DAY FOUR: Made to Last Forever

"This life isn't all there is.  Life on earth is just a dress rehearsal for the real production.  You will spend far more time on the other side of death - in eternity - than you will here."  (Warren)

So often I live life for the here and now.  I let the busyness, the pressures, the worries choke out what is truly important in life.  So often the temporal things demand attention, shifting my focus from eternity.   What I say (or what I don't say) and what I do (or what I don't do) matters in this life...it carries over into eternity with me.  What a fool I have been, living as if all that mattered were the immediate without considering the eternal.  It is not like I didn't know this.  I've just been out of tune lately and let the cares of this world choke out the reality of eternity.

Reality isn't just our life on earth.  Reality is eternity.  We'll be spending a lot more time on the other side of death than we will in life on this earth.  So why is it that I forget that important fact and cave into the pressures and desires of this world?  It's because I'm human, capable of bad judgement, making mistakes, and being just plain out demanding.  I am capable of sin.

But that isn't how God originally created us to be.  We were created in His image...meant to last for eternity!  Where we spend eternity is up to us...for those of us who love and place their trust in Jesus Christ,  we will spend eternity with Him.  Those who reject salvation through Jesus Christ will spend eternity apart from God...in a place of eternal condemnation. 

I was reminded in today's devotion that if God didn't exist, if this life was all there was, then there would be no purpose, no meaning to life.  There would in essence be no right or wrong, no good or bad.  We could do what we wanted, when we wanted and not suffer any eternal reprocussions.  However, death is not our final termination.  There is life after death.  And we are held responsible for our words and deeds in the hereafter. 

I've realized that lately, I've just been winging it through life - you know - shooting from the hip.  Sure, I've been responsible and done the best I could to be a good person.  However, God expects more from us than that.  We must live our lives on purpose - for His purpose.  In 1 Corinthians 9:26, Paul writes, " So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing."  In other words, we aren't to wonder through this life aimlessly.  We are to have purpose in every step we take.  Superior athletes take their training and practices seriously.  This life is our training ground for eternity.  It's not enough to sit back and watch from the stands.  It's not enough to jog around the track a time or two.  We are IN the race  so we must train diligently and finish strong. 

I must remember that there is more to life than just the here and now.

Verse:  "This world is fading away along with everything it craves.  But if you do the will of God you will live forever." 1 John 2:17

Question: Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing that I should start doing (or stop doing) today?    

Grace and peace:)
In His Love, Cathy

(Warren, Rick.  The Purpose Driven Life.  Zondervan.  2002. Print.)

DAY THREE: What Drives Your Life

(Got a little off track the last few days due to a family beach trip on Friday and then Michael's soccer tournament this past weekend in Perdido Key.)

"What drives your life?" was the title of Chapter 3 in The Purpose Driven Life.  The question glared at me from the top of the page.  It immediately captured my attention.  Before even reading a single word of the chapter I was already prayerfully considering what my answer would be.

"Everyone's life is driven by something." (Warren)  So what was driving my life?  Was it God or was it me?  After taking a long, introspective look I decided that at times, it was God driving my life.  However, quite honestly, lately it's definitely me.  I seemed to have no problem shoving God out of the drivers seat...like a little child demanding, "Hey, I want to drive!" 

But as I read further through the chapter, I began to learn more about myself.  I learned that my desire to 'drive' my life stems from areas in which I lack trust in God.  For example, when I'm stressed, facing a problem, or dealing with pressure I tend to want control.  Sure, I pray about it but at times, even after praying, I hold onto the problem.  I even recognize that I have a tendancy of turning something over to God, completely trusting Him at the moment I do so, only to later attempt to wrestle it right back from Him. I have control issues.  I like to drive.

So, what drives my life?  Warren outlines five of the most common emotions that can drive your life.

• Guilt
• Resentment and anger
• Fear.
• Materialism
• Approval

I must admit at various times I've been driven by each and everyone of these.  Fear, materialism, and approval are my biggest three weaknesses.  I admit, I'm a scardy cat.  I think that's why I like to have control and why it's hard for me to yield things to God sometimes.  Materialism is another weakness.  I like clothes.  I like shoes.  I like shopping.  I'm an impulsive shopper.  It is a weakness that I've learned over the years to yield to God.  Though not perfect yet, I have improved the most in this area thanks to some hard learned lessons.  My need for approval is probably the biggest driving force in my life.  I simply want to please everyone.  And though I know I can't, I will kill myself trying to.  It's only been in recent years that I've learned that the approval of others is fleeting.  Instead of seeking the approval of men, I should instead focus on pleasing God.  But still, it is hard for me to do so.

