finding purpose in daily life

The sun is slipping towards the western horizon, and house is peacefully quiet. I sit at the table, chai at hand, enjoying the stillness and watching the breeze play with the sunlit leaves outside the window. Another day is coming to a close. It was a normal sort of day with nothing much out of the ordinary. Yet as I sit here, thoughts begin to crowd my mind, begging to be put to paper. For while it was an ordinary day, I'm reminded that God uses even those to teach me and mold me.

I find that it's usually on the ordinary days that I tend to loose sight of my true purpose in life. Those day-to-day things clutter my mind, keeping me focused on simply getting through another twenty-four hours. A glance at my schedule is proof enough that my days are generally quite full. Today however, I had the privilege of having "girl-time" with a friend at the local coffee shop. These times are a highlight to my week, as I always leave them encouraged. We're simply two girls sharing about life, but I'm amazed at how it ends up a time of challenging each other in our walks with the Lord. As our conversation led from one topic to the next, there was one thing in particular that stood out to me: Our purpose in life is to love.

Loving God and loving others. That's what this life is all about. Seriously, sometimes I wonder how I can be so forgetful! In the rush of daily life, it's often these simple kinds of truths that get overlooked. In the task of processing what to do this fall or next year, it's generally not the first thought on my mind. That's why I am so thankful that God has given me friends who challenge me to get back to the basics and remember what this life is all about. God has poured out on us His unconditional love, and our purpose is to share that with others. To be so filled by His love that it flows freely from our lives, in everything we do, wherever we go. We all want to have purpose in life, but too often we search for it in the wrong places. We look for it in our jobs, in approval from others, in our talents, in ministry...the list goes on and on. But as a daughter of the King, that is not where my purpose lies.

My life isn't glamorous - it's pretty normal. Yet in this "normal" life, I have a mission and a purpose: To love as Christ loves me. It's definitely not always an easy task, yet it is so simple. Love isn't dependent on my location or what my schedule is for the day; it is to be lived out anywhere and everywhere. If you are at home with children, you can love.  If you are overseas in a foreign country, you can love. If you are working at your job, you can love. If you are in school, you can love.

Loving God and loving others. That's what this life is all about.

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

Galatians 5:6

like kingdoms of sand

It took a storm to help me realize once again the value of material possessions.
Simply put, they are worth nothing.

From late last night into the early hours of the morning, there were threats of severe weather all around. A lovely mix of thunderstorms and tornados - oh, the joys of midwest weather. Praise the Lord that most of it missed our area, but nonetheless it did get me thinking. It's eye opening to realize that you could labor your entire life to build a kingdom of security and comfort for yourself, only to have it swept away in a single night, by a single storm. The things of this world are so temporary. Uncertain. Like a kingdom built of sand, it will all crumble to pieces. And all that will be left is the eternal.

This caused me to ponder, where is my treasure? If a storm took away everything that I owned, could I still be content? I should hope so. Because in the end, it's just stuff. In light of eternity it has absolutely no value at all. The things of ultimate value, the things of God's kingdom, can never be wiped away by a storm. They will stand firmly rooted forever.

I want to live for the eternal - for that which really, truly matters. To not allow myself to be consumed by the sparkling emptiness that the world offers but to fix my eyes on that which will last forever. I've only got a few short years on this earth - a blink of an eye in comparison to eternity. So how will I spend this time? Chasing after every worthless and temporary craving of the flesh, or fixing my eyes on my Jesus and running with endurance this race marked out for me?

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21