Day 7: "The Reason for Everything"

Welcome friends!! Please feel free to comment & discuss. For first-time readers: This is a daily discussion of the chapters in Pastor Rick Warren's Book: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For?

Day 7: "The Reason for Everything"

"Point to Ponder: It's all for him."

Daily Bible Verse: "For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory." Romans 11:36 (LB)

Daily Question: "Where in my daily routine can I become more aware of God's glory?"

What I wrote in my journal: My heart and mind went straight to the business of getting my kids off to their schools. We can wake up earlier and be less rushed and/or enjoy the moment in the journey. I googled "glory" when I started reading this chapter. Glory seems to me like the journey and perseverance on that journey that gets to the accomplishment/goal, so...instead of letting it pass by in a rush - I will try to be more present in the many moments along my journey.

The day I initially read this I went for a run. No matter how you start applying these principals there will still be things that happen to you that you don't understand OR people you don't understand. I was stressed to the hilt on this day & I had been in the presence of a person that just DRAINS me, but I know I am called to LOVE THEM, but it sure is hard to like them sometimes. So I went for a run & as I was running and the negative thoughts & anger about some of the things that come out of their mouth was causing me to run faster. I was lost in it & didn't even realize it UNTIL I became flat winded. I looked up to Heaven & smiled b/c he was using MY BODY to SHOW ME how those deep-rooted feelings were ONLY affecting me & making me tired.

Those thoughts & that anger didn't just subside, BUT I started thanking GOD for EVERYTHING along my path: the leaves, the grass, the beautiful blue sky, the gravel beneath my feet, the ponds I got to pass as I ran, the cows grazing, the shoes on my feet, my socks preventing blisters, the water to quench my thirst, the ability to run, the butterflies flying, the gift of life, the choice to choose which direction to run....EVERYTHING. Giving thanks to Him helped me to put things into perspective & NOT WORRY about someone else. It's all a diversion from what is most important. It also made me feel like all WE (the world) need to fix and cure and mend EVERYTHING is right before us. We just have to peel the crap away to see it.  

On the subject of other people: This chapter tells us something Paul said:" 'Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified.' " Sigh... EVERY person is fighting their own battle & EVERY person is UNIque & EVERY person you encounter is a child of God. There are things that you might do better than me. There are things that I might do better than you, BUT that does not make any one person MORE important than the other. It takes ALL of us to ACCOMPLISH God's plan...or we wouldn't be here.

The devil & his army are ever-present & you better believe he will use whatever & whomever he can, when he can, and how he can. So we (myself included) have to remember when, that anger & negative emotion starts rising up to ASK GOD to cast the devil's ploys FAR away from you & the person you are harboring anger toward. Ask Him for EXACTLY what you want. My prayer for this particular person is: "God please shine your LIGHT on our relationship. Help condition both of our hearts to UNDERSTAND each other & MEND the broken parts of our relationship. Cause us to LOVE each other, just the way we are & APPRECIATE each other for the GOOD you put in us. Put a wall around our relationship that the devil can not enter. Let the whispers that form our thoughts ONLY come from YOU Lord God & BLESS us, so we can bless others. Amen." WE HAVE TO PRAY FOR OTHERS. People's level of understanding differs on...pretty much everything. We NEED each other to make it through. This prayer may not "fix" all my problems in this relationship, but it will STOP the devil in his tracks. We'll have to work through what hurt has already been done, BUT everything that builds from this point forward, will be God's work & not the devil's.

Another side note that I have observed since finishing this book & since typing out the prayer of protection (which I never SPOKE out loud until just a few minutes ago). We can KNOW what needs to be done, but we have to DO IT. That's it. Let me tell you the peace & the "Jesus-moment" I had on that run I will remember forever...BUT do you think I have CONSTANTLY practiced that, since.....NO. WE HAVE TO HAVE OTHERS TO CONTINUE TO URGE US ON. My close friends KNOW that I have asked them to check me, if I need checking. Straighten me out!! We have been conditioned from a young age to see & think & act certain ways. There is a lot that is subconscious.

