(quick note: if you are looking for a starting point—overview help with the navigation of this blog, scroll down to THE DISCOVERY PROCESS: HOW TO NAVIGATE THE WEBSITE.)
You were made on purpose for a purpose.
Doesn’t reading that statement give your soul a little thrill?
Those “stomach butterflies” ?
A shot of hope?
A shaft of light in perhaps a dark, despairing, or confusing place where you are now walking?
Read that first line again and let it sink into the soil of your heart—like a seed being planted—a supernatural seed of hope and inspiration: You were made on purpose for a purpose.
Linger over each word and know…
You are not a mistake.
YOUR life has a purpose.
I like to put it into the simple words “You were Born to Bloom.”
{ I think that gives such a beautiful visual. }
I love envisioning every person with endless arrays of those buds of possibilities and purpose just waiting to explode into a kaleidoscope of colorful blooms in every imaginable color, size, and design— s h i m m e r i n g and ALIVE!
All unique. { your blooms will not look like your spouse’s, your best friend’s, a parent’s, or a famous person you may admire… }
All beautiful. { because they are birthed from God, through you… }
All needed. { everyone can use some help, encouragement, inspiration—someone needs it from you… Will it be YOUR cake, letter, painting, words, [ad infinitum] that will rescue, inspire, turn a life around? The first person who is rescued might be you… }
All with a purpose. { because God created us for a purpose! }
I didn’t pull those two statements—“You Were Born to Bloom” and “You Were Made on Purpose for a Purpose” out of thin air.
They are drawn from the solid foundation of God’s Word (the Bible).
In Ephesians 2:20 it says that we are God’s own master work—HIS workmanship, a work of art.
Read it for yourself:
For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. Ephesians 2:10 AMP
{ Wow. That is definitely a “wow” scripture! Try reading it out loud. Then read it out loud again but this time personalize it. Example: I, JANE, am His workmanship, His own master work—A WORK OF ART… }
I just followed my own suggestion and it was powerful. Really! To say out loud that I am God’s work of art is just…wow.
I don’t think we can see ourselves, or anyone else around us, in the same way when we start looking at human beings as walking, talking works of divinely inspired art!
And why were we so carefully crafted?
It goes on to say that we were created in Christ Jesus, ready to be used, for good works—things that He prepared and planned for us long ago.
I just have to share another portion of scriptures with you right now that shows how meticulously and creatively and INTENTIONALLY God formed you:
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Psalm 139:13-15
Knit.
Woven.
Formed.
Marvelous workmanship.
All = NOT A MISTAKE !
And knowing that He so carefully formed you means that you can be sure He included all your so-called weaknesses and quirks—-for a reason!
You don’t have to strive for perfection!
{ As though that exists. Just so you know…it doesn’t! So relax in who you are with the knowledge that God loves you JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! He CREATED you!! }
And you don’t have to try (and shouldn’t try!) to be someone you’re not.
Don’t you want to learn more about the amazing work of art that God molded and fashioned you to be?
In this life, there is a way that all things work—even US!
And we have to learn and explore how things work—-including ourselves.
It’s an exciting life-changing journey discovering what gifts, talents, and possibilities God has hardwired into you.
It’s not a burdensome task of trying to please God… or anyone else.
The path is laced and graced with freedom and JOY!
Because you will be free to be who you really are. Ahhhh. What a RELIEF!
In the book of Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said these freeing words: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” The Message version
Laying down the burden of trying to be something or someone you’re not will help you to live more freely and lightly.
God made you a particular way for a particular purpose and He is so overjoyed with His creation of you!
And I would love nothing more than to help you (dear unique and beautiful creation of God) begin to discover just how amazing you are!
What kind of buds of possibilities are in you right now waiting to explode into beautiful blooms that will bring hope and joy an inspiration to you and others.
So many people are frustrated and even in despair due to never knowing how to coax their buds into blooms.
{ I was one of those people. }
So I’m asking you to have faith like a child and “only believe” that no matter what damage has been done, or regrets that you may have… there is still hope and a bright future for you.
It’s time to recapture the joy, the wonder, and the dreams of your youth!
Yes!
It’s time to Bloom!
