The Purpose Driven Life

The Purpose-Driven Life
I saw this photo and I knew it would be my post for today, December 8th. It touched me so much as it reminded me of God's grand scheme to send His only begotten Son to this earth with the ultimate purpose of dying on a cross for you and me.....so that we could spend eternity with the WHOLE FAMILY of God! Now, that's what I call a "Purpose-Driven-Life".

God also created us with purpose and destiny. This day, in particular, is a huge reminder of that, because I'm celebrating the birth of my baby girl today. And, without a doubt, I know that God was "on purpose" in creating her, and He used her dad and I as vessels to raise her, pour His Word into her, and help direct her in her quests to fulfill her destiny.

I'm remembering the anticipation we had for the day when she would be born. Of all the names we thought about if we had a little girl.....we finally decided on Staci Michelle. Staci means "resurrection life" and Michelle means "close to God". While we had no idea what the future would hold....we knew God and, and we knew He guided us to that name. In so many ways, she brings resurrection life to so many she encounters, as she leads them to the ONE who replaces their fears, rejection, defeat, depression, darkness, pain, and indifference with a new life in Him.

I don't tell you this to impress you, but to impress upon you how important it is to calculate, ponder, pray for and get God's vision for your children. He had that vision for His Son. Would He expect less of us in casting vision for our children? Staci, being born in December, draws my attention to Gabriel's announcement to Mary in Luke 1:30 "And, behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and you will call his name Jesus." I love that Isaiah 9:6 even gave definition to His name before He was born, "And He will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

We were all born on purpose by God and FOR His purpose. We are not an accident. God planned the days of our life in advance. God had a plan in creating us and each of us was designed with a purpose in mind. God made us so He could love us.

On a final note about the names we give our children....what we name our children shouldn't be a mere conglomeration of letters that we put together as a convenient way to refer to them. God proved that when He named His son Jesus -- that name that is ABOVE all other names, that descibes His personality and gives interpretation of His character traits. He lived up to His name and it gives us hope, life, and blessing. Indeed, names are important! How awesome that His name is THE ONE like no other! How awesome is it that His purpose was wrapped up in His name that "at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord." Philippians 2:10

Sweetheart, You've Got Your Girl!

Day 342 of Photo Inspirations -- Sweetheart, You've Got Your Girl
My obstetrician was going on a 2-week vacation right when my baby was due, and since he had been my "go-to" doc throughout my pregnancy, I didn't want to take a chance on him not being there for me.  Doc told me the baby was "fully cooked" so "Let's help her make her debut on Monday", and that's what we did.  Back in those days, most of us were "out" when the baby arrived, while the dads were in the Waiting Room.

When I woke up, my husband said, "Sweetheart, you've got your girl."  Oh, the inexpressible joy that I felt.  Of course, I would have had that joy if God had blessed us with another boy, but, I loved that God's plan was for this precious baby girl, born today, December 8th.....quite a few years ago.

I'm celebrating that precious girl today,  because I've seen God's purposes for her life being fulfilled in some of the most miraculous and tremendous ways.   For the first months of her life she was a sick little baby with having many bouts of pneumonia and was eventually diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.  Not only did the enemy lose that battle, but he lost it in trying to steal our faith.  She was ultimately healed, and my husband and I grew exponentially in our faith.  "What the enemy meant for evil, God turned it for good."  Genesis 50:20

She was a "Daddy's girl and she became his God-given "project".  He understood right from the beginning that she was special, and that God was going to use her life in many ways.   He was her sports, voice, stage and life coach.  You think a Stage Mom is something, you should have seen the likes of his training and coaching our girl.  So many times in tears, she'd come to me asking for my intervention with Daddy who was relentless in pulling out the best in her.  "Practice. Practice. Practice" was his philosophy.  He succeeded, and that little girl eventually knew no fear to be on the stage, to belt out another song on camera, to speak to huge audiences, and be with high profile people.  But more than all of that, her name Staci Michelle -- "resurrection life" and "be like God" have held true.   She has brought so much life to us and others.   She has led by example in integrity and character in business and life -- sincerely making a difference in so many people's lives.

As I'm typing this, I know I must sound like a bragadocious and proud Mom.  In a sense, I am, because our greatest investment paid off.  The time we invested into her -- through tears and time and finances -- paid off.  I tell you this story -- celebrating this day and the precious life God gave us, but mostly to tell you moms and dads out there -- "INVEST in your kids.  Take time to give them the best of you.  Cultivate their talents.  Speak into them that they can do and be anything that God wants them to be.  Teach them about God and His faithfulness and absolutely knowing that "nothing is impossible with Him".   What a pay-back for an investor!  The pay-back of years of growth, rich rewards, paying forward to the next generation (their children and grandchildren) is the greatest reward.  And the multiplied blessings of that investment goes way beyond our own family -- it spreads to others -- these seeds bear fruit in so many other people's lives.  I promise you....after many, many years of investing into what matters most, it is worth every effort.

Just imagine what your investment will reap in rewards.