Created for a Purpose - My Story

Has your life, your finances, your circumstances been affected by the Great Recession?   God uses such events to grab our attention. 
I've been doing a series over the last month for the reasons "why" God is shaking us either by natural disasters, the economy or both.

Today, reason #3:  God is shaking us because He has a purpose for each of our lives and for His Church.

Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Did you know that you were created for a purpose?  You are not some cosmic accident, but you were created for a specific purpose. 

I can remember when I had finally reached my goal in life:  to be a stay-at-home mom.  I love pampering my husband as much as he'll let me.  (He's a very independent man.)  I love being my kids' mom.  I love picking them up from school - I love being the one to drop them off at school.  I love keeping a neat and tidy home.

Yet I can remember being so discontent soon after I came home from full time paid employment.  It was February 2004 and I was in the process of changing what seemed to be the millionth dirty diaper.  Suddenly, in utter despair, I cried out, "Is this it, Lord.  Is this really what I was created for?"

The Purpose Driven Life was hot on the scene and so "purpose" was front and center in my mind and heart.

The next morning in my quiet time, 1 Timothy 4:12-16 happened to be my reading.  The words seem to jump off the page and into my heart as I read the passage.  And the Lord immediately brought the diaper scene from the day before into my mind.  Listen to the His Words.  Little did I realize, that the God of the Universe was telling me my life purpose: 

"Command and teach...  Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young,

but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.  

Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 

Do not neglect your gift...Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 

Watch your life and your doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

I was 33 at the time.  In this passage, God was telling me, that He was preparing me for a speaking ministry.  At the time, I had no platform and my circumstances laughed in the face of such a proclamation.  We were not even in a Bible teaching church. 

Yet, I chose to believe God.  And I continued to seek His face each day and obeyed what I sensed Him saying.

Long story short, (so many details I hope to one day share with you) in May 2007 at the release of the Prayer Journal, churches started calling and asking me to speak.  This is the beginning of what would later become Knowing God Ministries.

In the beginning, I thought it would be speaking a little here and a little there and selling Journals out of the trunk of my car.  Yet God has meant it for so much more than I could have ever imagined.  Through the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, not Tara:

• Marriages are changing,
• Generations are being impacted;
• People are learning HOW to have a meaningful relationship with God.
• KGM is committed to making and strengthening Christian leaders for the cause of Christ and we've started a luncheon - making a financial commitment to do so each month -
• TRUTH (whether you like it or not) is going out on the World Wide Web through this blog to multiple countries.  Last month over 1300 people read this blog. 

I realize this is small potatoes, but we are talking about a common housewife...   Who is determined to get plugged into God each day because she wants her life to count.  And wonder of wonders, God Almighty is allowing her to have an impact.  The size of that impact is up to Him.  My responsibility each day is find His will as best I can and then obey.  

If God has uprooted your finances, your lifestyle or anything else in your life,  LOOK TO HIM!  Ask Him why?  He could be using your circumstances to get you plugged into HIS purposes.

Related Resources:  

Intimacy with God, Your Daily Guide to Prayer, Prayer Journal, Tara Furman

Intimacy with God, Establishing a Vibrant Quiet Time and Prayer Time, Tara Furman

The Politically Incorrect Wife, Nancy Cobb

• To Order:  http://www.knowinggodministries.net/
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If you have been impacted by KGM... if we are "feeding you spiritually" in any way, please consider a:

1. Monthly partnership - we have the capacity for bank withdrawals that can be suspended at any time. or a
2. One-time tax deductible donation. 

Your financial support either through resources or contributions helps us continue life-changing ministry.  No amount is too small and so appreciated. 

Send to:
Knowing God Ministries
115 Overview Lane
Cary, NC 27511