Who am I? Do I matter? Where do I belong?
Over the summer, our Jennersville pastors Doug Walker (student ministry) and Johnny Johnston (campus pastor) taught on these questions adolescents strive to answer before entering their adulthood. As they popped up on the screen, I thought, “as an adult, I still ask these questions!” In my twenties I struggled with depression, mostly because my answer to these questions were:
Who am I? No one.
Do I matter? No.
Where do I belong? No where.
Four years ago that began to change when I walked into Willowdale Chapel for the first time. I went because of an acquaintance’s invite. As a non believer, I stayed because of a stranger’s hello.
Through being at Willowdale, I’ve learned a few key things:
God created us perfectly as we are.
Genesis 1:27-28a, 31a So God created man in his own image, in the
image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them…And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
Psalm 18:30 This God - his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
God loves me. A step further, those who feel love from God, love each other. I am loved.
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
We are worthy.
Our worth is our worth, because we are created and loved by God. As the above Genesis verses say, we were made, blessed, and God said we were good! We have value in God.
Lastly, God has a purpose for our lives.
He made us purposefully; perfectly. If you are like me, you may ask or have asked yourself, what is my purpose? Have I achieved it already? What will it be? The truth is, our purposes change depending on our stage of life: a teenager, a college graduate, a young mom, an old mom, a career woman, a retiree. Any where, your purpose shifts. I find a lot of comfort realizing it’s not about who I was or who I am or I will become. It will be.
While I am on purpose, just now, I have a purpose of writing this blog for all of you wonderful people. Then my son decided I HAD to help him build some instruments he received in a gift. So my purpose shifted to instrument builder, to tambourine player, back to blogger. God holds the plan. God sees our purpose.
Psalm 138:8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Oh how my life has changed since entering Willowdale. I am more positive, I am more grateful, I am more blessed. God has redirected me, loved me, found me worthy, showed my purpose. He shines in the women and men around church.
Just as Johnny answered the initial three questions, I can now say:
Who am I? A child of God.
Do I matter? Yes, God loves me, and God’s people love me.
Where do I belong? Right here!
The worship team in Kennett did a wonderful job playing this song last Sunday. Please click this link and take a moment to listen! Who You Say I Am