Friday, December 05, 2003

Day 40: Living with Purpose

WE DID IT! I made a commitment to this bible study, and to Darryl and to my church and most importantly to God...and I saw it through. Now I must turn my focus from the study to actually living my life with purpose each day as the chapter tells us. I can't just do this for 40 days and think I am "fixed". I need to make a plan, and be conscious of how I am doing in that plan.

In a way, this is similar to Weight Watchers. It becomes a lifestyle change to change your eating habits in a significantly healthy way, and learning to live with purpose also involves a lifestyle change. It is changing my life to make sure God is at the center of it, and his 5 purposes are where I focus my time and energy.

I am realistic though. I know this will be difficult for me, just as the bible study was. But, with support from Darryl and fellowship with other believers, I am sure I can make a good game plan for myself. As Warren said at the beginning of this chapter, "Living on purpose is the only way to really live. Everything else is just existing."

I AM TIRED OF EXISTING! I am ready to live my life with purpose!

Thinking About My Purpose

Point to Ponder:
Living with purpose is the only way to really live.

Verse to Remember: "For David...served the purpose of God in his own generation." Acts 13:36 (NASB)

Question to Consider: When will I take the time to write down my answers to life's five great questions? When will I put my purpose on paper?


I am hoping that as I continue to write here about my life lessons and godly passions, I will take the time to write and re-write my life purpose statement. That might be a good project for me as I make the transition from my 40 Days journaling into a more regular kind of journaling. I am going to ask Darryl to do it with me!

So...this may be the last entry specifically about chapters of the book, but do not expect this to be the last entry! I plan to keep writing!

Thursday, December 04, 2003

Day 39: Balancing Your Life

I really liked this chapter. It is one thing to study and learn about the five purposes God has for my life, but it is quite another to learn how to manage those purposes and keep me moving forward in each area. I think my journey has been amazing. You might not be able to see it just sitting on your end of the internet reading my words, but I can FEEL it....and perhaps if I keep writing, even after the 40 Days study is over, then maybe someone else will be touched by my experiences. I totally agree with what the Bible and Warren say about writing down our thoughts and experiences. I have always been one to start journals and diaries and spend time putting my thought down in words. The one thing that has been different this time around is that for the first time in my life, I have been COMMITTED to this project of reading and thinking and writing. And, I think it has had an impact.

I want to make sure that I am focusing on all 5 of God's purposes. I don't want to fall into the trap of just strengthening my worship and fellowship and not work to grow in the other areas. I want to make sure I am being as complete in my spiritual growth as possible, and I think this blog and this study have been a wonderful start. I am looking forward to seeing if our small group decides to pursue further studies together.

Thinking About My Purpose

Point to Ponder:
Blessed are the balanced.

Verse to Remember: "Live life with a due sense of responsibility, not as those who do not know the meaning of life but as those who do." Ephesians 5:15 (Ph)

Question to Consider: Which of the four activities will I begin in order to stay on track and balance God's five purposes in my life?


I think this blog and daily writing have been good for me, so I would like to continue it. I think it would be helpful for me (and maybe for others) if I record my life lessons. I also want to work with Darryl as my spiritual partner to continually assess how I am doing in each area. I hope our small group (or another one) will also be something I continue with.

Wednesday, December 03, 2003

Day 38: Becoming a World-Class Christian

I have never done missions work outside of my single Backyard Bible Club experience, and that was only for the 3-4 blocks around the neighborhood I lived in when I was growing up....not a whole other country! Just last night I was talking to the friend that I brought with me to the dinner and concert at the church, and I was telling her that one of the things I really like about our church is that they are actively involved in missions work around the world. I told her about the Haiti trip and how I had never done anything like that. Growing up, our church never sent our own people on trips like that, we just sent money to our Home Office to support missions....Lottie Moon Mission Offerings!!

In my job I have begun to think more in global terms, but perhaps it is now time I think about my service to God in global terms. While I personally do not feel ready for a missions trip outside of the country, maybe that very experience could be the thing I need.