Recognizing what drives your life is like an addict facing the root of their addiction...it's the starting point for fulfilling God's purpose for your life.  Understanding what drives my life forced me to face up to the fact that I wasn't exactly the Christian I thought I was.  I had in my mind that I was free from some of the problems that seem to drive the lives of others.  I never thought that there might be something other than God driving my life at this point in my Christian walk. After all, I considered myself a 'mature' Christian.  Though I knew I wasn't perfect, I thought that I had developed a more complete and trusting relationship with God that I actually had.  In other words, I was a legend in my own mind!  The reality was quite different than my perception.  I still have stuff...lots of stuff.. to work on!

Understanding what drives your life is an important step in knowing God's purpose for your life.  You can't live a life on purpose for Him if He's not the one driving!

Living a life on purpose for God has some pretty amazing benefits.  Of course, our motivation for living for God should be first and foremost because He is God, He is glorious, and He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place for our sins.  But there are some other benefits for a purpose that are intertwined with His wonderful character.  Knowing your purpose:

• Gives meaning to your life.
• SIMPLIFIES your life.  (Boy did this speak to me!  This would define what you do and don't do.  Before making choices or commitments, ask yourself, "Does this activity or choice fulfill God's purpose for my life?)
• Focuses your life.  (You can concentrate your efforts on what is important.)
• Motivates your life.
• Prepares you for eternity.

Wow, I had no expectation of what God would reveal to me this morning through this study.  I had a head-on collision with truth.  It hurt to realize that I didn't have it all together like I thought.  But I'm now on the road to living the life God purposed for me.  I'll admit, I'm a piece of work.  It will take time.  And I will mess up.  But God can do wonders!  I've just got to let Him drive. 

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot...after reading this devotion as I was on my way to work this morning, KLOVE was playing Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel."  I think God was really trying to 'drive' this point home.  Gotta love how our wonderful God works!

By the way, what drives your life?

VERSE:  You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you."  Isaiah 26:3

Question to Consider:  What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life?  What do I want it to be?

Praying for you, friends!
In His Love, Cathy

(Warren, Rick.  The Purpose Driven Life.  Zondervan.  2002.  Print.)

DAY TWO: You are Not an Accident

My husband, Scott, is adopted.  There was a lot of pain and hurt surrounding his birth.  From a secular standpoint, you could say that Scott's conception was an accident, a terrible mistake.  A lot of people were hurt by the circumstances surrounding his birth.

However, from God's perspective, Scott was no accident.  His birth was not a mistake.  God planned Scott's existence before He ever created the universe.  Scott may have been unplanned by his parents, but he was not unplanned by God.  "While there are illegitimate parents, there are no illegitimate children...God's purpose took into account human error, and even sin"  (Warren).  

God created Scott on purpose for His purpose.  You and I are not accidents, either.  Whether our parents planned for us or not, God did.  We were concieved in God's mind before the universe was made.  God is love.  We are the product of that love.  He didn't need to create us but He wanted to in order to express his love.  Think of it this way. A couple marries. They know going into the marriage they want to eventually have children.  So they set up a home, begin saving, and planning for children.  They discuss how many children they will have, possible names for their children, and even wonder what their children will look like.  They know in advance that they will love their children.  Then the day comes when they have their first child.  They are elated.  They didn't need a child, but they wanted a child to share their love with.  This love between parent and child emulates the love that motivated God to create us.  God is love.  We, His creation, were created in His image...the image of His love.  We were in His thoughts from before creation.  He planned everything from start to finish with us in mind.  He knew us, before He ever began his preparations.  And He loved us before we ever existed.  That's a pretty powerful thought. 

God made each of us for a reason - to express His love.  We can only discover our purpose by making God the reference point of our lives.   

The following poem came from today's devotion from The Purpose Driven Life.  It is by Russell Kelfer:

You are who you are for a reason.

