DISCOVERING PURPOSE

As this year's edition of the International day of the Woman approaches there is a bitter sweet feeling i have. bitter because as women especially in Sub Sahara Africa where i come from this day is yet to have an overwhelming impact on our lives and communities and sweet because it is an opportunity to share across platforms and events practical ways of improving the lives of our women, daughters and communities. As i begin to look for ways of creating lasting change there are some questions that came to mind and i have been pondering over them anew: Who am i? Where did I come from? Why am I here on earth?

Dr Annie Smith in her life changing book Burning with Purpose opens the chapter on destiny and purpose by saying we are called to ask ourselves these important questions at some point in time if we must make progress. But unfortunately for many of us, the answers to these questions are farfetched and we end up making wrong choices, taking wrong paths and pursuing the wrong destinies. Several years on, after sacrificing family and health to make money, we spend all the money trying to regain our health and family relations. This is the case of most if not all the success stories we hear of and admire in this life. At the end of their lives, they always have one regret; if I had to live again, I will spend more time with my family and do something else with my life. When your pursuit in life is driven by the desire to make money (which in itself is not a bad thing) you will end up doing anything to get money. Destiny is one of those words and concepts that many all over the world have tried to understand and define from different perspectives, most of the time very limited definitions. If I were to define destiny I will still refer to Burning with Purpose by Dr Annie Smith. She writes “Destiny is what God has foreordained you to be. It is the role he has assigned for you to play here on earth, which will give you a particular platform in life. Your destiny is as unique as your personality.” Destiny therefore is what you have been fashioned to be. Your make up (looks, size, height, talents, skills, etc) constitute your personality which is unique to you and this is indicative of what you have been purposed to become. I want to share with you practical steps i learned on how to discover your purpose and Destiny andhopefully at the end of it all, you will confidently say as a woman; now I know who I am, where I came from and why I am on earth.

1) What is the greatest desire in your heart? God has placed desires in your heart that are natural to you. You did not study, or struggle to get it, you naturally desire to do such or be such. These desires are positive energies that determine our destiny. According to Dr Smith once these desires are fully developed, they become dreams.

2) What brings you a true sense of satisfaction in life? What is that thing that gives you satisfaction, that even if you were to gain nothing in the natural, you will do so wholeheartedly because of the satisfaction you derive? That is also indicative of the destiny you have been foreordained for. What is more important to you than material gain? This is not to say material gain is wrong but if you do that thing with all your heart it will produce material satisfaction. The power of conviction and persuasion is universal and applies to everyone. Whatever you do with all your heart, believe it will work .For example I derive satisfaction, fulfillment from sharing this with you all, coaching, guiding, knowing that this is going to make a difference in your life and pursuit makes me happy. “If you put your heart in what you are doing with your hand, your heart will do what your hand cannot do” Dr S Smith

3) What produces passion and enthusiasm in your heart? What ignites your passion and fuels your enthusiasm? What is that thing that has completely consumed you that all your being is involved in it and you committed to it to the point of even suffering for it. This is called passion, zeal something so important to you that you are willing to take an action. Enthusiasm is so powerful and has a magnetic force that will draw and attract attention

4) What flows out of you naturally? What is it that you do that flows out of you effortlessly? You are more successful in the domain where you produce least effort. Contrary to what we have been told, that we have to work hard to be able to make it in life, destiny is effortless. The things that you do so easily are the things you have been called to do. In creating you, God tailored you to be a solution in that particular domain. You have extraordinary results effortlessly. The things many went to school to train to become, you are naturally exhibiting and using them without formal training. To many it is so complex but to you it is so clear. When you are walking in purpose, people will always ask you “how did you do that?” this is because of the mark of distinction in the midst of the so many people doing the same thing.

5) Where do you produce your maximum/ best impact or result? The results you get in your life announce your purpose. Many believe you need to suffer to see results but that is not the case. Rather if you are not seeing major fruit from your endeavors , you need to reposition yourself. You will never get right fruit in the wrong environment. Take for example, if you plant oranges in the Sahara desert, it will never germinate no matter how patient you are in waiting. Seed needs a particular environment to produce fruit, same with you like Dr Smith said, you are a living seed and you need a particular place for manifestation.

6) What can you do confidently knowing that it will work in total peace? Let’s all repeat this simple exercise. Close your eyes and think about all the careers, professions that exist in the world. Imagine that no matter what your choice will be, we will all be paid equal salary at the end. Which will you choose? That is destiny! Given that we will all receive equal salary; your choice didn’t come because of money but out of conviction. This choice is accompanied by peace, which should be your primary premonition. The absence of peace in your choices and decisions is indicative of lack of conviction and probably failure.

7) What do you see yourself doing for the rest of your life? This is the tough one because many individuals unfortunately are so unstable. Always looking for the next buzz and big thing. What God called you to do is for a lifetime, methods may change but it remains the same assignment. What is that thing that you can see yourself still doing 50 years from now? I will still be coaching, helping and training.

We need our life time to accomplish our destinies ladies, many have started, and some are yet to start. Where ever you find yourself in this journey of discovery and impacting the world, you need to realign yourself to priorities as you answer these questions and when you discover what ignites your passion, what fuels your enthusiasm, get to work!!!

“If a man sets himself on fire with the purpose ordained by God for his life, the whole world will gather to watch him burn” Dr Shawn Smith

Happy Womens Day!!!