Filled With Joy and Expectation!

"Looking back on my Life Plan day, I would say that I am filled with joy and expectation! Throughout the whole day, it was evident that the presence of the Lord was there, that Jesus was directing my thoughts and words...I knew that it was Him who was speaking and revealing. As I reflected on certain past life events, it became overwhelmingly evident how the Lord has led my life so far and is weaving together His purposes. This gives me great hope that he WILL continue to direct my future! In studying my top 5 strengths, I was struck by how unique these are to me. The Lord has created these strengths and spiritual gifts within me, specifically for me - this overwhelms me with how much He loves and cares about me, reminding me anew of how intricate his designs are for my life. Spending a portion of the day in quiet reflection with the Lord was especially impacting. As I focused on the greatness and sufficiency of God, I was filled with the desire to truly surrender my fears and insecurities to Him - and I left that day filled with genuine joy, knowing that those "issues" had stayed with Jesus! There are so many lessons and truths from my Life Plan that I am still reflecting on, and I know that Jesus is, and will continue to teach me regarding my life purpose and how to live boldly in what He revealed to me during my Life Plan!"

I Have a God Confidence!

What an amazing time with the Lord! Having two days set aside to listen the The Lord as He revealed His enduring hand on my life was a precious gift. He showed how He has had an overall plan for me that He has been weaving throughout all the experiences of my life. To recognize that He has never let me go and how He knows me and has made me intentionally with a specific and unique design to fulfill His purposes in my generation and in the place He has assigned me has been incredible. I was able to recognize the reasons for and thereby release some of my ambitions that were threatening to pull me off God's course for me. Even now, 6 weeks later, I find myself referring back to my charts as God is continuing to reveal the application of all He showed me. I have a God confidence that emboldens me to walk in my purpose like never before. I am free from any guilt about all that I am not doing, know that it is not what God has called me to so I can let it go.

It's AMAZING!!

How amazing the Lord is in that He had uniquely created me with gifts and strengths to fulfill His life purpose for me.

How amazing the life purpose coaching process was that made it clear to me, through the Holy Spirit what my purpose is while on this earth. This purpose will ever be with me and before me.

How amazing my coach was at guiding and facilitating through the Holy Spirit. She left the process of discovery in the Spirit's hands.... and He didn't disappoint!

If you are wondering or even 'think' you know what your life purpose is, this is a tool every Christian should consider for clarity and peace in knowing why God created you uniquely! It's AMAZING!

A Place to Build an Altar and 'Remember'!

February 15, 2010, marked the date of my "Life Plan Facilitation" by Kem Stickl. She walked me through what would be a crossroads in my life - another milestone, a place to build an altar and "remember." Prior to this day, the Lord had been taking me down the road of "what if?" and "would you go if I asked?", forcing me to look at my life without any claim to it. Surrender is a scary thing when the things that you cling to are most precious to your heart. In preparation for the experience, the Lord led me to read "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan, teaching me again that His heart...His plan...His ways are trustworthy. And to my delight, He later revealed that those things that are deep in the recesses of my heart are what HE placed there...that He's not asking me to deny who He created me to be, just to relinquish control over that destiny. Who I am is so UNIQUE - and He KNOWS me so intimately. And what is best of all is that He DELIGHTS in the details of who I am. What I value, where I am strong, where I am weak, what I dream of, what I am passionate about, where my gifts are....He chose them all and implanted them into my heart. And they are there to stay...to be cultivated and pruned and given room to blossom. But the only person who can stop the work that the Lord has begun is ME. Without my hands lifted high in sweet surrender to Him, I will forever be frustrated in my purpose...frustrated in my plans...frustrated in my effectiveness for the Kingdom of God. He did not design this life for us to be in control. He designed it so that we might hang on and enjoy the ride....a romantic ride off into the sunset to the point of no return. "You are my workmanship...my precious masterpiece....do you now understand that what I want is YOU?"

Jeremiah 29:13 states "Then you will seek Me, inquire for and require Me (as a vital necessity) and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."

