just being me.......

There is only one of me, and because there is only one of me there is no one exactly like me.  No one can give to the world what I have to give.  Everything in my life up until now has lead me to this point, for every moment of my life has trained me.....to be me.  I am equipped to reach out to the world and make a difference. 

xo

barbara lynn

what's my purpose......

For so long I have wondered what my purpose is in this life.   Not sure what direction to go and that feeling of being stuck and not satisfied with life.  Have any of you felt that way too?  These questions sometimes leaves us searching.

I read a devotional recently that touched my soul on this very question and I thought I would share it with you.  It is by Marjorie Holmes and is called "For Showing Me Purpose".  So here we go:

I am grateful, God, that I have finally come to realize your purpose for me.  Just when or how this came about I can't say.  It wasn't sudden and dramatic, the way it happened to Paul on the road to Damascus, or Peter Marshall with his experience on the Scottish Moors. 

There have been no visions, no voices, no letters written in fire upon a wall saying: "Do this."  "Do that."  "This is your reason for being."

No, my search for you and for the meaning you had for my life has been uncertain, groping, erratic, filled with accidents, false goals.  sometimes I seemed to sense that purpose, clearly see it; but it vanished like a mirage in the harried, often cruel business of everyday.

Yet somehow you keep track of your floundering creatures.  Maybe because life is so filled with defeat and heartbreak, we find ourselves turning to you, yielding ourselves to your will, fighting less furiously for selfish, often empty goals.  And when this happens we find that you have turned our sufferings and our failures into little stepping stones.

Looking back, we see them.  These rocks which gradually, all unknown to us, you have been shaping to lead us toward our purpose...And we have been following!  However blindly, however zigzag the course, yet we have been moving toward it.  And looking about, we see there are results.  There are signals, heartening little affirmations, unexpected proofs.

However humble our circumstances or undramatic our talents, our true purpose has been revealed.  We were meant to be this person at this time and place.  Not only for ourselves, but for you and other people - we were meant to make this particular contribution to the world.  And so we must do it well.  Do it with faith and patience, with all our strength and passion.  And in so doing discover who we really are.

Isn't that beautiful?  I thought so....so moving.  I guess we should write this down and post it somewhere.  So when we have those days when we are unsure about our life we could read this as a reminder.   That we are living our purpose for our lives everyday just being who we are!!!!!

xo

barbara lynn

Scripture reference:

This is what the Lord says - your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."

Isaiah 48:17

how far.....

As I sit here and look at this post I started days ago, I wonder where has the time gone.  You can get so caught up with life that you forget those wonderful joyous times of peace and contentment.  This post was one of those days and I was on a mission on that day.

Though the whether outside was going to rain and the clouds were definitely rolling in, I packed up my car anyways and headed out.  It would only take 15 minuets and I would be to my destination with one goal in mind and that was to find time with God away from all the distractions of my home.

I had taken a wrong turn to the entrance to the beach and was confronted with this scene.  The way was very narrow and full of thorn like brush not very pleasing to the eye but I had a goal in mind and I didn't have this discourage me.....then a very small surprise sprang forth.

 

Along the path was this very pretty purple flower.  Which makes me think that even when life can look so drab and boring thru these winter months that if we look we can find beauty along the way.

The destination I was seeking peace, quiet, & some solitude to spend time reading in my Bible.  My long awaited friend at the end of my journey.

This is the place I decided was perfect.........aaaaaaahhhh yes

I sit down and open my devotional bible and this was the first page I came to and how funny that it fit perfectly to how I was feeling.

God knows what we need and he gives it to us just when we need it doesn't He?

I sit and finish eating the toast I had made before I left the house....

but wait......what the.........!!!!

Yikes this bird almost grabbed my toast right out of my hand!!!!!!!  I had just brought out my toast and a swarm of sea gulls started to gather from out of nowhere....just when you think you have that peace, and solitude the enemy tries to steel it away.  Have you had that happen to?  Just when you want to spend time with God something comes in and distracts you.  I just couldn't believe it but then again I should have expected it.

The birds just kept on coming and wouldn't leave. I even tried to chase them off but they wouldn't go.  What a sight right?    So what did I do you say?  I finished my toast right quick just so there wasn't any left!  Yes I felt guilty not sharing any with them but I knew if I did I would just attract even more.

I  pulled out my mp3 player and played some instrumental music by Lorie Line (yes you still can hear the waves while the music plays)and started reading.  It was wonderful.... birds and all. 

The birds didn't bother me anymore since the toast was gone and I had a wonderful time with my Lord.  When I finished, I went for a walk along the beach before I headed back to reality.  Plus, I forgot to tell you that I put my phone on silent so I wouldn't be bothered and when I got back to the car there were three missed calls!  See what I mean.

Deciding to go where the peace was and persevering through all the obstacles, it gave me a forgotten contentment that I was needing.  So the question is..........

How far will you go?

xo

barbara lynn