And my Friday’s Free Advice for the day is…(drum roll please)…
Pursue your passions!
Yikes! What the heck does that mean? (Seriously, we could go in several different directions with this. Especially since I just got home from MomsConnect, and the topic of discussion was “ways to spice up your marriage”.)
Allow me to clarify: find out what your God-given passion is, and then pursue it with all of your heart.
My first and foremost passion is God:
Deuteronomy 6:5
Love the LORD your God with all your heart (passion) and with all your soul and with all your strength.
My second passion is for my husband:
Genesis 2:24
A man will leave his father and mother and be united (cleave) to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Thirdly, I am passionate about raising my children to know and love God, each other, and live lives of integrity.
Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Beyond these first three priorities in my life, I believe God created me for something very specific. In fact, I truly believe each and every person on the planet was created and designed for a purpose tailor-made just for them. God has plans for us, my friends! That excites me! Does it excite you?
Sometimes the challenge comes, not from whether or not we believe we were created for a purpose, but from not having a clear picture of what that purpose is. My $.02 for you today? Do everything you can to uncover and discover all that God has intended for you. A good place to start is by going through the book SHAPE, by Erik E. Rees. (I took a class based on this book through my church recently – it was a powerful journey, let me tell you!)
Once you have a clear idea of what you are passionate about (and you may already know what that “thing” is but perhaps have been too afraid to declare it or step out and try it) I would encourage you to do two things:
- Find a mentor (someone you trust, respect, admire, and who’s walking a few steps ahead of you in the journey) - Have them coach you through the process of discovery.
- Look for ways to put your passion to practice. - I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, and again, and again (you get the picture); writing is my passion, and that is why I have this silly, little blog. I am also passionate about working and investing in the lives of other women, thus why I am active in the women's ministry at our church. I’m learning to put my passion into practice.
By doing these two things, it is really hard to tell what doors God will open up to you next. “Do not despise the day of small beginnings,” Zechariah 4:10 (paraphrased). Where once there was a tiny seed, there will, one day, be a giant oak tree.
Don’t be afraid to step up and out.
Seize your moment…
Give God your life…
And pursue your passions with all of your heart!