My mission is, through RELATIONSHIPS, to AFFIRM and ILLUMINATE His TRUTH to those around me, and to EQUIP and INSPIRE people to be everything they were created to be. May this mission daily be given back to You for Your plans, Your purposes, Your unending glory!!!

Forever Changed!

I feel forever changed. At a time when I was content; yet still searching; the timing was perfect. You gave and poured into me exactly what I needed - human love and the opportunity to experience God's love deeper than I could have imagined. Together, we sat at His throne. The experience will be an addition to one of my "Aha moments" in life. For 2 days, I was in the sanctuary, felt His warmth and security - and I left knowing that my life was different.

It has taken a few days just to comprehend the whole experience. It is hard to take it all in. My prayer time is deeper and more personal than before. Once you experience that depth, you want nothing less. Because of mercy (action is taken) I pray for the children of this world with confidence that I am doing what I am called to do and it is not out of my 'feeling bad' for them; but out of mercy and being obedient. I pray for them with confidence, rest, and hope!

I look forward to the experiences ahead knowing that I am not to create, I am to be still and know that He is God, He has prepared me, and that by living out my life purpose I will leave a legacy. Clarity brings joy!

A renewed desire to pay it forward!

When I headed to Grand Island, New York for my two day life plan - I had no idea how precious our time together would be.

We spent the better part of two days sitting together in front of a roaring fire. The windows provided the backdrop for a light snow-fall in the wooded yard. We talked, laughed, prayed, listened, and waited as the Holy Spirit directed each session.

My Life Purpose Coach Facilitator, helped me understand (at a deeper level) the story God was telling through the circumstances of my life. I could see how my strengths, values, and passions were woven throughout each frame of my life.

The entire experience gave me a renewed desire to pay it forward. I am re-committed to advancing the Kingdom.

As I head back home to Colorado, I am embracing my God given design and celebrating my unique purpose.

Restored, Renewed, Refreshed and Refocused!

To define or describe the life plan in a way that captures its depth and its eternal impact is nearly impossible. Words seem to minimize the way that this experience affected both my soul and spirit. In doing the life plan the Lord gave me the sweet revelation of my uniqueness and reawakened my heart to engage my calling.

The fact that He knit me together in my mother's womb came to life as I saw his Hand and purposes so delicately woven through every event and every season of my existence. There's great freedom in knowing that you have a unique contribution to make in impacting the Kingdom of God. It ignites your desire to live out that calling and tears down any lie that says you have to be someone else!

Through this ministry, I experienced many "aha" moments---feeling like the Lord was putting together so many pieces of the puzzle of my life. I left my two-day life plan feeling restored, renewed, refreshed and refocused. My perspective has completely changed because I am now looking through a God shaped lens rather than a ME shaped lens.

In the movie "The Wizard of Oz" there's a scene where Dorothy's home is violently pulled up into the tumultuous whirl of a tornado. Upon landing, she opens the door to find everything that was once seen in black and white, is now appearing in full color. The dramatic difference causes her to be overwhelmed and delighted in each particular hue. This picture really captures the veil that had been lifted from my heart through doing the life plan. I came home seeing everything in a new light. What was once black and white is now vibrant and bright in color. What was once a mundane trip to the grocery store is now an opportunity to influence the check out lady with a spoken word of freedom or joy. What was once a regular dinner conversation with my husband is now a time that I can intentionally allow Him to process and discover his dreams. What was once being cooped up in a house tending to my babies is now my opportunity to teach them who God says they are and to speak identity into their little hearts. Thank you Lord for allowing me to see in color!

Now when I come across people who ask me what my calling is or where I'm gifted, I will not stumble. I will not wonder. Instead, I will confidently respond with great joy, saying, "I am called to authentically influence people to discover their God-given identity, experience freedom, and embrace their dreams/purpose in order to impact the Kingdom of God."

Thank you God for rescuing me from the routine, for pursuing my heart and for inviting me back on the adventure!

My Heart Beat Fast!

