what is my purpose?

Recently I was on my laptop working on a project, an old video popped up featuring Pastor Rick Warren. The video was of an interview filmed 3 years ago and he was discussing his book, The Purpose Driven Life. When the book The Purpose Driven Life came out in 2002, I saw the book advertised and thought I should read it. I also bought the companion workbook to use as I read the book. I found the book very thought-provoking and remember slowly working my way through each chapter and studying the Point to Ponder, Verse to Remember, and Question to Consider.  

Well, that was over 20 years ago.  This morning, I pulled out my dusty copy of The Purpose Driven Life and perused the book for a while.  The first thing that struck me was the first sentence of chapter 1 stating, “it’s not about you”.  In the video I had just watched, Rick Warren talked about this sentence and the fact it was the first sentence of his book. As I have gotten older, I truly realized that it isn’t about me, but I cannot say I started out with that thought.

One of the first Bible quotes of the book is from Proverbs 11:28: A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree. This line strikes me now, although at the time I initially read the book, I don’t remember it sticking in my thoughts. As I have gotten older, I have realized that it isn’t about me.  What a simple statement, but what a profound statement at the same time.

About 4 years ago, my husband and I started talking about moving to Idaho. We visited many times over those 4 years.  We drove around much of the state, hired a wonderful realtor who stuck with us until we finally bought a lot last year. So, what does this have to do with a purpose driven life? Life is about relationships, love, family, community, just to name a few things. During our journey about the possibility of moving to Idaho, we met many wonderful people.  We bought a lot on the Snake River near a small town.  We already know all of our immediate neighbors and many others in the neighborhood. We frequent a cute coffee shop in town owned by a lovely young couple, and they recognize us when we come in to buy coffee. We have started to build a new home and already feel like part of the community.

We also have great neighbors in our current neighborhood in California. They are wonderful people who Sal and I could call at anytime of the day or night if we needed help. As we think about moving, we realize how important community is.  Community is about helping others, listening, kindness and God and living with purpose. It is not a specific location or neighborhood. The point to ponder in the last chapter of The Purpose Driven Life summarizes it well: “Living with purpose is the only way to really live.”