40 Days of Purpose

Letter 1
This Easter was a full year since I came to Fairview. I have been blessed by my fellowship with this family. I enjoy all the events and activities and outreaches that we do. I have been attending regularly for about a half a year and I have been a member about as long. I started attending just the youth group and got hooked by The Purpose Driven life book. I missed the series but was able to borrow a book. I admit I had ulterior motives for attending youth group at first but those motives died as I read The Purpose Driven Life. I wasn’t really sure why I wanted to read the book but I guess something in the title pulled at my heart. Purpose was something I needed badly. As I read I felt renewed and transformed. For the first time, I made a committment to Christ and acted upon it. This experience changed my relatonships with everyone, my friends, my damily, and Jesus.

Letter 2
Thank you, Lord, for opening the door for a closer walk with you! This study has certainly changed my focus on my life and I am trying hard to see my totally imperfect self as God sees me. Impossible? Yes, but with Him all things ARE possible.

This study has keenly opened the eyes of my heart. The reward of faith is to see what we believe. Somewhere I heard the saying, “I’m a zero. Jesus is a one. Together we make a 10.” Pray for me! I’ve got a lot of growing up to do!

You’re right, Lord. It is not about me but what I can become through Christ who strengthens me to live for Him.

– Changing Focus

Letter 3
What a blessing I have received from Rick Warren’s “The Purpose Driven Life”! God has spoken to me and is digging deep within my heart. He has me right where he wants me – I claim that truth. For several months I have felt like an empty shell – going through the motions in my life roles. My work is very draining on the mind, heart, and soul – but God has given me strength and renewed purpose! My heart has been heavy for members of my family – God is using the burden for his purpose. I am in constant prayer throughout the day. All of the things I do can be a means of worshipping God – that is so refreshing! In your message you said, “It doesn’t matter what we do, if we do it for God we will be in the center of his will.” Wow! For some time now I have been asking God to reveal his plan for me – day by day. It’s right in front of my face – I just need to remain in prayer. .. constantly, even if it is simply a “breath prayer” as Rick Warren writes in his book. Mydaily devotions are renewed and I am excited.

– One Being Filled

Letter 4
In April, my husband of 30 years said he no longer loved me and asked me for a divorce. My life and my world were turned upside down. There were days I thought I could not get out of bed, or put one foot in front of the other. I was very depressed and believe close to a nervous breakdown. I had been praying to God daily to change my husband’s heart to love me. That was not happening. One day, when I was at the lowest low of my life, I asked God to take over the situation. I gave it all to God. Almost immediately I felt a huge weight had been lifted. Every day gets better. God is so much a part of my life. I’ve made a lot of new friends at this church that are very caring and loving.

Yes, I am still getting divorced but I’ve let go of the dream that I had for my future and allowing God to give me a new dream. God has been there for me every step of the way. – Taking One Step at a Time

Letter 5
I always thought my goal was to get to heaven, not that God was preparing me for eternity. – Being Prepared

Letter 6
You know, it’s funny that you asked if anyone in the congregation kept a spiritual journal, and there was absolutely no affirmative response in the 8:15 service. I’m sure there are lots of us who keep a daily journal of mundane events … at least I know I do. But I also have been carrying on one-way conversations with God every day, a habit I’ve had for years … I say “one-way” because I did not know I could not talk to God directly; only through Jesus Christ. I am very, very immature in my Christian life. A tragedy, you said, especially for those of us who have added up the years . . . I have 67 of them. . . major tragedy! I changed the address of my talks when it was pointed out to me that God hears, but He wants you to talk through Jesus. I talk to Jesus first thing when I get up, whenever I am driving, anytime I am alone, in silence when I am in company, and the last thing before I fall asleep at night. Day by day I am changing. Even at my age. Hindsight says I wish I had started in my teens. But that’s only a fleeting thought. I don’t care for hindsight.

I have been crying … and crying … and crying. Why all the tears all the sudden? Since I have been coming to FMC I have come to realize I love Jesus so much. I cry for lost years; I cry for my daughter and grandsons who do not know Jesus. I was derelict in showing my daughter, while she was a child, Jesus’ love for her. Now, these wrongs, started in progress by me, are being passed down to my grandsons. All the time I am crying I am also praying; praying for Jesus to show my daughter and grandsons His love; to open their hearts to receive Him. Some days I think I see Him giving them a nudge. But I think Satan is there doing his thing also. I largely blame myself for making it easy for Satan to push in. So I pray Jesus will watch over them. And then I cry because I am happy. Maybe I am maturing. I have far to go before I awake or mature. One would think I would have seen God’s way long before this, because I have always known in my heart that I love Him . . . I love Jesus. I even cry while I write this … I have to stop.

God does have a purpose for me. For all of us. I know that. I know this more now than ever before, because He is letting me know. Through the church? I think yes. I am sure He was the one who “out of the clear blue sky” make me pick up the phone one afternoon and ask to talk to someone. Why this particular church? Because He knew this is where I was going to learn.- Finding God’s Purpose.