God started me on a journey several years ago where I began to search for a deeper intimacy with Him. I wondered, “Is this all there is to be known, to be had of Jesus?” As I began to search with all my heart, Jesus actually gave me an awesome privilege of “finding” more of Him. He rewarded me in ways that are inexpressible. In this continuing journey He began to continually place people in my path that expressed His OWN heart of having a PLAN AND PURPOSE for my life, until I take my last breath. I cannot tell you how real this became to me. I have held fast to this “truth”, which has ultimately given me HOPE for an “unknown” future.

In the two-day process of looking at my life, I came to the realization that I have never before looked at my life from the beginning until now, to see how God had actually woven it all together. I saw that my life was not random, but rather that I was in the “Potter’s Hand” all along. The introspection brought me to the point of recognizing that the positive and happy moments in my life far outweighed the negative or sad times.

Another thing that has penetrated my heart since you coached me is that, our God is so very BIG and that He is intentional and purposeful in His leading and guiding.

The areas of my gifting, passions, values, etc. confirmed why I was uncomfortable in some roles and my “heart beat fast” when I came face to face with my passions.

I have been blessed beyond measure and privileged to have been coached.

Everything Came Together!

To be quite honest, i feel that the life coaching experience cannot necessarily be put into words. The working power of the Holy Spirit was so evident to me through the whole day/experience. It was so very encouraging to see the things i am drawn to become a part of my story and my purpose. I think this experience strengthened and brought to a new light many things that are in my heart; i had never considered them to be part of my purpose. This experience really opened my eyes to the intricate detail that God designs each one of us with. It amazes me to see my gifts, my values, my passions, my strengths all fit together to create an identifiable purpose. I feel as though words cannot describe the work of the Holy Spirit and how he put together a clear picture moment by moment. What struck me was how everything came together, seemingly out of no where. We made little connections throughout the whole day, but then to have them all be totally connected at the end was so awesome to see. This experience definitely has given me confidence in what God has purposed for me, in whatever i may be doing. I am so absolutely thankful for the opportunity to have this experience, and so thankful for Kem, who was an absolutely amazing facilitator; she allowed the Spirit to work through her in mighty ways. I am excited to learn more about my gifts/strenghs, etc. and really use them in full for the Lord. Again, i am so so thankful for this opportunity and would recommend it to anyone who is seeking the Lord and desiring to know what he/she has been created for.

ENERGIZED!!

As soon as I stepped foot into the cozy home of my Life Purpose Facilitator, I immediately felt the presence of Jesus. Friends had mentioned how the Holy Spirit totally shows up, and I couldn’t comprehend in what sort of ways until I actually experienced it first hand. It was INCREDIBLE how conversation flowed so perfectly with what would later be discussed regarding my strengths.

Before taking this, I hadn’t a clue what my spiritual gifts were and even where my true passions lied. Life Purpose helped me discover those things with much prayer, wisdom, and guidance. The best way to describe what I felt after my session is… ENERGIZED. I was ready, excited, and pumped to get out into the world and just LOVE people in the crazy ways Jesus does. Now that I know my strengths, gifts, and passions, I feel much more focused. I am aware of with whom and where I will be most effective for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Destined For His Glory and His Purposes!

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Ps 37:4

I was a bit skeptical at first. I wondered why I needed to go through a man-made process to determine what God had designed me to be and do. If I was walking close enough to the Lord, I should be able to hear his voice and follow what He wanted me to do. After talking with some friends who had been through it, I decided this was something I needed to do, even if it just confirmed what I thought was His purpose for my life.

As I had friends praying for me, one commented that she wanted to know how my “week before” was, because Satan will get in and try all he can to prevent us from seeking God and from seeing God. I went in as prayed up as I could be, but just over a week before my scheduled life plan, life took a huge nose-dive. Every circumstance said I should cancel or postpone, but I had been forewarned. So, I stayed determined to let nothing get between me and my appointment with God for those 2 days. In preparation for this, it was suggested that I fast. Never really having done it before, I decided to give it a try. Due to my life’s “nose dive”, I discovered that I choose food to comfort me during stressful times. Yet, I couldn’t because I was fasting the very food I use. So for two weeks, during the most stress, I found I had to rely on God to be my comfort, which He was. I knew this life plan was going to have something awesome to show me if the preparation was already letting me see God.