Let me give you an example. A VERY much God-fearin' woman took her children out to eat. She studies the Bible, ministers to people, & is devoted to serving others. She sits down & says "Okay let's say the blessing." Her 3 year old says "Mom, we can't pray HERE." She's taken aback & she grabs her little one's hand & says "Well we sure can!" & they do. Her thoughts went to: What have WE done (in the past 3 years) to make my sweet baby feel like it is unacceptable to say GRACE over our food in certain places?  

SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW! They don't know HOW. They don't know WHY. This chapter also says: "Once we know the truth he expects us to share it with others." It is our duty!! Once you know....you are held responsible. Chew on that one for a minute. It makes things mean SO MUCH MORE..I'm sure.

Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus!! We have to TELL it! We have to LEARN it! We have to SHARE it! We have to PRACTICE it! We have to KEEP REMINDING EACH OTHER about our obligations!!

May GOD BLESS you on your journey! JOIN our trail ride & ride along with Jesus!!

Day 6: "Life Is a Temporary Assignment"

Welcome!!! Today is Day 6 on OUR journey through Rick Warren's book: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For?"

This chapter has not left me since I read it. It truly AMAZES me at what strikes a cord with me...& what strikes a cord with others. Sure SHOWS me unIQue we are.

From the second paragraph in today's reading: "To make the best use of your life, you must never forget two truths: First, compared with eternity, life is extremely brief. Second, earth is only a temporary residence. You won't be here long, so don't get too attached."

I said in yesterday's blog how all of the choices and actions I make tend to have MORE purpose than what they did before. I think it is because THIS chapter has helped me tie up SOME loose ends. I had a moment where I realized that I wouldn't have forever to be a Mom, or a wife, or WASTE my time with worry.

MAN!! I used to be chalked FULL of worry. I worried about moving myself up the ladder. I worried about impressing new clients. I worried about if other people in the company were going to do their job. I worried about how others were treated in comparison to myself. I worried about impressing my bosses, my co-workers, my family. I worried about how much weight I gained. I worried about the decisions I made. Man I worried!! I'm not sayin' it NEVER creeps in anymore. It does....BUT it makes me stop to look around b/c the Holy Spirit is tryin' to tell me something.

I have been free from the corporate shackles for 6 months now. I had to work through the mindset of having to answer to someone else and having to look busy & over the past few months that anxious/edgy feeling has left me for the most part. I still get anxious sometimes before an auction or birthday party or whatever, but it's a different kind of anxious...a good kind. I'm not clouded by thoughts and opinions and frustrations that really DON'T matter in the grand scheme of things. NOW, when I get that icky anxious feeling I believe it is the Holy Spirit talking to me. He's causing me to PAY ATTENTION.

Like we learned yesterday: God has entrusted us with gifts, talents, and blessings. Family, friends, business relationships, our house, our car, our talents (which could be anything like: crunching numbers, caring for livestock, building relationships, caring for the sick, teaching young people, or protecting our country) are GIVEN to us....NOT to use for ONLY ourselves, but to bring glory to God. He gave MY BLESSINGS TO ME. Therefore, when I feel like they are being endangered...it is MY RESPONSIBILITY to PROTECT them. They are entrusted to me for a purpose I don't yet know, but they are mine & I have FAITH that God won't give me anything I can't handle & doing the best job I can with the blessings HE gives me...will get me closer to meeting my friend & brother Jesus.

So....Here are the specifics for today:

Day 6: "Life is a temporary assignment."

"Point to Ponder: This world is not my home."

Daily Bible Verse: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)

Daily Question: "How should the fact that life on earth is just a temporary assignment change the way I am living right now?"

From my journal the first day of reading: I should be sure that all I am doing is bringing glory to God...in ALL situations: How I care for myself & my family, How I use the gifts God has given me, how I handle ALL situations: Good & Bad, Easy & Difficult, how I praise Him.

