How to Move From Pursuit to Living Out Your Purpose

This was a post contributed to Lead to Impact.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

~Proverbs 19:21

Are you in pursuit of your purpose? Are you chasing after your destiny? Do you think your purpose will show up in a one size fits all answer? Have you allowed someone else’s truth to become your truth as it relates to your purpose? 

If you answered yes to either question, STOP right there! This may be the root of your disappointment, your frustration or the fact that your feeling stuck and in a never ending vicious cycle of self-defeat. You’re not alone, I was there. 

What I discovered changed my life dramatically. I moved from pursuing my passion to living it out loud.  

Purpose Struggle

What I discovered changed my life dramatically. I moved from pursuing my passion to living it out loud. 


Shortly after I had left a secure job of twelve years, I was out to lunch and ran into a former colleague. Of course we had to catch up with each other, talked a bit about how things were going with family and the new career I would embarked upon.

As we were preparing to depart, I stated, I really miss you all and wish I could come back. He stopped looked at me briefly and said, we would take you back in a heartbeat, but you are doing what you are called to do, you are living out your purpose.

We hugged and departed ways. As, I walked away, I thought to myself, am I really? For several months, I often found myself pondering this question. I read and re-read every book on purpose that I could get my hands on.

Purpose discovered
In reading, there were a few revelations, however nothing that just stuck, nothing that brought me closer to finding my purpose. One day, I was flipping through an old journal from 2003. As I began flipping the pages, I noticed one common theme, on the top of every single journal entry that year; I had written the following scripture:

“For I know the plans, I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

And the last page in the journal had this one scripture:

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever, Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138:8

There was my answer. The promises of the scripture had come to life in that instant.
All this time, I was asking God to do something so I would discover my purpose and He did. He created me! You and I were created with purpose in mind. Everything around us was designed so that we could live out our purpose in life, not chase it down
Purpose lived out
Are you ready to live out your purpose? Here are five ways I am continuing to live out my purpose.

1.  Seek Him with All of Your Heart- Not every purpose is known to us, which is why we must seek Him, draw close to Him and He will reveal those things we need to know as we live out our purpose. One thing is certain, His promises are true and they will come to pass.

2.  Declare It- Say it out loud. You have what you say! Exodus 9:16 says, But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. How amazing is that, God’s love for you runs so deep, He has given you all that you need, so declare your declaration unto the Lord every day.

3.  Embrace It- Embrace your purpose and live according to the voice of God for your life. Embrace the thought that living out your purpose is about changing people’s lives and God created you for someone else. Your gift will make room for you, but your calling will impact nations.

4.  Meditate and Pray on It- As you are living out your purpose, prayer and meditation are critical. There are times to listen to the heart of God and there are times to speak. Trust his leading and remember, Romans 8:28 says, And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

5.  Love It- Fall in love with the why of your purpose every day. Your passion will drive your success. It doesn’t mean that you won’t encounter obstacles or a challenge, that is the beauty of living out your purpose, they are part of the journey and IT will all work for your good.  Remember Romans 8:28

Everything you do from this moment forward should be focused and centered on living out your purpose and not chasing it. Your passion will ignite a fire in you and will allow you to braze a trail for others to follow.

The Way I Live My Life Matters

Motherhood is such a blessing, seriously...there is great joy in being a mom. And it also has its fair share of challenges and pain. And I'm still inclined to believe the joys will always far surpass any of the pain. When I found out I was pregnant, I had so many emotions, literally I don't think I've ever been shocked, happy, excited, confused and scared all at the same. Regardless, my pregnancy was another defining moment in my life--really defining. 

I was going to be someones mother. Talk about a heavy burden. I mean you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that mothers are really superheros in human bodies. Ok, you got me, so the thought of being my daughter's super hero had me turning cartwheels. I like many new moms, vowed that I would be the best mom I possibly could be and I meant it. So I decided I better talk the talk and walk the walk...and it has been a journey. I recently read a statement and it said "Just like when you toss a stone into the water and it ripples, your life ripples out and affects those around you. My life as a parent is like that stone, as I live my life before my daughter, I'm sending a ripple effect into her life. And I want that ripple effect to have a positive influence on her. 

I have to remember Jailyn is constantly watching me for cues on how she should live her life. And I am responsible for the way in which she is influenced. And I would commit a grave injustice against her and God if I decided to live my life carelessly before her. So, I've purposed that I will have a positive influence on my daughter. And just like anything else the decision to live my life full of purpose requires commitment, discipline and truth--the whole truth. 

My life ripples out, sets the standards and has an influence on my daughter and her life doesn't have to be left to chance. 

Here are just a few things I've committed to in living a purposeful and meaningful life before my daughter. 

1. To openly share my love and relationship with God. To teach and help guide her on her spiritual journey as she develops her relationship with God. It is also as equally important that she is surrounded by other young girls and women who can also be mentors in this area. So, we attend church together. It's about relationship, not religion. 
2. To love and honor myself and embrace all of my features and characteristics. And when I do decide to change something, it's because I want to and not from the pressures of this world. The freedom to choose. 
3. Nurturing the love she has for her father unconditionally. I never say anything negative about her father to her or around her. This can damage the self-worth and self-esteem of young girls. It is not healthy for them or for you. 
4. The "friend" factor. This is an absolute NO NO. As your children get older, the term "friend" is no longer cute. They know and they will say something about it either to themselves or to you. My rule is this, my daughter will not meet anyone that I'm dating until we've made a commitment to each other and after he's met her father. I don't believe in having male "friends" entertain me while in her presence. It would be helpful to establish a rule that any man you are dating should not meet any of your children until you've dated a significant amount of time. (by the way 2 weeks is not significant)  
5. Have a life, let your child/children know that you have a life outside of them. You don't want them taking on the burden of feeling as if they can't do anything without you around. That's just not healthy. 
6. Communicate! For goodness sake, please learn to effectively communicate your thoughts and feelings to your child/children and around them. If you can clearly articulate your thoughts and feelings, chances are they will too. 
7. Be honest! Don't put yourself in a situation where you have to lie to your child/children. It's better to not say anything at all--just don't lie. You can find ways to answer there questions appropriately. 
8. Ok last one for this blog...your daughter is not your home girl. So keep her out of conversations that you would have with your girlfriends. Thank you!
9. Ok, really this is the last one...be careful of adult women who are eager to be your daughter's BFF. Of course you want your child to have someone they can confide in, however make sure that adult person isn't trying to fill a childhood wound. Boundaries are important.
 ~ Till next time