Bloom with God-flowers and fruit that are eternal and pure and gloriously radiant and infused with God-glory.
For He is the One who formed you and equipped you to bloom in just this particular way that only you can do.
No one else can be who you are or do what you do in the ways and places that you do them.
You are entirely unique and irreplaceable.
The Master’s masterpiece.
THIS is what “Born to Bloom” is all about—
To discover and display the masterpiece of YOU!
Because…YES! You really were Born to Bloom.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (what He desires for one, He desires for all…)
Look at the world with childlike wonder, ready to be startled into surprised delight by the profuse abundance of truth and beauty and goodness that is spilling out of the skies at every moment. ~ Eugene Peterson, “Eat This Book”
Oh YES! and AMEN!
My prayer: God, I cannot write anything, anything at all, that will touch and move a heart and change a life. But You can do all those things in and through my life. Holy Spirit, help me yield to You– that the will of the Father will be done in my life so that You will be glorified, and precious lives will find hope and be rescued in whatever way they are in need of rescue. This is Your greatest longing. This is my heartfelt prayer. And I believe and know that You answer prayers.
My mission statement that guides my life: My “mission” and purpose is to encourage and inspire women of all ages to know God more intimately, to assure them that He deeply and unconditionally loves & cherishes them, and to help them have an unfolding revelation of their immeasurable value—that they are designed and gifted for a beautiful purpose that expresses God’s glory, and brings JOY, HEALING and LOVE to them and to those whose lives they touch.
(You can learn to write your own mission statement! Go here if that’s where you would like to start: http://www.borntobloom.today/setting-compass-life-writing-mission-vision-statements/ )
THE DISCOVERY PROCESS: HOW TO NAVIGATE THE WEBSITE
I have different categories that are like little mini-series of “teachings.” You can hop around to any category that you feel you need right now. Or you can methodically work your way through each one.
There are 7 categories and I of course highly recommend starting with the biggest one of all and which is the theme of this website…Born to Bloom. Because you were…born to bloom.
Born to Bloom: Here you will find over 50+ short writings that include tests, exercises, encouragement, inspiration, and things to ponder. I have linked 30+ in a kind of order but it isn’t necessary to follow that order. But I do hope you start with the Intro and Let’s Get Started for my initial suggestions of what to take on your journey of discovery. Don’t leave out laying the foundation—which is Love. Because it really is all about Love. And when we discover our natural talents and spiritual gifts we can experience and express that Love in just the way we were designed to!
Late Bloomers: Feel like you missed the boat? That you lived the lives of everyone around you and got left out? That you never bloomed? Or…you have an empty nest, are retired (and lost or bored), lost a loved one, or had any other major life change and need to find a new way to bloom? Find some hope and encouragement here that it’s not too late to bloom !
Lifelines: In a crisis of any kind? Feeling despair, hopelessness, depression, fear? Start here.
Called to Create: You may not think you are creative but you are. You were made in the image of God, who is the Creator of all things! And He put abilities and desires in you that are creative even if they are NOT in the field of the arts. Get some ideas on how to find those perhaps hidden talents, and learn how to develop them. FIND YOUR JOY AND PASSION!!
Sacred Friendships: Learn how important it is to have good relationships, especially a close friendship or two, for your health, and overall growth. And for joy and fun, too!
come away with Me… : Ahhhh. By far one of my favorite topics of all. Learn how to spend quality time with God—-the true longing of our hearts and the only way to find true peace, experience Love beyond measure, joy unspeakable, and the way to bloom properly (our purpose in life).
Just For Fun: Some of my more lighthearted little stories. We need more laughter in our lives, even while walking in the midst of difficult times.
keepin’ it real: At the end of some of the little writings, I tack on some excerpts from my many years of journaling. It’s raw and real. It’s personal. Some of it’s pretty and some of it isn’t. Just like life. We are imperfect human beings in need of a lot of help—from each other, yes… but most especially from God.
I also add music lyrics, and links to the songs, at the end of most blogs because I am a firm believer in the healing power of music—praise, worship, contemplative, confessional, and instrumental.
AND, book junkie that I am, you will also find a number of book recommendations.
(I may receive a very small–very, very small– “commission” from Amazon if anything is purchased when clicking on my provided hyperlink.)