Comments on: In Pursuit of Purpose http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/ Life's a Dance Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:32:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Scott Appleton http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-128 Scott Appleton Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:39:33 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-128 Young people struggle with direction in their life so frequently that sometimes it concerns me. I remember giving a presentation on writing to a group of middle and high-school students and I told them that if they were having difficulty knowing what to do in life they should pick one of their dreams and pursue it. In some way or another God will lead us through our gifts, but only step by step. Only by taking the small steps can you reach the big ones. Meaning comes from following the path God is directing you to follow... but it is a narrow, winding way. Young people struggle with direction in their life so frequently that sometimes it concerns me. I remember giving a presentation on writing to a group of middle and high-school students and I told them that if they were having difficulty knowing what to do in life they should pick one of their dreams and pursue it. In some way or another God will lead us through our gifts, but only step by step. Only by taking the small steps can you reach the big ones. Meaning comes from following the path God is directing you to follow… but it is a narrow, winding way.

]]> By: Maureen http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-127 Maureen Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:04:35 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-127 Hi, Click on the link below. This exercise helped me get started and the Holy Spirit does the rest. http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/01/how-to-discover-your-life-purpose-in-about-20-minutes/ Hi,
Click on the link below. This exercise helped me get started and the Holy Spirit does the rest.

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/01/how-to-discover-your-life-purpose-in-about-20-minutes/

]]> By: Rachel Hauck http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Rachel Hauck Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:12:59 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-125 Great post, Jen. This is a big deal for me -- destiny, purpose. So many walk around not knowing if they are doing what God made them to do, or are unsure He created them for anything special. But Psalm 37 is about God writing His desires for us on our hearts! For me, my heart desires have always been fulfilled when I completely surrender to God. I get to a point where I don't care about myself, praying something about, "God, I want what You want. And You are SO good, whatever it is, I'll love it." I'm so convinced He wants us to walk in good things more than we want for ourselves. I just try to keep my heart alive and open before Him. Otherwise, I'll fail miserably! Love, Rachel Great post, Jen. This is a big deal for me — destiny, purpose. So many walk around not knowing if they are doing what God made them to do, or are unsure He created them for anything special.

But Psalm 37 is about God writing His desires for us on our hearts!

For me, my heart desires have always been fulfilled when I completely surrender to God. I get to a point where I don’t care about myself, praying something about, “God, I want what You want. And You are SO good, whatever it is, I’ll love it.”

I’m so convinced He wants us to walk in good things more than we want for ourselves. I just try to keep my heart alive and open before Him. Otherwise, I’ll fail miserably!

Love, Rachel

]]> By: JenDeshler http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-124 JenDeshler Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:26:34 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-124 Hey Susan, You're right--the patience part is hard. What I think we have to trust is that if we don't listen to the longing inside when it hits and work towards that next step, we may not be in the right place when the reason for us to be here comes to fruition. Hey Susan,

You’re right–the patience part is hard. What I think we have to trust is that if we don’t listen to the longing inside when it hits and work towards that next step, we may not be in the right place when the reason for us to be here comes to fruition.

]]> By: JenDeshler http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-123 JenDeshler Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:19:15 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-123 Hi Susan, Thanks for offering a different perspective. What's apparent to me is that there has to be a reason the call comes over all the noise of life. Living quietly hasn't worked so well for me. It just shows how carefully God creates each of us...a specific purpose and a specific time. Hi Susan,

Thanks for offering a different perspective. What’s apparent to me is that there has to be a reason the call comes over all the noise of life. Living quietly hasn’t worked so well for me. It just shows how carefully God creates each of us…a specific purpose and a specific time.

]]> By: JenDeshler http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-122 JenDeshler Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:15:37 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-122 Hi Doug, Bless you for offering these life-giving words. You are indeed a bright light and I'm glad to know you. Thanks for sharing your journey. Hi Doug,

Bless you for offering these life-giving words. You are indeed a bright light and I’m glad to know you. Thanks for sharing your journey.