This will relieve the stress and busyness of my life and make my assignment more clear.

Well....let me just tell you. It has done just that. It hasn't fixed all my problems. We are supposed to have problems. Our problems prepare us for future problems. My focus has been sharpened. I've still got some sharpening to do, but you better believe there's been PROGRESS.

This is a cliff note of this chapter. You can apply it a totally different way at each reading. I really URGE you to get this book & really read this chapter, so you can begin to wrap your head around it.

BUCK UP BABY & RIDE WITH JESUS!!! Join in on the discussion!!

God Bless!!

Day 5: "Seeing Life From God's View"

Welcome! Welcome!! For everyone that is a NEW reader...we are going through a book I recently finished reading. It is a chapter-a-day book: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Pastor Rick Warren.

I am inviting others to join in on the discussion. You can comment here OR on my Facebook Page. I am going back through each chapter to discuss it & share how I've started applying it to my daily life, the struggles I have/had with the discussion, & so on.

Today is Day 5!

 Day 5: "Seeing Life From God's View."

"Point to Ponder: Life is a test & a trust."

Daily Bible Verse: "Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones." Luke 16:10A (NLT)

Daily Question: "What has happened to me recently that I now realize was a test from God? What are the greatest matters God has entrusted to me?"

From My Journal the Day of Reading:

Recent Happenings That Were a Test: My past work experiences, situations & disagreements with certain family members, less than ideal business transactions

The Greatest Matters Entrusted to Me: Sharing my spiritual journey, human nature - learning & understanding it, the exchange of goods & services, using personal connections to shine light to each other.

I can say...when you START thinking like this (How God views our lives) ALL the B.S. starts fallin' by the way side. There is plenty of drama that you can get caught up in...other peoples' drama, your drama, the drama you crEatE with your mind, the drama others create with their mind.....that literally... DOES NOT MATTER.

When you realize & AFFIRM that our time on earth is limited; you start making your actions matter more & you start focusing  on yourself & your family versus everyone else's opinion. You focus on your mission (if you know what that is.) If you're not sure what that is take a look at your gifts. They are sure enough clues.

I KNOW that I am supposed to BLESS people through auctions. I can't tell you EXACTLY how I'm supposed to do that...and I don't think there is an exact way... Since I have gone FULL-time at it I KNOW that I have created an atmosphere or setting to help estranged family members start mending their relationships. I've seen severed friendships MEND. I have created an environment where complete strangers are helping other complete strangers ALL because they have LOVE for one of the people involved OR they have gone through something similar. I have GENERATED IDEAS of how larger entities can help smaller entities & EXHIBITED how. I have SEEN a cancer patient become FILLED with SO MUCH LOVE for the people that came out to SUPPORT her...ENOUGH to take with her on the LONG journey ahead of her. I have witnessed people most would have forgotten about, find PURPOSE that they didn't KNOW they had. I have been a key player in generating LARGE sums of $$$ (a little from everyone with a little) - to really HELP someone in need. I have seen families of tragedies HELP other families of tragedies. I have seen causes with a small intent BALLOON out to WAY more than what they expected. I have seen families & communities RALLY around others that are down. I have made life-long friends out of COMPLETE strangers. I have been URGED forward by people of ALL kinds. I have made CONNECTIONS with other GIFTED & BLESSED people that I will be able to work with.

I also KNOW now that ALL the difficulties I have faced, have gotten me to where I am now. ALL the false perception, all the INTENSE feelings, the words from ALL the critics, all the disagreements.....EVERYTHING are tools to put in my tool bag for MY journey....BECAUSE there will be a time when it will REALLY matter & God is equipping me with the tools to OVERCOME it.