You're part of an intricate plan.

You're a precious and perfect unique design.

Called God's special woman or man.

You look like you look for a reason.

Our God made no mistake.

He knit you together within the womb.

You're just what he wanted to make.

The parents you had were the ones he chose,

And no matter how you may feel,

They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind,

And they bear the Master's seal.

No, that trauma you faced was not easy.

And God wept that it hurt you so;

But it was allowed to shape your heart

So that into his likeness you'd grow.

You are who you are for a reason,

You've been formed by the Master's rod.

You are who you are beloved,

Because there is a God!

I am not an accident.  Neither are you.  We are the objects of God's love and affection.  We find our purpose in Him.

"I am your Creator.  You were in my care even before you were born."  Isaiah 44:2

Question:  I know that God uniquely created me.  What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?  (Warren)

God has loved you since the day He conceived you in His mind.  Live in confidence of His love...live on purpose for Him today.

In His Love, Cathy

Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life. Zondervan, 2002. Print

Day One: It All Starts with God

Aside from the Bible, one of the most influential books in my Christian walk has been The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.  I was introduced to this book by a Christian friend at a critical point in my faith.  I had been a Christian for many years, however, looking back I was not a very mature one. 

I would have continued down the path of Christian immaturity had God not orchestrated some heavy hitting changes in my life.  At the age of 32, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  I've got to say that certainly got my attention.  I began reflecting over my life.  I realized that I had been selfishly living for myself when it came right down to it.  God really began speaking to my heart, showing me the things in my life that I needed to change.  After I began to totally yield to Him, spiritual change began taking root.  My newfound faith began to bloom and grow, prompting even more life change.  I realized life was too short to not live for Him.  I took an inventory of my life and realized that God was leading me in a totally different direction than I had been going.  I had been following the career path...a path that took up much of my time, leading me away from Him, my family, and church.  But once diagnosed with cancer, I was ready for Him to lead.  He led me away from a well paying computer programming job and into teaching high school math - and I LOVE IT!  He led our family away from our church of ten years, where my husband had grown up in, to a new church.  There was nothing wrong with our old church, but it was in our new church that both my family and I learned to serve selflessly, growing more in our faith than ever before in our lives.  And it was in our new church that God called me into children's ministry for a time - something I certainly never dreamed I had a gift for nor thought that I could ever do. 

It was in this season that I picked up The Purpose Driven Life.  God revealed just how selfish I had been living...and that was not His purpose for me.  I was created by God's purpose and for God's purpose.  I was made for God.  I was starting at the wrong place to find purpose - looking at myself  instead of looking to my Creator.  Misdirected attention on ourselves blinds us to our REAL purpose...our divine purpose in Christ!

I am once again at the crossroads of change in my life.  My children are growing up and out of the house.  Our parents are getting older and my father-in-law is suffering from Alzheimers.  My Dad has health and other issues that he refuses to address.  And tied into all of this, unexpected financial circumstances have demanded much attention (and concern) in this past year - though God has answered and is still answering prayers over this area in a BIG way.  (I am at peace about it all!)

Once again, God has captured my attention through the changes in my life.  I've realized that I've allowed circumstances to consume my attention, redirecting my focus from 'He' back to 'me.'  I've realized that at times I've not handled things as one who fully trusts in the Lord - returning time and again to the 'Egypts' of my life instead of stepping out in faith.  Thankfully, God knows this weakling's heart -  loves me anyway, forgives, and forgets.   

I wouldn't say that I've been adrift in the faith, simply beat and banged up quite a bit. So today, I picked up my Bible to read as usual.   But I also decided it was time to remind myself of what my purpose in life is.  I hope God will bless the next 40 days as I dive into His Word and renew my faith, my commitment, and living life for His purpose. 

Why we are, who we are, who we will become...our complete identity starts with, ends with, and has purpose in God.

Today, I'm thinking about my purpose.

And I'm reminded, it's not about me.

"Everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him."  Colossians 1:16b

Question for the Day:  In spite of all of the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself?  (The Purpose Driven Life) 


In His Love, Cathy

Motivation

"'Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.


"'When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.'"