]]> By: Susan Villas Lewis http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-121 Susan Villas Lewis Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:28:49 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-121 One of the biggest challenges for me is the patience to _wait_ for God to reveal that. The big thing he has for me could be 20 years in the future and my impatience now (which leads me to tackle things that aren't his will for me) could actually interfere with his long-term plan. Ha! No pressure, Susan. Which is the other challenge, right? To not get caught up in doing everything "right" but living what we know to be God's will for us in the small things every single day. If you're doing that, it's hard to miss when he brings the big thing in. One of the biggest challenges for me is the patience to _wait_ for God to reveal that. The big thing he has for me could be 20 years in the future and my impatience now (which leads me to tackle things that aren’t his will for me) could actually interfere with his long-term plan. Ha! No pressure, Susan. Which is the other challenge, right? To not get caught up in doing everything “right” but living what we know to be God’s will for us in the small things every single day. If you’re doing that, it’s hard to miss when he brings the big thing in.

]]> By: Susan Cushman http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-120 Susan Cushman Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:52:38 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-120 Interesting post, Jen, For the first twenty or so years of my life, as a protestant evangelical Christian, I think I was almost obsessed with wanting to know God's will and be sure I was doing it. After becoming Orthodox in the late 80s, I found my focus gradually shifted from trying to know God's will to just living a prayerful life and trying to make increasingly better choices as I mature. My pastor has a saying that I love: "Pray and do the right thing." Keep on posting! Interesting post, Jen,

For the first twenty or so years of my life, as a protestant evangelical Christian, I think I was almost obsessed with wanting to know God’s will and be sure I was doing it. After becoming Orthodox in the late 80s, I found my focus gradually shifted from trying to know God’s will to just living a prayerful life and trying to make increasingly better choices as I mature. My pastor has a saying that I love: “Pray and do the right thing.” Keep on posting!

]]> By: Doug Erickson http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-119 Doug Erickson Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:44:18 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-119 Jen, I love your blog. I love that you are so open and vulnerable. I love that you are a person of faith, that you are searching for purpose and meaning. I love that you will touch and inspire so many others your age to live their lives with purpose. I'm much older than you, was raised as a "missionary kid" in Malaysia and Singapore in the 60s, and have spent over 50 years trying to understand what God wants me to do, why He puts me in the places and situations He does. For it is clear that there is divine intervention in my life. It's not the what that's difficult, it's the why. Why does God seem to intervene in some lives and not others? Why do some of us feel "the tug," as you phrased it so well, when others have no idea what we're referring to? I don't have answers for you. I don't think there are answers. I think the point is to let your light shine here, now, for as long as you can. God will find a way to use you to His purpose, It only makes sense looking backwards. That's the only way the dots connect. An oblique, yet very moving book on faith, which you might like, is "The End of the Affair" by Graham Greene, an unlikely source of spiritual insight. Keep thinking out loud. Keep sharing your thoughts. Try to quiet the inner storm of voices that fill your head with doubt and anxiety, that distract you from the one voice you were born to hear. God is always nearer than we realize. Jen,

I love your blog. I love that you are so open and vulnerable. I love that you are a person of faith, that you are searching for purpose and meaning. I love that you will touch and inspire so many others your age to live their lives with purpose.

I’m much older than you, was raised as a “missionary kid” in Malaysia and Singapore in the 60s, and have spent over 50 years trying to understand what God wants me to do, why He puts me in the places and situations He does. For it is clear that there is divine intervention in my life. It’s not the what that’s difficult, it’s the why.

Why does God seem to intervene in some lives and not others? Why do some of us feel “the tug,” as you phrased it so well, when others have no idea what we’re referring to?

I don’t have answers for you. I don’t think there are answers.

I think the point is to let your light shine here, now, for as long as you can. God will find a way to use you to His purpose, It only makes sense looking backwards. That’s the only way the dots connect.

An oblique, yet very moving book on faith, which you might like, is “The End of the Affair” by Graham Greene, an unlikely source of spiritual insight.

Keep thinking out loud. Keep sharing your thoughts. Try to quiet the inner storm of voices that fill your head with doubt and anxiety, that distract you from the one voice you were born to hear.

God is always nearer than we realize.

]]> By: JenDeshler http://jenniferdeshler.com/2009/09/20/in-pursuit-of-purpose/comment-page-1/#comment-118 JenDeshler Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:31:15 +0000 http://jenniferdeshler.com/?p=301#comment-118 The comment here was actually written by Dee, my talented friend who made this beautiful blog site (her computer must still think she's me) :) Dee, great reminders about the story and what role we choose to play. The comment here was actually written by Dee, my talented friend who made this beautiful blog site (her computer must still think she’s me) :)

Dee, great reminders about the story and what role we choose to play.

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