Do you believe there is Purpose in everything? Even the hard and sad things? That the reason we were created & placed on this earth is for God’s purposes to be fulfilled? Not for our own pleasure or comfort, but to point hearts and minds back to our Creator? You may not believe this or it may just not be where you are in life right now.  I know for many years my own heart did not see this so clearly. 

But let me lovingly point you to your God story... Your PURPOSE.  Because no matter what path we go down, no matter what we want to do, no matter our mistakes, or how far we veer from God, He has made everything to point us back to Him.  To point us to see what great Purposes He has for our lives! And He is going to always, always pursue you like that little lost lamb(Read Matthew 18:12-14)

Friends... God is faithful, even we are not! Even when we forget that truth... or can’t see it. Even when we are discouraged or hurt and may not believe it. Think about it again...

God is faithful, even we are not, because He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

These verses have given me strength this past week in so many ways:

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 

and

“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.” Psalms 57:2

I know how fear, stress, disappointments or uncertainty can take our eyes off God and we get weary and forget just exactly who God is.  But Romans 15:15 says we have a God of endurance.  ENDURANCE... Boy do I need that reminder rn! Let me read to you out of “New morning Mercies” by Paul David Tripp. “This title (of an enduring God) really gets at the center of where our hope is to be found. Let me state it plainly: your hope is NOT to be found in YOUR willingness and ability to endure, (Thank God🙌🏻) but in Gods unshakable, enduring commitment to never turn from HIS work of grace”... and I’ll add “in your life, if you’re willing to accept it! He will endure no matter what. He doesn’t give up on us! 🙌🏻

God is God, and He works ALL THINGS together, yes even little you and me, for His GOOD Purposes! So just bc our endurance may be short, or our forgetfulness almost daily, and our discouragement more often than not...Don’t panic! God will ENDURE, and His GRACE is always there for those who seek Him! So I encourage you to do just that. Seek Him. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:13 

I find my need to daily seek Him so strong these days. I’d love to be back where this first photo was taken above, but I’m in bed sick... and even in sickness He is there, giving me time to see more clearly.❤️

So blessed by technology and that we can watch church from home when we are sick! Our church is going through a month long series called “Into Faith We Go…” and it’s been so good. Here’s one nugget from today: “God has a plan, purpose and vision for your life until the day He takes you home.”

I believe that wholeheartedly and I’ll leave you with that for today!

This week we will be sharing about Bellagio, Italy and why it is so special to us, and why we feel the Lord has called us there to do these retreats. We hope you’ll come back and see what God is doing there!

Hugs,

Laura McCollough

P.S. I talked in depth about PURPOSE in a blog post last year. You can read it here.