioned myself and squelched what I felt was my purpose.  Through the years since then, the feeling kept coming over me.  It started small, but each year it grew more and more until I realized this is what I was meant to do.  I pursued this dream and this time I did not let anyone deter me from going after it.  I took a leap of faith and even though it has not been easy, I have stood behind this decision.  I found after awhile I was getting more and more validation from my peers and from strangers.  I clung to that and now my love for writing continues.  I found one book was written and another soon thereafter.  Ideas were coming to me rather quickly and soon other projects took shape and form.

Last August as I held my breath (figuratively of course), I started a blog.  I wanted to convey lessons I learned throughout my life so that maybe it would resonate with a reader.  My heart was in my throat because for so long I wanted this to happen.  I just never fully took the chance and I kept finding reasons to avoid it.  Fear can hold a tight grip over one’s life and it was strangling me.  I prayed on this and I sought out good council before I acted on it.  I felt deep in my heart God was asking me to do this.  I received good feedback and I have not looked back since.

The point I want to make is this.  Go after your passion because it will lead you to your purpose.  Put your faith in God.  Remember he has good plans for you to prosper and not to harm you.  He gave you your gift for a reason.  Do not run from it or ignore it.  He will be with you every step of the way.  Let him lead you and take you places you’ve never known.  Take that leap of faith and keep in mind he has supplied you with all the necessary tools to accomplish his purpose.  I am no longer scared, but rather excited to experience the rest of the journey.