I second guess myself quite often, & in all different areas of my life. There is a sentence from this chapter that GROUNDS me, when my thoughts start whirlin' around: "Our time on earth and our energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships, and resources are all gifts from God that he has entrusted to our care and management." -Rick Warren

So...when I start thinking about how I should maybe do something like this wife, or this mom, or this business owner, or this sister, or sister-in-law, or friend....I check myself. GOD TRUSTS ME with ALL the gifts, people, relationships, experiences, opportunities, THOUGHTS....EVERYTHING. He doesn't give the same ones to everyone. Everyone does not see what I see or understand what I understand. THEY ARE ENTRUSTED TO ME. On that note...once you wrap your head around this thought....you MOVE faster on the things you KNOW you have to move on.

I can tell you what I still struggle with is: OTHER people trying to get in OUR business. Say some prayers for me, because I don't KNOW the right or wrong way to handle that one. I've just been bringing it back to FOCUSING on MY actions & what I have to do to PROTECT my family & my mission & my blessings. We can't control others...it's not our gig.

Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus!! Join in on the discussion. God Bless!!

Day 4: "Made To Last Forever."

Welcome Back!! For NEW readers this is the book that we are discussing & we will for the next 38 days.

I know yesterday was a humdinger. I mean...it got the brain muscle workin'. There will be days in this book that MIGHT mentally drain you. He usually goes easier on you the next day or so after that :).

Day 4: "Made To Last Forever"

"Point to Ponder: There is more to life than just here & now."

Daily Verse: "This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will love forever." 1 John 2:17 (NLT)

Daily Question: "Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?"

From my journal the first day of reading:

Stop: Worrying, waiting, being guarded, over-analyzing

Start: Moving forward with the things that God has placed in my heart & forgive people & forgive myself.

This is my FAVORITE part of this chapter & YES...I'm going to type the whole thing out: "Life on earth is just the dress rehearsal before the real production. You will spend far more time on the other side of death - in eternity - than you will here. Earth is the staging area, the preschool, the tryout for you life in eternity. It is the practice workout before the actual game; the warm-up lap before the race begins. This life is preparation for the next."

I am Catholic & I went to to a mission about a year and a half ago that talked about purgatory. At the time it was somewhat fascinating to me & I was trying to wrap my head around it. I converted from Lutheran when I married my husband, so I never really KNEW what purgatory was all about. What if purgatory is the bundle of layers our souls travel to...to get to Heaven? I think about all of us & how it just seems IMPOSSIBLE for us to FULLY understand all there is to understand about how & why & when things happen. What about the MOSTLY life-long atheist that receives GOD on his deathbed? I'm thinkin' he's not goin' straight to Heaven with the saints, BUT I think God will save him & his soul will have to go the course of whatever journey God has in store for him; to reveal what needs to be revealed, to give him the opportunity to KNOW & LEARN & DEVELOP a relationship with Jesus Christ. Just like the priest said at that mission: "There is gonna be a lot of disappointed Christians, if we all think we are going straight to Heaven." It takes MORE than going to church every SUNDAY, & MORE than living a GOOD life by the accounts of society.

Remember: The two questions God is likely to ask: "What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?" & "What did you do with what I gave you?" Are you bringing others to Jesus? Are you bringing yourself to Jesus?

I can say that this chapter has made me look at EVERYTHING differently...in a good way. I've gotten a lot better at not sweatin' the small stuff & being DIRECT about the big stuff & YES...I believe there is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more past this life. I don't need to KNOW what exactly. I find PEACE knowing that there is!

Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus & with all of us too!! Thanks to ALL that have participated in discussion thus far!!

Day 3: "What Drives Your Life?"

Welcome all the new readers & returning readers!!

Today the book talks about what drives your life... You'll be doing some self-analyzin' today.

Day 3: What Drives Your Life?

Point to Ponder: "Living on purpose is the path to peace."