I liked the point Warren made about the Internet making it more and more possible to reach people in different places around the world. Right now, I assume most of the people who read this blog are members of our church, but if I keep writing here on a regular basis, someone from some place else might stumble upon my little site and find God where they least expected it...on a webpage!

There was one point that I was really glad to read today: "Prayer is the most important tool for your mission in the world. People may refuse our love or reject our message, but they are defenseless against our prayers." I had a experience today that nearly made me cry with anger. I was telling an old friend how I had started going to church again and how God has started changing my life. He started attacking me personally, and telling me that I was a fool for my beliefs. I tried repeatedly to tell him some of the simple things that I have learned during this study, and he would not listen. I finally had to just walk away, but rest assured that my prayers will continue to pursue him. That is the least I can do...pray....for him and for the rest of the world.

Thinking About My Purpose

Point to Ponder:
The Great Commissions is my commission.

Verse to Remember: "Send us around the world with the news of your saving powers and your eternal plan for all mankind." Psalm 67:2 (LB)

Question to Consider: What steps can I take to prepare to go on a short-term missions experience in the next year?


~ I can talk to Darryl.
~ I can talk to God through prayer.
~ I can talk to members of my church who have done something similar already.
~ I can see when they plan to do something like that again.
~ I can pray for the rest of the world until I can go out and see it.

Tuesday, December 02, 2003

Day 37: Sharing Your Life Message

We just got home from the Amy and Patrick Fata concert at the church. It was awesome, and a true example of how people can use their life experiences, talents, abilities and one of God's passions to spread the ministry of their life and the message of God's word. This chapter had some great things to think about as I consider what life experiences of my own might be useful in my ministry.

I am going to keep this short tonight because I am sleepy, but the one point that really stood out to me was in the last paragraph of this chapter. I am going to quote the whole paragraph here and hopefully you will see how important it is as I did.

"In this book you have learned God's five purposes for your life on earth: He made you to be a member of his family, a model of his character, a magnifier of his glory, a minister of his grace, and a messenger of his Good News to others. Of these five purposes, the fifth can only be done on earth. The other four you will keep doing in eternity in some way. That's why spreading the Good News is so important; you only have a short time to share you life message and fulfill your mission."

Monday, December 01, 2003

Day 36: Made for a Mission

Missions work is rather scary to me, partly because I have never really done it as an adult. As a child in the church my step-father preached at, I can remember helping set up Backyard Bible Clubs, and in college I would have long "debates" with some of my non-believing friends about religion, but I don't know if I ever approached a non-believer as an adult with the purpose of sharing God's plan for them with them.

I think I make missions work out to be too difficult in my mind. I think of people going away on long trips to places like Haiti or the Congo and imagine spreading God's word that way, but when it comes down to it...I can do mission work right here in Terre Haute, and I don't even have to stand on a street corner to do it!

One way that I think I can take my ministry to non-believers is simply by exhibiting a Christian lifestyle and allowing how I live my life and conduct myself to speak about God and his plan for us. I had never thought about the fact that I might be the only Christian that some people ever know until Warren pointed it out. If I don't try and reach these people, who will? Maybe no one ever will, but it is all of our jobs to try. I need to learn to see missions in the positive light that Warren framed it in rather than as the burden I previously thought it was.

Thinking About My Purpose

Point to Ponder:
I was made for a mission.

Verse to Remember: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Question to Consider: What fears have kept me from fulfilling the mission God made me to accomplish? What keeps me from telling others the Good News?


I think the main thing that holds me back is that I always fear I don't know enough about the Bible, or I feel I haven't lived my life well enough or long enough as a Christian to be able to effectively minister to non-believers. What if they asked a question I couldn't answer? What if they pointed out something in my own life that wasn't so Christ-like? What if the way I approached them actually made them turn farther away from God?

I could come up with 1000 What-If scenarios, but in reality...I just need to start small and begin doing it. In fact, I think that I already am and probably don't even know it. I have been telling all kinds of people about this 40 Days of Purpose experience, and that in and of itself is missions! I need to let go of all hang-ups I have about missions work and just let God use me in the way he designed me.