When I dream about becoming the woman God has created me to be, it’s often associated with a long list of items that I have to do. How I can muster enough strength to stop worrying, focus on the positive, stop spending excess money, be more patient. I make these mental lists in my mind and when I don’t achieve them, I get upset with myself, causing a cycle of guilt. I want to live out this dream to be the best wife, mom, daughter, sister, co-worker, but it is honestly futile if I am doing it on my own strength.

While I believe it is important for all of us to pursue our God-given purpose, we are not in it alone. God has provided us with a Counselor -- the Holy Spirit -- to guide us and lead us. Jesus shares this truth with us in John 16:7, “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don't go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.” Some versions call him the Advocate or Helper. This is God, your Father, that lives inside of YOU! How powerful is that?

In Paul David Tripp’s devotional, New Morning Mercies, he writes, “Everything that was created was made by God and for God. All the glories of the created world were designed to point to his glory. The universe is his, designed to function according to his purpose and plan. That includes you and me. We were not made to live independent, self-directed lives. We were not meant to exist according to our own self-oriented plans, living for our own moments of glory. No, we were created to live for him.”

This year, I challenge you to spend as much time as you can in the Bible and on your knees asking God to reveal how you can live your life, your purpose, for Him daily. It looks different for each of us. Whether you are the CEO of a large corporation, a gardener, retired, or like me -- a mom of 5 children, natural born and fostered -- we are all living out our purpose if we surrender our will to Christ and live for His glory to be revealed.