The Purposeful ParentSample

## The What – God-Given Purpose Now that you know who you are, we can focus on the what. What is purpose? What do I mean by "The Purposeful Parent?" Being a parent isn't your sole purpose. We were given a mission before we were a spouse or a parent. > "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." > \- Jeremiah 1:5 NIV Since God said this to Jeremiah, it can’t be any different for you. You were given a purpose before you took your first breath. That purpose is more significant than any plans that you can create on your own. #### Being a parent is important, but it's not the only purpose you have. #### Different Purposes We are all made to do different things. We can’t all be doctors. If we were, who would fix our cars when they broke down? We can't all be accountants. Who would represent us in court if we need it? We can’t all volunteer at the children’s hospital. Who would volunteer at the hospitals for our Veterans? We all have various roles, and each role is essential. Confusion is created when you have too many people trying to do the same thing. The quarterback is only good in football because he has an offensive line blocking for him, receivers catching for him, and coaches giving him plays and things to look out for. In basketball, the shortest guy on the court usually doesn't play center. That would be an advantage for the other team. Life is like sports; when everyone does what they are supposed to do, things work out better. #### Life is better when you pursue YOUR purpose. There are people in your future who are depending on you to reach your goal. Your children rely on you to reach your goal. They are looking to you to see how to accomplish things that are challenging for you. If we want our children to grow, learn, and achieve goals that are challenging, we must show them by demonstrating how we do it. Remember: you were made for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). #### How Do I Find Out What My Purpose Is? > "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track." > \- Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG 1\. Pray – Ask God to reveal your purpose to you and listen for an answer 2\. Act – Do something What worked for me is asking God, listening to Him, and trying new things. Writing this devotional is a result of trying something new that I never thought I could do. God speaks to us as we step out. It's part of how He works. We don't always see the entire picture ahead of us; sometimes we just see the next step. This is just one way out of several other ways that we can find our purpose. Realizing your purpose could be on the other side of trying something that you never thought you could do. Don't let what you think you can’t do stop you from finding out what God has for you.