Don't Stay Stuck, Focus on Your Life Purpose Today!

If you have been feeling a little down, a little anxious, or a little fatigued after all the pandemic-related events combined with a world in chaos, you aren't alone.

The answer to all that kind of stress is, as always, to reach out to God. In him, you will find the comfort you need. Trust that he has you in the palm of his hand. He IS WORKING where you cannot see.

Don't rely on the circumstances around you as your compass.

In Matt. 7:24 Jesus said that everyone who hears his words and obeys them is like a wise (wo)man who built her house on solid rock. That is, she has a healthy foundation that won't crumble when life's storms hit it.

KEEP TO YOUR LIFE PURPOSE

Even though you may feel down right now, tap into remembering your life purpose here on earth. God created you for his enjoyment. He has assignments for you.

Your purposes include loving yourself, your neighbour, but most of all God. When you ask him for his agenda on your day, he will go to work through you. As you develop your gifts and talents and share them with the world, God works through you to mentor, teach, guide, and bless others in the world, and you, in turn will be blessed.

Which of your talents should you work on tonight or tomorrow?

Update December 2022 - Pace Yourself and Ask God for a Guiding Word

 

I've been busy living my life purpose in other areas over the last little while, so haven't added much to this blog. But as the special project I was involved in winds down, I am here to check in and decide the direction of this blog going forward. 

I am so blessed that the stats show, that even with my absence, there have been many visitors. I hope those who landed here came across something worthwhile that applies to their own life. 

COMPETING PRIORITIES

At times, we can take on too much. We find we are juggling too many competing priorities. That is why I stopped posting here regularly--God sent me on a path that had a greater priority and urgency. I am honoured.

Have you asked God what his priority for you is right now?

PACE YOURSELF 

One of my mottos over 2021 & 2022 has been to PACE myself. I am working at putting perfectionism down. I am content if a project takes three times as long as I first assumed it would. 

Do you pace yourself? 

ASK GOD FOR A GUIDING WORD 

My word for 2022 was ENJOY. This year, that word came to mind often! It went along with the idea of pacing myself. I felt God saying to me--whatever you are doing should be done with enjoyment, not with stress. 

That word got me off the hook many times. I tried hard to default to it. 

I think God has already given me my word/phrase for 2023. It is LET GOD. 

As women, we are tempted to try to work things out--find solutions--fix ourselves or others--and work hard. But God has been showing me that it is HE that works through me. I need to LET him show me solutions, I need to let him fix me and others. I need to take the pressure off myself. For me, that may mean doing less planning and being ready to be spontaneous--to be surprised by what he tells me to do in a day. It's a very empowering way to live. 

Did you have a word for 2022? Did it guide you?

Do you have a new guiding word for 2023 yet?

Should We View Our Lock-Down as a Fast?

I have resented the many social media posts that imply we are all a mess during our personal lock-downs due to the stay in place directive related to the corona virus (COVID-19). 

I did not feel a mess or anxious until perhaps this evening. I'd rather refer to it as feeling off. 

This weekend marks my 2nd full week of self-isolation. I have been to grocery stores twice in the two weeks for a short time, been out for walks, but more or less have been home reading, writing, and watching TV.

Why We Feel Off

A friend on social media wrote why she feels a little off.  Her explanation helped me make sense of my feelings. 

Missing for her are day and week markers. Her markers were simple things that were regularly in her schedule. Gone is her in-person Bible study, her card game, and her crafting group meetup. 

My markers have been meeting my gym mates for mid-morning workouts, my husband's return from work at dinnertime, going to church, that kind of thing. 

Some of us currently feel off-kilter since the little bit of structure we had is gone. Day tends to flow into day. 

Managing the New Routine

It's also spring and here in Ontario, Canada. Has only been a little sunny and isn't quite warm enough to do a lot of yard work. It is supposed to rain this week. 

But even as an introvert who is used to working from home, I admit I don't have this prison sentence licked. 

We all need outside interaction. We need something beyond our spouse and our own homes. Our structure is missing. Our connections are missing.

No Use in Complaining

I used to complain about my situation. With several days of not talking to someone in person, I'd tell my husband I was dying inside. I felt worse especially when I had no meaningful writing projects, when articles and books weren't selling, or when I had writer's block. I often said I wanted a real job.

When no new job transpired, my husband usually told me to just appreciate my life. Now that he is also working from home, I hope he feels catches a glimpse of the rut-like feeling I've often experienced. I hope he learns empathy. 

My Why

I've told God I'd be his scribe--his conduit to the world through my writing if he'd let me. For a time, I felt him leading me to write great articles and Kindle books. But lately, the anointing seems to be gone. My last book for at-home moms isn't selling at all. 

The organization I sell articles through has new editors. I've never had so many rejections in ten years as I've had in the last six months. It's discouraging!

So right now, in the midst of this COVID-19 lockdown, though I crave change, now is not a time for change. The whole world is locked down! 

Fasting

I realized today, this lockdown can be viewed as a fast we're all on. We are fasting life as we've known it. Do you see that? What are you fasting from just now?

We can probably use some of this time to tune into God to find out what he is up to in our lives--the usual purpose for a fast. If only we can pull ourselves away from the news, social media updates, or TV shows. 

New Starts 

With the turn of the calendar, many of us looked forward to what new thing God might do in our life in 2020. Did you?

Some of have been anticipating new opened doors. But now they're slammed shut!

If we view this as a forced fast, perhaps we can press into God and hear from him better?

God is With Us 

God has not left us. He is still at work. It's not for us to worry about the future or to try to figure out this COVID-19 thing. He works all things out in our lives for good. That hasn't changed. We need to stay in faith. 

• Why not ask God to grow your faith during this lock-down time? 
• Why not ask him to speak to you about what he has in mind for you right where you are?
• Make a list of what he reveals to you during your lock down. 

Most of all, stay steady. Encourage yourself daily. And keep hope in God as your guide.