Living With Purpose
Dear Friends,
This past week we have been on holiday with our friends, the Badawi family. For a treat, Jason booked for Claudine and me to have cream tea at Aunt Martha's Victorian Tea Rooms.
It was a lovely experience as we were taken back to Victorian Times where we were served tea, warm, homemade scones, homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream. 'Aunt Martha' and her servants were clothed in Victorian dress, the tea rooms were decorated as Victorian with candles for lighting. Their speech and actions were Victorian; 'Aunt Martha', with her laundry basket, told one of her maidservants she was taking her basket to the maid responsible for laundry.
'Aunt Martha' is living her dream - she has combined her passion for history (she is first and foremost an historian) with the business of running a tea room. She knows what she is good at, where her talents lie, and she knows what she enjoys doing - she has a specific vision and purpose for her Victorian tea rooms. She has made them unique and created a great experience for her customers to enjoy. It is clear to anyone who visits her tea rooms that she loves what she is doing, that she really is living her dream.
The afternoon caused me to stop and ponder my life. Is it obvious to others that I am a Christian and love to follow Jesus? By my speech - the things I say and how I speak to others, by my spiritual clothing - Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT) "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony." and by my actions - "Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us." 1 John 3:18, 24 (NLT). 'Aunt Martha' dresses up, plays the part of a Victorian, puts on an act. But for us, as Christians, the way we live shouldn't be an act, it's not pretend, we are to be consistent and genuine as we follow Jesus, and it should be obvious to all.
Like 'Aunt Martha', am I, are you, living the dream God has placed within you? What are the gifts and abilities he has given you? What are you interested in? What are you passionate about? What life experience have you had which has developed your gifting? If you know the answer to these questions then you can find a way of living the dream, living with purpose.
I'm passionate about sharing and teaching God's Word, it's what excites me, it's what I love doing. I know that when you too realise the dream God has placed within you, what he has created you for and find a way of implementing it, you will find incredible joy, fulfillment and satisfaction in living it. Each day you can wake with a sense of purpose, and not only are you blessed by living out your purpose, those around will be blessed by it too.
To Think About:
1. In what ways does your speech, your spiritual clothing and your actions make it clear that you live your life for God?
2. With God's help, take some time to search your heart to see if there are any changes you need to make to any of these areas (speech, thoughts, actions)? "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)
3. What are your interests, what are you passionate about? What is the dream God has placed in your heart? What are the gifts and abilities he has given you? How can you combine all these things to live out the purpose God has created you for?
Vicki
This past week we have been on holiday with our friends, the Badawi family. For a treat, Jason booked for Claudine and me to have cream tea at Aunt Martha's Victorian Tea Rooms.
It was a lovely experience as we were taken back to Victorian Times where we were served tea, warm, homemade scones, homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream. 'Aunt Martha' and her servants were clothed in Victorian dress, the tea rooms were decorated as Victorian with candles for lighting. Their speech and actions were Victorian; 'Aunt Martha', with her laundry basket, told one of her maidservants she was taking her basket to the maid responsible for laundry.
'Aunt Martha' is living her dream - she has combined her passion for history (she is first and foremost an historian) with the business of running a tea room. She knows what she is good at, where her talents lie, and she knows what she enjoys doing - she has a specific vision and purpose for her Victorian tea rooms. She has made them unique and created a great experience for her customers to enjoy. It is clear to anyone who visits her tea rooms that she loves what she is doing, that she really is living her dream.
The afternoon caused me to stop and ponder my life. Is it obvious to others that I am a Christian and love to follow Jesus? By my speech - the things I say and how I speak to others, by my spiritual clothing - Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT) "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony." and by my actions - "Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us." 1 John 3:18, 24 (NLT). 'Aunt Martha' dresses up, plays the part of a Victorian, puts on an act. But for us, as Christians, the way we live shouldn't be an act, it's not pretend, we are to be consistent and genuine as we follow Jesus, and it should be obvious to all.
Like 'Aunt Martha', am I, are you, living the dream God has placed within you? What are the gifts and abilities he has given you? What are you interested in? What are you passionate about? What life experience have you had which has developed your gifting? If you know the answer to these questions then you can find a way of living the dream, living with purpose.
I'm passionate about sharing and teaching God's Word, it's what excites me, it's what I love doing. I know that when you too realise the dream God has placed within you, what he has created you for and find a way of implementing it, you will find incredible joy, fulfillment and satisfaction in living it. Each day you can wake with a sense of purpose, and not only are you blessed by living out your purpose, those around will be blessed by it too.
To Think About:
1. In what ways does your speech, your spiritual clothing and your actions make it clear that you live your life for God?
2. With God's help, take some time to search your heart to see if there are any changes you need to make to any of these areas (speech, thoughts, actions)? "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)
3. What are your interests, what are you passionate about? What is the dream God has placed in your heart? What are the gifts and abilities he has given you? How can you combine all these things to live out the purpose God has created you for?
Vicki
Thank you. Recently I have also reflected on the words from Colossians. I have also been thinking about the fact that when God calls us to be disciples he does not choose a blank sheet of paper. He doesn't just use the gifts he gives us; he chooses to use us - who we are as people. We may only be earthen vessels but these are the vessels he wants. Our personalities, life experiences also serve his purposes. I'd be interested in your comments and further thoughts.
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