Faithfull Utterances: We are Waiting on YOU!

By Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew

One of my favorite books is by Laurie Beth Jones, The Path, which is designed to help one build a mission statement. I’m currently taking a course based on this book. This course is helping me think about both my mission and vision. I think for many of us, this is something we don’t have, or we fail to revisit and tweak it if we do. For leaders and quite frankly, for all of us, we need to have our own mission, vision, and core values developed. Just as organizations and companies have mission statements, it is important that we are strategic in thinking about our purpose. Mission statements serve as a guide in formulating values and goals. There is a difference between mission and vision. The vision is the ultimate result—the big goal we would like to reach, and a mission is a day to day of how we will accomplish the goal. The mission describes the purpose and the vision shares the future hope of what we want to accomplish. I began to ask this wonderful group of leaders I was working with if they had a mission statement and many did not. Why? Because for so many of us, we go through life doing. We do not take the time to truly examine what it is that we are called to do and an even greater problem is that we fail to ask God to help us in achieving the plans and purpose God has for our lives. Many people see what others are doing and instead of examining our talents, gifts, or interests, we attempt to do something that we are not called to do, and we definitely haven’t engaged God to determine the steps pre-planned for our lives. We become frustrated because it appeared easy for them without knowing what they have gone through to accomplish the goal and secondly, not paying attention to God’s handiwork in the plan. We operate in our own strength and that will only allow you to go so far.

In her book, The Path, Jones says that Jesus’ mission was to give life and give it more abundantly. Just about every interaction Jesus had confirmed this—whether the conversation with the woman at the well, raising Lazarus from the dead, or even sharing hope with Zacchaeus. John 10:10 says, “….I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” We see in scripture that life begins with seeking Him. He was successful in accomplishing His plan because He knew His purpose. Many of us are like Martha in the Bible. We are so distracted and busy working that we miss out on the real opportunity to find our purpose and operate in it. We are saying yes to others (I am guilty of this) and not so much to saying yes to what is important for us. Martha was preparing food while her sister, Mary, listened at the feet of Jesus. She was being quiet, still, and learning to gain insight and direction for her life. How often are we doing good work but not the God-work we’ve been called to because we are sidetracked by what we think is important? Luke 10:42 (NLT) says, “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” What are you discovering in this time about yourself? Are you discovering your mission? Are you still, quiet, learning, and listening to God’s direction so that you can focus on what is important knowing it won’t be taken away from you? What does abundant life look like for you and what steps are you taking to seek God’s plan for your life to achieve that? Jeremiah 29:11 says, “ 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.” Are you spending time with God to know the purpose and plan that was prepared for you before you were even born? God has a purpose and plan for each of our lives. I hope you will take the time to discover it so that the world can be blessed by your gifts, talents, and purpose. We are waiting on YOU!

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the author of three books for women. Her upcoming podcast, The Tapestry, airs on Society Bytes Radio on Mondays at 1 pm CST. To listen, visit www.drfroswa.com/TapestryPodcast/. To connect to or learn more about Dr. Froswa’, visit drfroswa.com.