The Simple Thing I Did as a Kid that Turned Out to be a Big Clue to My Purpose
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photo by fotografierende on unsplash
Soaring 35,000 feet above the ground, I gazed out of the tiny plastic window, enthralled with the view. Eager to capture the moment, I pulled out my new notebook—a squat, square, spiral bound tablet with a yellow cover. Against the background rumble of the jet, I did my best to describe the wonder of the bright, fluffy clouds stretching as far as I could see.
That day, at nine years old, I penned my first journal entry (first legible entry, anyway. I had a diary in kindergarten but I don’t think I wrote anything more than my name in it), and I’ve kept journals ever since.
Interestingly, though I spent a lot of my childhood spare time writing—I was also really into poetry—it wasn’t until my 20s that I considered writing as something to seriously pursue. As a kid, writing was just something I did. It was just naturally part of who I was. I didn’t think of it as anything special, unique, or unusual.
Back then, I didn’t realize that my love for words was an expression of God’s design for me as a writer. Many years later, as I began to more seriously explore who I was, it became clear that writing has always been a significant part of who I am.
Often, what brought us joy, what came naturally, and how we spent our time as children can be powerful clues to who we are and what God has created us to be.
If you’re wondering about God’s purpose and callings for your life, a good place to start is by looking back. How did you spend your time as a child? What brought you joy?
Was there anything you did that came so naturally that you didn’t even think of it as a hobby or skill? It was just something you did?
In 1 Corinthians we’re told, “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is” (12:7 MSG). That includes you! God created you for a purpose, and even before you were born, He implanted within you unique passions and gifts. I think it’s pretty cool that, because He put our gifts in us before we were born, it’s not long after we’re born that we start to express them. It is our privilege and responsibility to discover and nurture those gifts and use them to impact those around us for good. Personally, I think this is really exciting, and I hope you do too!
I’d love to hear about some of your childhood passion, skills, or interests and how they might be clues to your purpose. Let me know in the comments below!
With love,
I want to hear from you!
How did you spend your time as a child? What interested you or brought you joy? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
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P.P.S.
I wrote this post because I’m on a mission to encourage and equip women to live the life of faith, passion, and purpose that we were made for. You can help make a difference by sharing this post with a friend (or friends!) who you think would be encouraged or inspired by it. Thanks!
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