Looking to Live on Purpose

When I was a kid, we had a pool in our backyard. I remember the first time it was filled, we were so excited to get to swim in our pool. Mom & Dad told us we could get in for a bit before they put the chemicals in since we were so excited, but they also warned that it would be cold (actually, it was really, really cold). The excitement won out & we were goin' in!! And the best way to deal with something that you know is going to be uncomfortable is to just dive in. No just dipping in your tootsies...cannonball in over your head in one shot. After the initial discomfort, it was awesome!

Of course, we had to eventually get out & stay out for a couple of days after my parents shocked the pool with the necessary chemicals. During that time, the sun warmed that water up, too. Funny thing, though. After taking that initial plunge into the freezing water, this time in with the water warmed up should have been a piece of cake, but it still felt uncomfortable, so we just had to take the plunge. Sure would have been easier to lay out in the sun, but who wants to miss that fun?

I thought of all of this because I've been pondering a lot of things lately. I wonder, "How in the world did I get here?" I mean, I KNOW...every bit of it is a God story. He began a work in our hearts & lives quite some time ago that led us to where we are. I think what I'm wrestling with is where in the world did I get the gumption to jump into that??? And I wonder that because I find myself feeling like I'm sitting on the edge of the pool deck thinking certainly it will be easier to plunge into whatever God's calling us to next, right? Not so much.

Tonight, my house is semi-quiet. I have the basketball team here for dinner & an overnight, but that's normal. The littles got to bed early. Joe is away on business. It would be a good time to relax, but my brain just wouldn't be quiet. On a whim, I grabbed a devotional the kids found when we were cleaning today & turned to the thought for today (this is from 2 Minutes a Day--Knowing God):

LIVE ON PURPOSE

God chose you to be his people, so I urge you now to live the life to which God called you. ~Ephesians 4:1 NCV

Life is best lived on purpose. And purpose, like everything else in the universe, begins with God. Whether you realize it or not, God has a plan for your life, a divine calling, a direction in which He is leading you. When you welcome God into your heart and establish a genuine relationship with Him, He will begin, in time, to make His purposes known.

Sometimes, God's intentions will be clear to you; other times, God's plan will seem uncertain at best. But even on those difficult days when you are unsure which way to turn, you must never lose sight of these overriding facts: God created you for a reason; He has important work for you to do; and He's waiting patiently for you to do it.

And the next step is up to you.

Is it not the coolest thing that in the midst of my confused, all over the place thoughts ponderings, God put this in my path?

It is not unusual to hear me ask, "What's the plan?" of my children, my husband, & of God. I'm a planner by nature. The good news is that God has that plan...I just need to be ready & willing to dive in when He calls my name.