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

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

Here's what I put in my journal: I really think they'd say all different things. Some would say: 1) to have a successful business & something to leave her kids. 2) To be as successful as she was working for others...for herself. 3) Helping others. 4) Auctioning or selling things. 5) Learning. 6) Living out her purpose. 7) The journey. The people that don't agree with what I'm doing OR don't understand it might say: 8) the attention & praise. 9) the perception of success.

I really think and want my driving force to be fulfilling God's plan for me and managing the relationships and responsibilities of the people I love most, the best way I possibly can.

What I have to ADD: I think PERCEPTION is one of the devil's MOST-USED tools.

Each chapter has several other Bible verses that go along with the chapter & this one had this at the beginning: "I observed that the basic motive for success is the driving force of envy & jealousy!" Ecclesiastes 4:4 (LB)

Here are the MOST important things I took away from this chapter. Ya'lls may be different & that is GOOD. We all apply things differently.

1) We are not supposed to do EVERYTHING or be good at EVERYTHING, so we shouldn't focus on it so much.

2) WE SHOULD STOP DABBLING.

3) We are working on our ETERNAL LEGACY. Living a good life here on earth, will make things easier (maybe) for the people we leave behind, BUT what we should FOCUS on is our ETERNAL LEGACY. There is more than what is here & ALL the PERCEPTION & FLUFF that goes along with our legacy here will be STRIPPED AWAY....to get right down to the nuts & bolts of our use with the time God has given us.

Pastor Warren writes in his book about the two questions WE KNOW (from the Bible) God will ask us when we stand before him: 1) "What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?" Did we develop a relationship with him, accept what he did for us, & learn to trust him & love him? 2) "What did you do with what I gave you?" Think about some of the things he gave you. Think of all the opportunities, people & relationships, talent, gifts, opportunities, resources... God has given me lots of things...and NOW I can look back and see how its ALL connected together to put me right where I am now. I KNOW with EVERY ounce of me that God has commissioned me with the talent of being an auctioneer & all that goes with it. I also know that this talent could have been revealed to me YEARS ago...& saved me a few steps...BUT I needed to walk those steps. Thus I know that....I will walk this path as long as he wants me to. I will walk through ALL of the doors he opens (& it has happened WITHOUT me asking) & I will TRUST that whatever is ahead of me is GREATER than what is behind me. I also KNOW & am CONTENT with the fact that he might have me flying airplanes or swimming with dolphins 20 years from now....and if that is where he thinks I need to be...I WILL GO.

I believe in GOD's plan!

One other thing I want to talk about is PERCEPTION. I have come to believe that it is one of the devil's STRONGEST tools because it can be placed in the minds of others. It can be placed in our own minds. It can create feelings that are false....& BOTTOM LINE it is a falsehood. PERCEPTION IS NOT REAL, but we ALL STRuggle with it.

This is the definition of perception I'm talking about: a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression.

I bring this up because it is ALWAYS present & it will ALWAYS try & deter you OR jack you up some how. Here are some examples:

Having a disagreement with someone, kind of mending it, but never really addressing where the words/emotions/thoughts came from & ULTIMATELY not really getting to know that person & why you both reacted the way you did. Based on the actions of OTHERS or the words of OTHERS you perceive MENTALLY that the two of you never will get along & look at the surface of things...and it ends there. UNLESS someone makes the effort to know that the other person felt guarded, was going through something else, felt a twinge of jealousy or frustration & had other things to work out & that you REALLY would not get it at the time.

Here's another: A person doesn't really know God, has no relationship with God, doesn't know how to pray....not because they don't want to, BUT because they don't know HOW. They didn't grow up knowing God. They start dating someone that has gone to church all their life & EXPECTS them to also. They don't know what to do. They're kind of like a lost duck & they just go through the motions to make the other person happy & make themselves be PERCEIVED as satisfying the "wants" of that person. That perception creates a road block to REALLY developing a relationship with GOD & other people as well....because the motions are just a show that hold no meaning.

