Perspective

'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren , Rick said:

People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.

One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity.

This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.

God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is 'my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people. You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.

Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder.

For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.

Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.

Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.

Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?

When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, "God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better."

(What a wonderful and powerful way to start your day!!)

God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.

Love

As humans, we are our own worst critic. I can look in the mirror daily and wonder how in the world people see the good in me when I have days I can't see it myself. I'll never have the "perfect" outside shell, I'll never be the "perfect" wife, mother, daughter, sister or friend... because they don't exist. I falter daily, hourly.. even by the minute some days... but one thing is constant... God loves me.. for me. He created me. He knew who I would be, what I would become, even before I was created. That's a hard thought to grasp sometimes. The awe of it.

I am not a fan of different versions of the Bible. I don't think it needs to be modernized so that you can "understand" it better. I like my good old fashioned, only version that matters, King James Version. When I need to understand it, God provides the answer and explanation I need.

Having said that though.... I found the following verses that have been paraphrased. Normally I would not even give this a second thought, much less post it. However I am a firm believer that God sends you what you need when you need it, and in ways you'd never expect.

If you need a reminder of just how much God loves you.... here's a little challenge for you.

Read these outloud to yourself...
Insert your name in place of "her"...

See how much God speaks to you...

Tell me honestly that you don't feel uplifted when you're done... I certainly did..

I made her. She is different. She's unique. With love I formed her in her mother's womb. I fashioned her with great joy. I remember with great pleasure the day I created her. (Psalm 139:13-16)
I love her smile. I love her ways. I love to hear her laugh and the silly things she says and does. She brings me great pleasure. (Psalm 139:17)

I made her pretty and not beautiful, because I knew her heart and knew she would be vain. I wanted her to search out her heart and to learn it would be Me in her that would make her beautiful and would draw friends to her. (I Peter 3:3-5)

I made her in such a way that she would need Me. I made her a little more lonesome than she would like to be, only because I want her to turn to Me in her loneliness. Only because I need for her to lean to and depend on Me. I know her heart. I know if I had not made her like this she would go her own way and forget about Me, her Creator. (Psalm 62:5-8)

I have given her many good and happy things because I love her. (Psalm 84:11 and Romans 8:32)

Because I love her, I have seen her broken heart and the tears she has cried alone. I have cried with her and had a broken heart too. (Psalm 56:8)

Many times she has stumbled and fallen alone, only because she would not hold My Hand. So many lessons she has learned the hard way, because she would not listen to My Voice. (Isaiah 53:6)

She is mine. I made her then I bought her because I love her. (Romans 5:8)

I have to reshape and remold her, to renew in her what I want her to be. It has not been easy for her or for me. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I want her to be conformed to My Image. This high goal I have set for her because I love her. (2 Corinthians 2:14)



Amazing isn't it??

Cardboard Testimonies

If you haven't seen this... take the time to sit and watch.. it's truly inspirational. Grab a kleenex... no matter how many times I see it.. or how many different versions I see.. I can't help but be overwhelmed at God's grace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

The Trouble Tree

Normally on my drive to work, it's spent in the peace of my car. I'm mentally going through what all I need to get accomplished for the day etc. However, this particular morning, I turned on the radio and caught a portion of a morning radio show. The host read this story... and it really made me stop and think...

The Trouble Tree

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job - a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family.

As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree,' he replied 'I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them"."Then in the morning I pick them up again. Funny thing is', he smiled, 'when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.'


Isn't it truly amazing that when we give things to the Lord... 100%... that he takes care of those burdens for us? Maybe not always in our time... but it's always in HIS time.


And remember...

"It's no trick loving somebody at their best. Love is loving them at their worst."

What kind of plate are you?

While having a conversation today with a co-worker.. we were discussing our jobs, the stresses of life and how we deal with them.

There are days that I can be like a china plate.. strong, durable and able to carry heavy loads, while other days I'm like the cheap paper plate that tends to collapse under the least amount of pressure.

Have you ever noticed, though, that when you do use those cheap paper plates.. one doesn't seem to cut it... but if you use 2 or 3.. it provides some much needed support.


God is just that... he's those 2 or 3 extra plates that provide some much needed support when we alone just can't handle the job. He helps us to carry our loads.

My prayer is that I can be that strong plate.. serving him.. sharing his word.. but I'm thankful that on those days when I'm that flimsy paper plate... he's there to support me, to guide me.. and to help carry my loads.


Isn't it great? Isn't God great?

What kind of plate will you be for God?

Tonight I'm Thankful.....

... for the job that stresses me daily, because there are people who are jobless.

... for a boss who treats me with respect and values my opinions, and inspires me to learn all that I can.

... for Christian neighbors.

... for a Christian mother and father who don't mind when I call at 11:20 pm because my hot water heater has busted and my bathroom is flooded.

... for a house that can be flooded.... because there are people who are homeless.

... for a God that reminds me when I'm mopping up water at midnight.. that there are worse things than a busted water heater, and who promises he'll take care of me, no matter what.

... for my children... because they are truly gifts from God.

... for my husband... of 9 years.



May we all remember the things.. big and small... no matter how insignificant they may seem.. may we just remember.. and be thankful.

Peace

Peace... sweet peace. It really is indescribable. Today, the day after the election, and yet I am at peace. The weeks leading up to this, I've felt such highs and lows, and so many different emotions. I've worked with people who support the opposing candidate. Of course, I wanted my candidate to win. Who doesn't? Isn't that why we vote? To see our "person" win??

Yesterday, while working the election, God gave me the answer that I've been looking for. This is all in his plan. You see, no matter who rides on this boat, HE is the captain. HE is at the helm, and it is HE who leads me. He knew what the outcome would be even before the first vote was cast.

I've had many people tell me today that they are scared of what our future holds... I'm not. I know what my future holds, and it's so much more than what we have here on earth . As I settled in bed last night with the election hum drum in the background, I drifted off to sleep not knowing the final outcome.

I woke up at 3:30 am and immediatly tuned in for the results.. and as I sat watching and listening to the commentators.. an old sweet hymn came to mind.

Standing on the promises....

Thank you Jesus, thank you. Thank you for reminding me that even at 3:30 in the morning, while my precious family was sleeping, I can have peace in knowing that God's promises remain.

I will never leave you, nor forsake you.

Today, more than ever, I choose to stand on God's promises, anchor my soul in that Haven of Rest, and set my sights on the horizon because MY captain is behind the wheel, and he's leading me to my heavenly home.