#IAmPurposeDriven

#IAmPurposeDriven

This is an affirmation I share with Lane a lot. I always tell her— and my other three kids — they were made on purpose, with a purpose, and that everything in them serves a divine purpose for the blueprint of their lives. So when I read something recently that struck a chord with me, I paused:

“You don’t have to prove your worth to the world. The God who made you already decided who you are and designed a purpose for your life.”

I’ll be honest — that line hit me in a place that’s pretty familiar in my life. If I want my kids to truly believe what I tell them about their purpose, I have to make sure I believe it too.

I’m competitive. No doubt about it. My husband reminds me of that often, especially when he’s telling me to stop being so hard on myself. And he’s right. I tend to push myself. I replay things in my head. I think about how I could have done something better, worked harder, or handled something differently.

Sometimes that drive can be a strength. But other times it quietly turns into pressure I put on myself — the feeling that I have to keep proving something. Reading that quote made me pause. It reminded me of something I try to hold onto when life feels messy or uncertain: the roadmap for my life was already created. I may not see every turn, and sometimes the path looks crooked from where I’m standing, but I was made on purpose with a purpose. As long as I keep seeking God and walking in the goodness of prayer and faith, those crooked paths have a way of becoming straight.

Not perfect. But straight. There’s a difference.

Perfection is something I try to control.
Straight paths are something God provides when I release control and trust Him with the direction.

When I think about the pressure many of us women feel to do it all — as a mom, a wife, a volunteer, a career woman — and then still succeed, be strong enough, accomplish enough… it’s exhausting.

But I love that God’s message is different. In the Book of Isaiah 41, there’s a moment where people are busy building an idol. They shape it, polish it, and even nail it down so it won’t fall over. They tell each other, “It is good.” It’s almost ironic. They are building the very thing they plan to rely on. A temporary sense of security — something held up entirely by their own strength, void is temporarily filled.  And if I’m honest, I can relate to that sometimes.

I catch myself thinking that if I can just organize this, handle that, create this plan, achieve that goal — then everything will finally feel secure. Like peace will come from getting everything just right. But what I’m really doing in those moments is trying to build my own sense of security piece by piece — through those accomplishments, goals, and whatever else it is at the moment.

But a few verses later God gives a completely different picture — one of my favorites: “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand… do not fear, I will help you.” That image changes everything for me. The idols had to be nailed down so they wouldn’t fall. But God says He is the one holding me up. Which means my worth isn’t something I have to construct and constantly reinforce. It’s not dependent on whether I get everything right or whether the path always looks the way I think it should.

Hard work is a beautiful thing. Wanting to grow and do better is healthy. But when it results in  striving to prove my worth through it, I can end up trying to fill a space that achievements alone will never satisfy.The God who created us already decided we are worth holding onto. That’s the reminder I needed most. I don’t have to prove my worth by achieving every goal or idea, or by being the perfect mom I sometimes think my kids need. I just have to show up with a heart willing to walk in my purpose — and keep walking forward in faith. Trusting that God chose me to be their mom for a reason, gave me specific gifts for a reason, and has a plan for my life.

When I give my best, and I’m human, it’s not always 100%. But I show up. I love my famiky. I work hard in the things placed before me — and then I try to rest in the plan, whether the path looks crooked or straight. Because even when the path looks crooked, God is the one gently straightening the way. And maybe that’s the real freedom. Not proving our worth. We were chosen by Him for Him, nothing can change that.

We have a purpose and plan for each our lives. So  trusting the God who already created us on purpose, with a purpose — is learning to trust the process He’s written for our lives.