One more: Two friends start two different businesses. They both enter into it, excited about helping each other. Things start rolling for both of them & one talks to the other about potential investors & what was important for her & what she THOUGHT she REALLY needed to get her business to the next level, which included the friend's business. The natural twinge of jealousy hits. WHY does SHE have that opportunity? She just got started? The perception of what it SEEMS like & what it may actually be - aren't addressed. A road block starts forming. Instead of digging into how & why & what happened for her to get the interest of investors & ALL the work she might have had to do & how long she'd been working on it...the other starts thinking about how the success of HER business will be PERCEIVED in comparison. The relationship of helping each other halts b/c the FOCUS changes from working together to working on how to reach the PERCEIVED success of the other.

WE worry about the perception others may have about: the homes we build, the church we go to, the cars we drive, the food we eat, the places we go, what organizations we are part of, where we work...EVERYTHING. And if you are sittin' there sayin' you don't...it's time to get HONEST with yourself. Are ALL the choices you make FOCUSED on how your actions or decisions will move you forward on your God-given mission?

I HOPE you guys see what I'm getting at. ALL of the thoughts are PERCEIVED thoughts, that are created by filling in the details we DON'T KNOW! We are ALL meant to work with each other....not against each other. Just think about the PROGRESS that could be made IF we worked WITH each other, instead of by ourselves & if we worked for God's purpose & not with the purpose to please others. We all have our own journey & our own timeline - that we really DON'T have control of. The devil doesn't like progress, unless it benefits his cause...to have more souls join his army.

SO.....I KNOW....lots to think about. But NOW to answer the question of: "What do I want the driving force in my life to be?" Here it is: To COMPLETE God's mission & be stronger & smarter for the next one he gives me. To SHARE with MORE people, how to avoid the devil's ploys. To be a GOOD soldier in God's army. To help the people I love become stronger soldiers for CHRIST. To INTRODUCE my children to God's word, SO they can introduce his LOVE to other children EARLY in life. To MINISTER to people when the OPPORTUNITY arises....or CREATE the opportunity. (Once you OPEN yourself up to that...the opportunities PRESENT themselves.) & TO BLESS OTHERS WITH THE BLESSINGS GOD HAS GIVEN ME.

I mean it ya'll! GO get this book!!! We are only on DAY 3!! BUCK UP BABY & RIDE WITH JESUS!! He's got your mount ready!!

Day 2: "You Are Not an Accident"

I hope some of you have come back for Day 2 of our discussion on Finding our GOD-given purpose & I hope that there are new readers!

It is REALLY important to read these chapters to get the most out of them, so I will only hit the highlights so you all understand the topic. 

DAY 2: You are not an accident.

Daily Verse: "I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2 (CEV)

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

Here's what I put in my journal the day of reading: Things I struggle to accept: My inability to keep clean spaces (house, office, car), my struggle with PERFECT button-downed time management, the lack of attention I pay to myself, how long I take to say things that need to be said - after an argument or misunderstanding - PRIDE, scheduling time to do certain, specific things I want to do with my family.

Thoughts after reading the book through:

This chapter discussed how GOD DOESN'T MAKE ACCIDENTS...EVER. It discussed how EVERYTHING in our lives is planned for a purpose. I'm not sure where ya'lls minds take you when you hear this, but I started thinking about several things including:

-Children born to crappy parents.

-Children going thru some of the most unthinkable situations...like child abuse.

-Adults going thru some of the most unthinkable situations...like the Holocaust.

-Things about myself that are less than stellar. 

-Sickness & Disease. 

-The process of aging...& dying. 

You think about all these things & it throws you because they are horrific. BUT then I KNOW... the devil NEVER wins. So in that mess....where is the purpose? 

I didn't get this from the book (although it mentions it). I was listening to an interview of Mr. Rick Warren by Oprah. When he spoke these words they hit my soul. "There might be illegitimate parents, but there are no illegitimate children. God needed that specific DNA to CREATE you!!" We ALL have a purpose & we ALL have a chance. No matter what our circumstances are GOD will not give us more than we can handle.