Spending 2 days looking over my life was absolutely amazing! When do we, as women, ever do that? We look over our children’s lives through photo albums, but we don’t usually have God’s pictures of our lives to go through. That’s what this was. I could see important moments in my life and the lessons God taught me through each one and how each of those lessons has formed my values, my gifts, my abilities – me. I saw a life that by all human tendencies was destined for promiscuity, anger & bitterness. Yet, by God’s design was destined for His glory and His purposes. I was able to see that when we “delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart”. Ps 37:4.

My purpose was almost what I expected it to be, with a few adjustments, but my dreams took it to a whole new level. As I seek to “coach parents by teaching them how to keep families together and stand against the cultural norms”, I see a much bigger arena than just the church. If I think too much about it, it is very overwhelming. However, this life plan reminded me that if I continue to listen for God’s direction, I can have confidence that He has prepared me for whatever He calls me to do. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plan to give you a hope and a future.”

Excited and Confident With Who I Am!

Before I took the life purpose coaching session, I was at a very unsettled place in my life. My purpose, and motivating passions were unclear. Although I was actively serving in my church, I felt unfilled and unsure I was really doing what God wanted me to do.

Life purpose coaching has helped me to discover who God has designed me to be, so that now, I can more clearly determine what He has designed me to do. Unlike other personal discovery tests or programs I had taken in the past, life purpose coaching helped me discover my strengths; what I excel at, instead of identifying and trying to improve my weaknesses.

I experienced a Spirit led, self discovery process that included identifying pivotal life experiences, thought provoking questions, and a strengths test, which resulted (for the first time in my life) in being excited and confident with who I am.

Instantly Freeing!

Testimonial: Discovering my Life Purpose was instantly freeing. A weight was lifted right away knowing that I have a purpose and a plan greater than I could have imagined. How amazing is our God who has fully equipped me for this purpose already. My facilitator created a special, safe, loving environment where it was ok to be me and to speak openly. This was the most awesome Spirit-filled event of my life...everyone needs to find their life purpose.

Bigger Picture Perspective!

As I begin this process of unpacking my life plan, and I say begin, because I believe it will always be in a rough draft setting because I will be forever adding new and refining the old.Living with the end in Mind. Some people are natural goal-setters and some aren’t. I am convince that one of the reasons we don’t accomplish more for the kingdom of God is because we don’t have any God-ordained goals we are pursuing. Prov 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Vision is a bigger picture perspective. We have to know where we are going in order to know how to get there. As I enter into this new season of life, I needed a time to re-evalu ate, re-assess my purpose I realize that all along my calling and purpose has been the same. Revelation: I am a bridge builder. I have always been a bridge builder. Rom 8:28 “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” My past has held the key to unlock the purpose for the future. As I took an intentional walk through the journey of my life it became very clear that from the beginning God planted a passion in my heart to fight for the family. My driving desire to bridge the communication gap between husband and wife, between parent and child and between people and God.
“My purpose calling is to build bridges, to connect, and to communicate truth, by equipping and interceding for the empowerment of families.”

Greater Confidence!

I think the biggest thing that the life plan did for me was give me greater confidence that God has given me specific gifts for specifically ordained tasks, and that I should pursue these things as much as possible. The thing we most focused on was my gifting and passion for leadership, and while I've known for a while that I like leading others, this helped me to focus more on ways in which I can lead others, and other strenths (such as harmony and competitiveness) that I can bring in and use while in a leadership position. Now I feel that I'm more aware of leadership styles and/or methods that may work for me in the future, whenever those leadership positions come.

The life plan also helped to spur me on to look more critically at my job, and to determine if it fits in with my strengths. Also deciding that I need to talk to J(my boss' boss)about my future was another great outcome.

Affirming and Confirming!