Matthew 6:1-5

Our motivations matter a lot to God, and they determine the kind of reward we will receive. Jesus assumes we're always motivated to seek a reward .We may like to think we're "above" motivation for reward. We're not. We always seek a payoff. The question is, reward from whom? If from other people, then whatever they give us is what we get. If we seek reward from God and do everything for "an audience of One," then God himself pledges to reward us. What kind of rewards do you seek for the things you do, even spiritual things like prayer?
—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

Motivation comes from the heart.  I believe that Jesus is reminding us here that our primary motivation should be to please God.  And as we go about doing good works, giving, or praying, we should keep a low profile...not seeking or desiring earthly rewards or attention for ourselves, but instead seek first to please God.  Our lives should be a beacon of hope and light to the world through which God shines...a heart that seeks reward and attention for itself only dims that light.  We are not to draw attention to ourselves for our own sakes. Instead our motivation should be to point others to Jesus Christ regardless of whether we will be rewarded or not!   And, if God chooses to reward us in the here and now, let's thankfully accept those rewards with grace and humility, using them to point others to the ONE who is so very deserving.

In His Love, Cathy

What a Month!!!

CRAZY doesn't even begin to describe this month! 

To begin with, our son Matt celebrated his 21st birthday this month.  It's hard to believe he's that old...that doesn't make me old, does it?  He's doing great in tech school...still loving the Air Force.  We received the graduation DVD from His Basic Training in the mail last week.  Watching it gave me goosebumps...it really was an impressive experience!

Our daughter Brittany and her friend Dylan (now her boyfriend) survived a very serious accident a week and a half ago.  The fact that they both survived with nothing broken or internal injuries is a miracle...Dylan had to be cut out with the Jaws of Life and suffered a head injury.  They were t-boned on the driver's side.  Dylan was driving and took the full brunt of the force.  He suffered a head injury and was knocked unconcious immediately.  Brittany said the truck they were in kept going but she couldn't reach the brake to stop it.  She had to turn the ignition off to stop the truck.  She said it scared her to death because she didn't know at first if Dylan was alive... but then she heard him breathing.  Brittany is still having some back and knee pain from the accident but she was thoroughly checked and we've been assured she's okay. She was put on medication and told it will take a couple of weeks to heal.  Bless their hearts...God had His Hand of protection all over both of them.  There are two sets of very, very thankful parents.  A week after the accident, Dylan asked Brittany out.  I guess the experience brought them closer together:)

 Two weeks prior to the accident, our little dog Sasha got out of our yard and was hit by a car.  She died instantly.  She was primarily Brittany's dog.  We sure do miss that spunky little mess of a dog.  Fortunately, her brother, our other dog, Beauregard didn't get out. He is home, safe and sound.  Brittany is spoiling him rotten.  He won't even eat now unless she is standing by his bowl.  Poor little thing!

I was also diagnosed with high blood pressure this month (go figure, I wonder why?).  So we are trying to eat healthy, fresh foods with low sodium, continuing to excercise, and taking blood pressure medication.  I've also started cooking a week's worth of meals on the weekends.  That's been a huge help to our busy week day schedules.  It's just nice knowing that I'm able to feed my family fresh, healthy meals.  Although my blood pressure issue prompted the change in my diet, I felt that we all would benefit from eating healthier.  

This month also marks a change on some other fronts in our lives.  We've had a very tough financial year due to health care expenses and other issues outside of our control that totally blindsided us.  But God has been faithful and good.  Things are really starting to look up.  It's a huge relief to see things starting turn a major corner - I really hope and pray! 

Our SGA hosted the State SGA conference this past weekend in Pace for the first time ever.  It was a HUGE production that our community came through BIG TIME to help the students put on one of the best ever conferences.  Brittany enjoyed it enormously even though our Pace students were working behind the scenes.  We've got wonderful SGA advisors whose leadership and vision have made a tremendous impact on the students and community.  

Michael also had a tournament this weekend as well...they won their first soccer game in a tournment ever this past Sunday.  They were so excited.  They are a very young, newly formed select team.  Seeing their excitement after winning was priceless!

Well, we still have a few days left in the month, but I hope this month ends a little bit quieter than it began.  And I thought March is the month that comes in like a lion...let's hope not.  I don't think I can handle anymore excitement!

In His Love, Cathy