"There are 5 great benefits of living a purpose-driven life:"
- "Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life. We were made to have meaning. Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope."
"God says, "I know what I am planning for you....'I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future."
- "Knowing your purpose simplifies your life. It defines what you do and what you don't do. Without clear purpose you have no foundation on which you base decisions, allocate your time, and use your resources. You will tend to make choices based on circumstances, pressures, and your mood at that moment. People who don't know their purpose try to do too much - and that causes stress, fatigue, and conflict."
- "Knowing your purpose focuses your life. It concentrates your effort and energy on what's important. You become effective by being selective. Without a clear purpose, you will keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, or other externals - hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart."
- "Knowing your purpose motivates your life. Purpose always produces passion. Nothing energizes like a clear purpose."
- "Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity. Many people spend their lives trying to create a lasting legacy on earth. They want to be remembered why they're gone. Yet, what ultimately matters most will not be what others say about your life but what God says. What people fail to realize is that all achievements are eventually surpassed, records are broken, reputations fade, and tributes are forgotten. Living to create an earthly legacy is a short-sighted goal. A wiser use of time is to build an eternal legacy."
"One day you will stand before God, and he will do an audit of your life, a final exam, before you enter eternity. God will ask you two crucial questions:"
"What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ? God won't ask about your religious background or doctrinal views. The only thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn to love and trust him?"
"What did you do with what I gave you? What did you do with your life - all the gifts, talents, opportunities, energy, relationships, and resources God gave you? Did you spend them on yourself, or did you use them for the purposes God made you for?"
Point to Ponder: Living on purpose is the path to peace.
Verse to Remember: "You LORD, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you." Isaiah 26:3 (TEV)"
Question to Consider: What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life? What do I want it do be?
Everything you just read came from: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
Monday, October 10, 2011
What Drives Your Life? (part 1)
"Everyone's life is driven by something."
"What is the driving force in your life?"
"Many people are driven by guilt. They spend their entire lives running from regrets and hiding their shame. Guilt-driven people are manipulated by memories. They allow their past to control their future. They often unconsciously punish themselves sabotaging their own success."
"Many people are driven by resentment and anger. They hold on to hurts and never get over them. Instead of releasing their pain through forgiveness, they rehearse it over and over in their minds. Some resentment-driven people "clam up" and internalize their anger, while others "blow up" and explode it onto others."
"Many people are driven by fear. Their fears may be a result of a traumatic experience, unrealistic expectations, growing up in a high-control home, or even genetic predisposition. Regardless of the cause, fear-driven people often miss great opportunities because they're afraid to venture out. Instead they play it safe, avoiding risks and trying to maintain the status quo."
"Many people are driven by materialism. Their desire to acquire becomes the whole goal of their lives. This drive to always want more is based on the misconceptions that having more will make me more happy, more important, and more secure, but all three ideas are untrue. Possessions only provide temporary happiness. Because things do not change, we eventually become bored with them and then want newer, bigger, better versions."
"Many people are driven by the need for approval. They allow the expectations of parents or spouses or children or teachers or friends to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to earn the approval of unpleasable parents. Others are driven by peer pressure, always worried by what others might think. Unfortunately, those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it."
Everything you just read came from: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
"What is the driving force in your life?"
"Many people are driven by guilt. They spend their entire lives running from regrets and hiding their shame. Guilt-driven people are manipulated by memories. They allow their past to control their future. They often unconsciously punish themselves sabotaging their own success."
"Many people are driven by resentment and anger. They hold on to hurts and never get over them. Instead of releasing their pain through forgiveness, they rehearse it over and over in their minds. Some resentment-driven people "clam up" and internalize their anger, while others "blow up" and explode it onto others."
"Many people are driven by fear. Their fears may be a result of a traumatic experience, unrealistic expectations, growing up in a high-control home, or even genetic predisposition. Regardless of the cause, fear-driven people often miss great opportunities because they're afraid to venture out. Instead they play it safe, avoiding risks and trying to maintain the status quo."
"Many people are driven by materialism. Their desire to acquire becomes the whole goal of their lives. This drive to always want more is based on the misconceptions that having more will make me more happy, more important, and more secure, but all three ideas are untrue. Possessions only provide temporary happiness. Because things do not change, we eventually become bored with them and then want newer, bigger, better versions."
"Many people are driven by the need for approval. They allow the expectations of parents or spouses or children or teachers or friends to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to earn the approval of unpleasable parents. Others are driven by peer pressure, always worried by what others might think. Unfortunately, those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it."
Everything you just read came from: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
Poem by Russel 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 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!
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 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!
Torn...
I am so torn over what to do! I have a pro/con list that doesn't seem to be helping me make a decision on whether or not to stay in SC or to just go back to MN. There is no easy answer. I have been praying that the right choice will just come to me, but so far I don't get that one way is better than the other. It would be easier to move back to MN. Plus I would have my family, but I was never happy there. Seven years & I still didn't like it. Now I am realizing that over all it wasn't totally bad. But at the same time, is it welcoming enough to move back? See, torn.....
It's also more complicated because there are things here that could add so much to my life. People that could brighten it and make things complete for me as well as for them (potentially). I don't want to leave that yet without having given it the time that I think it deserves. The time that him and I deserve to learn and see what happens together. After 17 years of knowing him, I think I owe myself (and him) that much at least.I honestly don't know what to do still.....I suppose I just need to give it a little more time. Enjoy the time I have with the people who are honest, true and humble here and see what happens. It's so hard to give it all to God and try not to worry about it. I suppose the outcome is what it is, if I have a job in 3/4 weeks then I can stay if not then I go back.
But I am so torn, cause I really am not sure that going back to MN is the thing for me to do!
Torn, torn, torn.......
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