You are here on purpose. In this family. In this community. In this city. In this state. In this nation. On this earth. On purpose!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you ever doubted that? Have you ever questioned why you are here and whether your life has purpose?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s truth to encourage you: God designed your life on purpose. He placed you in this exact place at this specific time\u2014on purpose and for a purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s truth to encourage you: God designed your life on purpose. He placed you in this exact place at this specific time\u2014on purpose and for a purpose.Meaningful, tweetable quote. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Why do I believe this? Because God\u2019s Spirit spoke this in my heart during a time when I questioned my purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feeling like a failure, incompetent, and unneeded, I cried out to God. He responded: I put you on this earth, in this place, in this family because you have something to contribute.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Something to contribute! The people in my life are better because I\u2019m here! That changed me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Discouragement rages, along with the pandemic. We\u2019re hearing news reports of widespread \u201clow-grade depression.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Negative thinking leads to depression. Depression leads to negative thinking. We need to interrupt this cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try focusing your thoughts on this: God designed my life on purpose. He placed me in this exact place at this specific time\u2014on purpose and for a purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, ask him to guide your steps and show you how to begin finding and fulfilling that purpose. The first step might be as simple as displaying the joy and confidence of the Lord among the people your life touches\u2014family, friends, work associates, strangers in the grocery store. We can smile with our eyes\u2014even if a mask conceals our mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wouldn\u2019t that be a sweet thing! All of us wiping the gloom from our faces and offering a smile\u2014when there seems no reason to smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe you\u2019re battling the virus. Or someone you know is fighting for his life. Or the unthinkable has happened\u2014you\u2019ve buried someone you love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the heartbreak and upheaval, I still believe everything that touches our lives must pass through the hands of our loving Father. Can I explain his purpose in the Covid nightmare? No. Can I trust him anyway? Yes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And I can think of many reasons to smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God is good. Covid does not change that fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God loves me. Covid cannot separate me from his love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God will meet all my needs. Covid will not negate this promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Life is different. Christmas will be different. This year has been one to remember\u2026and one to forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We can\u2019t let despair have the last word. We can go forward in joy, knowing our Lord is still able and adequate for whatever this day brings!<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis year has been one to remember\u2026and one to forget. We can\u2019t let despair have the last word. We can go forward in joy, knowing our Lord is still able and adequate for whatever this day brings. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n \u201cTrust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths\u201d (Proverbs 3:5-6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please share a favorite promise that is carrying you through these difficult days. And I\u2019d be grateful if you\u2019d share this article with your friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2020<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You are here on purpose. In this family. In this community. In this city. In this state. In this nation. On this earth. On purpose! Have you ever doubted that? Have you ever questioned why you are here and whether your life has purpose? Here\u2019s truth to encourage you: God designed your life on purpose. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[53,623,9,43],"class_list":["post-1472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-believing-god","tag-depression","tag-dianne-barker","tag-negative-thinking"],"yoast_head":"\n