Discover Your Values – Fulfill Your Purpose
Take a look at this picture. In the midst of the trees and the plants in my yard it’s all there. Ladies, you’re looking at my values. (Well, 6 out of 8 of them are there.)
Nature: It’s the first evident value. Living at 5800 feet backed to the Los Padres National Forest, I’m surrounded and engulfed by God’s creation. And, the joy and renewal I feel each and every day is life-giving.
Creativity: Most of my creative endeavors are developmental strategies and plans – cerebral. But I can take a trowel and rake in hand and bring some unexpected beauty to an area. That’s the second value you see. God gave me an amazing starting point and I got to play around with it including a recently-rigged bird bath.
Peace: To see this one, you have to see what’s not there. No buildings. No cars. No crowds. My sense of tranquility and serenity has increased immensely. Yes, peace is more than atmosphere but for me a huge contributor.
Service: Now, you have to pan out a bit to see this one. The single mother across the street had an extended hospital stay and my husband and I got to play foster parents to her two teenage sons. And, if there weren’t so many pines in the pic, you’d see down the mountain to the Community Emergency Response Team building where I serve as team member.
Love: This value is a bit like the one above. You need a wide angle to see the 2000 so people of my community. Many who are not like me – don’t believe what I believe and don’t live the way I live. Being a part of this village, I’ve got to know them and hear from them and learn to love them.
Spirituality: My faith in God has been rekindled and bolstered. He does more than we can ask and imagine. This picture wasn’t the plan. The plan was a dream job with dream company very close to my old house. But, God (one of the best phrases ever) had a bigger plan.
You see, in bringing me here, God is fulfilling what he told me over two decades ago about where I’d be and what I’d be doing. He helped me to discover who I am, what’s really most valuable to me and lead me to His plan.
There’s a picture for you too. Filled with the colors and shapes of all that’s most treasured by you. It may be a bit blurry right now. Perhaps, out of focus. The perspective may not be what you intend. But with some thought, reflection and spiritual Photoshop, you can discover what you truly value and fulfill God’s purposes for you.
Jean Calasa is a Career and Life Coach. She worked 25+ years training and developing staff. Her experience includes serving in ministries locally and internationally in a variety of positions. God has gifted Jean to help people discover who He has created them to be and how to move toward His purposes for their lives.