Life Purpose Coaching: I just spent two full days doing my “Life Plan”…WOW!!! It has both affirmed and confirmed what God has been doing in and through my life. I have been wondering what my purpose is and now I know…with knowing my purpose I can walk confidently in Faith and in His divine power. Thank you LORD! and thank you Kem for being obedient to your purpose and calling!

Huge Impact!

Doing the life plan was extremely influential and had a huge impact on me. God really showed up and revealed more of his purposes for my life. I surrendered a lot of areas that I had been holding onto without realizing it, which gave me such freedom. I had always been told, and knew, that God had a plan, calling, and purpose for my life. But in all honesty, it seemed like it was this abstract concept ‘out there’ that I had to somehow figure out someday. But to see it all put together, how God has given me specific gifts, abilities, and passions just made it so clear to me that God really did make me in a specific way for His particular purpose! It just became so obvious as I looked at my life and explored who I was. God wants me to know the strengths I have and why He made me the way He did. He wants me to know that calling He has, and is not trying to hide it or make it difficult to find. I was astounded at how clear He made it to me, and excited to continue to go forward. I will hold on to what I learned that day for the rest of my life. I now realize that ‘figuring out’ my calling is so much more than what occupation I should have, but it’s seeing in what way God wants me to influence the world and knowing how He prepared me to do that.

I Have Called you!

Therefore, Go...

...You know me... You discern my going out and my lying down... You hem me in behind... and before... You lay Your hand upon me... for darkness is as light to You... You created my inmost being... You knit me together... I praise you... I am made... I was woven together... Your eyes saw... days ordained for me... I am still with you... search me... know my heart... lead me...

Psalm 139

Have you ever thought of how God made us for a specific purpose, but we cant fulfill that until we know what it is? Is my purpose the same as yours? Is yours the same as his? Or is it like hers? No, its YOURS. God createdyou, with a very specific plan and purpose in mind. He created you to do something totally different than he created me to do. He created Moses to go, He created Jeremiah to weep, He created Hosea to love relentlessly. Our purposes are definitively NOT the same. Some are called to reach out to hurting women, others are called to youth, others are called to parents in crisis... The list goes on. What is your purpose?

I found out my purpose this week. After 22 years, I now know what gifts and talents, strengths and abilities God has knit together inside of me, and I know for what purpose He did so. He created me to "Reform to Alleviate." And the freedom in knowing that gives me a joy and excitement beyond what I have known before.

Life Purpose Coaching "asks questions that unlock your stories and lead you into a discovery of purpose that empowers you the rest of your life." Through this process, the Holy Spirit led me to realize what my specific part is in furthering the Father's plans here on this earth. "Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away." My time here is limited. I have 50-60 years left, and then my opportunity to be the creature God made me to be here on this earth... That opportunity is gone. In the blink of an eye, I will fly away.

But in understanding my purpose, I can live with intentionality every day, in every situation. I can be who I was made to be with a sense of satisfaction.

"I have called you. Therefore, go..."

What has he called you to? Where will you go?

...

Coolest 2 Days of My Life!

Three weeks ago, I had the coolest opportunity yet to happen in my life. I discovered my purpose. So many people walk through this world wondering what their purpose is & how to make an impact. Life Purpose Coaching is a process of discovering the stories of your life, the gifting God has blessed you with, the strengths you posses, the passions you have. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, these are woven together to help you see & embrace your life purpose. I can't explain it in words. It was the coolest 2 days of my life. The Spirit of God literally drops nuggets of truth into your spirit. As much as I want to explain the process, you don't get it until you do it... All of that to say, that I know that I am called to "encourage and prepare believers to stand for what is morally right and pure and to advocate truth to them". That is my calling. That is my purpose statement. There is so much freedom in knowing what you were made to do. There is intentionality in decisions. There is stepping outside of your comfort zone when you know it is what you are to do. There is obedience.

What is a One Day Life Plan?

A one day life plan is a shorter version of the life plan facilitation developed for young adults from the age of 18-26. It is designed to help a young adult look at their life, the past and the present and help them determine a direction for the future.