“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.”
~Oscar Wilde
I have not been on my blog in so long. It’s good to be back. I want to talk about 2016 over the course of these next weeks and all the hope it offers.
If you’re new to me, welcome. I am a mom of 8 homeschooling kiddos and have created a method of planning that keeps your focus off your to-do list and more on your goals, your dreams, and your aspirations. New or a seasoned visitor, I’m glad you’re here.
I am going to talk goals over the next couple weeks. I am going to talk about how to go about setting goals and how to use my Planner Perfect Method to execute them. I have a heart for women and particularly moms, because, well, I am one, but remember what those days looked and felt like before I was married, too. I want to talk about what your first goal should be, and that is to discover your unique purpose. I have met a lot of moms over the years, including myself, who become so preoccupied with life, children, their husband and to-dos that they are lost. These moms only know how to survive.
My purpose…what?
That’s why this post is important…I feel in my gut it needs to be spoken to somebody. If you think your purpose is in your motherhood, or if you just don’t know your purpose and find that survival mode is more your style these days then this read is for you.
I remember being around 26 years old, a few kids in and completely lost. I loved being a stay-at-home mother and wife, I homeschooled my babes and was in love with that, I loved my “mom friends”, I loved baking and cooking and playing with my children, but there was something missing. I was fighting a loss in my soul that I could not pinpoint and figure out. I wanted to know why I felt this way, what my deal was. I had the life I’d always wanted and to feel this way was a contradiction I could not understand.
Years later, more kids, a move, and a continual fight to suppress what I didn’t understand in my soul, came to me a revelation in my sleep. It was a “God moment”. God told me to write. He told me to pick up my paint brush again, and He told me to inspire women. I literally jumped out of bed! I shook my snoring husband out of his sound sleep to tell him of this amazing spiritual encounter I had and he was excited for me. So much so, my husband even took me for coffee at a book store that day to find everything I could to educate myself on ways I could pursue my new discovery and enlightenment. I was hooked and inspired!
It was a journey that unfolded over time. God had a lot of work to do in me and still does. He needed to sharpen me, shape me, work out all those insecurities and teach me a thing or two about being a woman doing work for a mighty God. I’m still learning and discovering everyday what it means to truly drop everything and follow Him. I’m finding out what it means to be humble, to serve, to love, to give, to receive, to let go…I know now what it feels like to be molded like clay by an awesome God, all you have to do is allow Him.
As my life unfolded itself, it all goes back to that one pivotal moment and encounter with God that changed the course of my life, forever. It is clear to me now, more than then, that each one of us has a unique gift and talent to share with the world and you will always feel that missing element about your life until you find it. Don’t confuse being your children’s mother as your purpose, this dire misunderstanding can waste years off your life. Being a mother is not your purpose– I mean think about that, there are a lot of mothers out there! What is your unique purpose? Find it and don’t haste.
This is your year to know your purpose, to find your talents and your gift to share and inspire others.
Here’s to you in 2016! Make this the year to know who you are. Understand your calling and purpose and pursue it with everything you’ve got.
Happy New Year, friends!
Much love–Jenny
You are so inspiring! I am hoping to find my purpose this year. It has definitely been missing in my life. I'm not sure why it's such a struggle, other than I probably have lost myself over the years being what others wanted me to be. Looking forward to your blog posts.
what a beautiful post. here's to 2016!
Love your post! Thank you for inspiring young moms! I was a young mom of 4 kids many years ago and unschooled them too. I would have loved to have had a role model like you back then. I think I got lost in my role of mothering and being a wife. I left a teaching career to raise my 4 and don't regret that but now that I'm almost 60 I still feel like I'm searching for my purpose. I still ask myself frequently what I want to be when I grow up. I'll continue to move forward and pray for direction and purpose. Reading through "Make It Happen" by Lara Casey and watching your "scopes" have been so helpful!! Thank you again for your inspiration. Looking forward to reading your blog posts in 2016.
Wow! Great post. I just discovered you as I just discovered travelers notebooks…one led to the other. Ive been watching and loving your videos. I'm a mom and wife. My son is 31 so im no spring chicken but your saying a loss in your soul really hit home. You put it into words for me! Im also a cancer survivor so ihave plenty to be grateful for and itruly am but something is missing! I need to prayabout this tonight. 🙂
Yay! I love reading your posts and watching your You Tube videos — you're so inspiring! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on planning for the coming year! I'm also starting to clear the clutter, physically and mentally, and get our planning going!