That statement takes my thoughts back to a situation like the Holocaust, where SO many people died...horrible deaths. What I HAVE to bring it back to is: WHATEVER is passed this life is FAR, FAR greater than ANY suffering on this earth. THE DEVIL DOES NOT WIN! I truly feel like we are all warriors fighting a constant battle with the devil.

When I was a Marketing Liaison for a skilled nursing facility I ran into people of all kinds. One lady I went to visit comes to mind during this chapter. I'd say she was probably in her 50s. She was VERY weak, but of sound mind. She had nothing. She had been in hospitals so long she had lost her apartment & didn't even know where her belongings were. Her elderly mother was sending her what little money she could, but she hadn't heard from her in weeks. I went to see if we could meet her needs. She had no insurance of any kind, so I had to assess whether or not she met the requirements for Medicaid in a skilled nursing facility. So everyone knows, these requirements consist of: meeting a financial requirement (which she did) & having medical necessity. Medical necessity pretty much means that you NEED the care of a nurse 24-7. Some of the diagnosis or conditions that typically meet this requirement are: Dementia, Alzheimers, had the inability to safely administer your medications & Wounds...especially those requiring a wound vac. You would only meet medical necessity with a wound until it had healed to a point where Medicaid deemed you could care for it yourself or call someone to care for it. To put it plainly...if you were of sound mind, could list your medications, & had the ability to call someone for help you would not qualify. It does not matter that this lady was almost too weak to walk & had to have her stomach pumped every other day b/c the fluid would build up from her liver condition. I had to break the news to her that she would not qualify. She was broken. SO broken. She cried & asked me: "WHY? I need help!" I stood there and told her that I agreed & that I was sorry & that I WISH there was a way for us to accept her, but that I would talk with her case manager about other POTENTIAL options. I assured her though...that as long as she had a breath, she still had purpose. 

A few weeks later, I was back at the same hospital & as I was on my way up to meet another patient a tech had wheeled the same lady into the elevator I was in. They were going to run some tests. She was talking to the tech & having a REALLY joy-filled conversation. She looked back & saw me. She smiled & talked to me about how good EVERYONE at the hospital was treating her & how, of all the hospitals she's been at, this was her favorite. She apologized for getting so upset when I visited her, but that she really appreciated me coming. 

I got back to the parking garage & just sat in my car for a minute...KNOWING that, although it was not exactly clear to me, there was a PURPOSE for that meeting. That woman's LIFE still had EXTREME PURPOSE...even though her physical body was broken. 

God's creation TRANSCENDS the physical. It is of another realm...on a level that we have to WORK to get to. A level that will be REVEALED to us when we can handle it. 

Although there are things that are BROKEN about ALL of us, those broken pieces fit together to make a whole that works seamlessly. So now... (even though some people challenge me at EVERY encounter) I KNOW that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US has a a UniQue purpose, tailored by GOD & not one other person will EVER fully understand it. That is why we are supposed to LOVE EACH OTHER ANYWAY.   

Buck up baby & ride with JESUS!! He walked the walk to lead the way, to show us that there is MORE & that ALL our suffering will not be in vain!! GO. GET. THIS. BOOK. & join in on the discussion. 

Day 1: Join Me On a Journey to FIND Our Purpose.

Before Easter, I started reading the book: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Pastor Rick Warren.

It CHALLENGES you to go on a journey to FIND out your GOD-GIVEN purpose. It is a chapter a day for 42 days. The book CHALLENGES you to memorize verses from The Bible and to crEAte a group to share your journey. IT IS LIFE-CHANGING.

I have decided that I am going to RE-read the book & share my journey with whoever wants to be a part of it. I'll discuss how I am applying it to my life, challenges I have faced, the clarity that it has given me & give us a place (this blog or my Facebook feed) to have our very own Bible Discussion. If others interact I KNOW that this will help others & may just bring people closer to GOD OR bring people to God that never knew him before. You will ALWAYS be able to go back to my blogs to join in on the discussion, even if you start a little later.

