What ever you do....

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 6:10

So what are we waiting for? I believe that each and everyone of us has a purpose. But I don't believe that we only have one purpose. The big picture is we all need to be pointing people to Jesus. We need to be glorifying God. That is the main purpose.  But within the larger purpose we may have one bigger ministry or gifting in which God uses us to direct us to that larger purpose. We also may have many small gifting's or situations in life that we can be directing people towards God by our actions.

When I was younger, I always figured that there would be one specific main ministry/goal/purpose that God would use me in. This is something that I often hear young women say. Now that I'm older, 52, after having gone through raising my children, several different career/job changes, still married, and several different locations geographically. Now I believe that every one of those eras was an opportunity for me to bless God through my daily life. When I was a young mother, my job was to raise godly adults. I actually thought (believe it or not) that that was not enough. So I went back to college and I took a class to figure out where I was gifted,  where my aptitudes were,  etc. What I found out in that class was, at that point in my life, my job was, and my passions were directed towards my children and raising my family. It really took a burden off of me because I felt like I should be doing something else, something MORE.

As my children began to grow up, and they were in the older school grades, I started to feel those old feelings of inadequacy again. My mind started wondering if I was doing enough. And of course it always goes back to career. (I had to work because we need the money). But I never felt like it was enough. I did hold down several jobs from sales to management. And most of them I enjoyed doing, but not as if it were a
"ministry". I always felt like I should be in some form of ministry other than raising my family and teaching them about the Lord.

I tried to do some writing. I started a  novel, got about 13 or 14 chapters into it, and then let it slip away. Never finished it. A little time went by, I started another novel novel. This one I got about 24 chapters done. Again, I never finished it. I picked up Art and dabbled in it. I love painting and drawing, I love writing, I love using my creativity. But I never felt like I had enough time to really practice and hone my skills and crafts.

I didn't realize the value in and need for my every-day "works".  Just living my life for the Lord and being an example for my children. Even though they were already young adults.Now that I am more mature and able to look back on all the floundering,  I realize that God had a plan in every work, whether big or small. Whether I was teaching a little one how to tie his shoes or one of my teens how to drive a car.  My works were good because Christ was in them.

And now I'm busy in my career as an insurance professional.  I still crave to create.  But God is using me where I am today.  And I know that someday, I will finish my books, take the art classes, and speak to the masses.  Until then....

I guess I'm saying all this to say:  don't get bogged down like I did. Allow the Lord to use you in all the little and big ways that He has planned for you.  If your goal is to be a blessing and glorify God, YOU WILL.