I have to tell you....when I first started reading this book I was slowly falling into it & by day 4 or 5 I thought to myself: "I've gotta blog about this!!" Then EVERYtime I thought about making time to blog about it, keep up with each chapter, & keep up with my life....I decided: I'm going to read it through & then RE-read it & REALLY discuss the topics it challenges us to think about. So here goes...

Day 1: It All Starts With God

Daily Verse: "Everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him." Colossians 1:16B (MSG)

Daily Question: "In Spite of all the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself?"

What I journaled the day of reading: Turn to God & STOP focusing on why people hurt ME, don't understand ME, don't agree with ME & stay focused on the positive things & FOCUS on being me & loving the people God has put in my life to love, care for, & touch.

What I can ADD after reading the book through & applying what I've learned in my life: This entire year I have had to make some decisions that were ScarRy, HARD to make, & (although I KNEW I was being called to do it & GOD wouldn't remove it from my heart) had NO idea what it would be/look like/who would agree with me/how I'd pull it off/ AND about 500 more concerns that ran through my head. SO....I get to the point where I LITERALLY step out into FAITH.....& I mean WAY out. There were a few WORLDLY things I KNEW would go along with my decision. I credit this knowledge to my sales career.

1)  I'd be dealin' with REJECTION & it would be PERSONAL this time.
2) There would be people that wouldn't GET IT & now I know....MAY NEVER GET IT. Some of those people are the people that are closest to me.
3) I'd have to do some educatin'.
4) I may be entering into something I THINK I can't handle, BUT will have to TRUST GOD to KNOW that I can.
5) Life would change.....in ALL kinds of ways.
6) I'd have to THROW my ego out the window......This may have been the hardest part for me. Not sure, BUT I can tell you that in my day-to-day decisions I have to check myself on this.

All that said & taking into account EVERYTHING listed about that went with it & then some, would I change my decision to MOVE FORWARD in making a LIFE change and CAREER change? NO!!!!!!

Praise JESUS! Now that I'm finished talking about MY initial worries & how the decision would & has affected ME, I can sincerely say that this chapter helped to bring it ALL back to what REALLY matters! I still don't know what life is going to look like 6 months from now, but I KNOW that ALL the decisions leading up to it, came from the RIGHT place. The WHOLE reason I did this was because I felt like God was calling me to do it. I mean...it reached a point in my previous position that I felt like I was DISOBEYING God & the mission he was giving me.

There was a time when I was going through college & I was working at a little home decor shop in my hometown & one of the gals that worked at a restaurant a few doors down came in to do some shoppin' while she was on break. I had brought my Bible to work & was reading it when it was slow. When she walked in I closed it immediately & put it under something...pretty much hiding it. She walked straight up to me, pulled it out from beside the register, patted the top of my closed Bible & said: "Keep reading it. I read mine everyday & I think more people should." She kept shopping & shot her typical BEAMING smile at me. I can tell you that I NEVER want to feel that SHAME again & I was starting to feel it & more & MORE the longer I kept working in a position that was less than what GOD HAD PLANNED for me.

Buck Up Baby!! DO NOT BE AFRAID of ANYTHING of this world. We are ALL made by God, for God & HIS glory. He LOVES us! He LOVES us enough to give us LIFE & although it may be hard sometimes, I truly believe EVERYTHING will be worth it.

I met with a friend today that is REALLY going through a hard time. After I left, I felt like the conversation we had was EXACTLY what they needed. People will not understand every decision we make. Sometimes people won't MAKE THE EFFORT to understand the decisions we make, and FRANKLY...they don't have to. It is our responsibility to KNOW that our decisions are grounded by what God teaches us. Our thoughts & decisions transcend this world IF our FOCUS is to please GOD & not anyone else.