“If you focus on obstacles, then you give them more power. Instead, focus on your purpose, …” Ralph Marston
The scarier the world got because of virus outbreaks, violence, and violations of freedom, the more scared I got because it’s what I focused on.
It seemed easier to create chaos than to create content for another book chapter.
Masks and racial injustice and riots and defunding police and debating whose lives mattered most distracted me from what really mattered in my own life.
Friends shamed friends over differing opinions, which I let distract me from God’s opinions about how I was living.
Fear about closing and reopening and shutting down again kept me shut down from what God expected from me – to live my purpose.
I wondered if there was any hope of doing anything purposeful in the middle of so much fear, but then I noticed people doing just that.
Cindra, an artist friend, offered online painting classes. Another friend painted and sold dozens of colorful music albums throughout the quarantine. Claire said, “Stay off the news and away from politics and do art. That’s pretty much what I do and I’m happy about it.”
My Jesus-loving photographer friend learned Zoom and taught a group of us ways to more effectively study our Bibles. Rhonda also kept taking photos and shared them on social media. Another photographer friend did the same thing. Joel’s been posting his pictures online for years.
Athena, my friend who’s an author and publisher, offered Facebook Lives every evening since the beginning of the lockdown on topics like fearless courage, holy resistance, and words and thoughts, and we’re still meeting. She said, “I decided not to post things on social media that stir up division. I thought, Why not stir up love instead?” And she has.
There were other friends too, living their purpose and setting examples for the rest of us.
The more I lived mine, which for me meant writing and painting, the more I focused on Jesus. The more I prayed without ceasing like Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The more I felt stirred by Love.
My purpose became my prayer.
I wrote and painted from a grateful place. A desperate place. A hopeful place. A lonely and afraid place.
No matter my mood, returning to my purpose worked. My purpose offered up a concrete way to get back home to God and feel grounded. I’d catch myself walking in circles or circling around bad news and say out loud, “Go to your office now and write or paint.”
I’m thankful that instead of staying stuck talking about how important it is to live my purpose, I experienced its life-giving and life-restoring powers.
Where do you turn during difficult times? Is it something that really helps or harasses? Something that calms you down or unravels you for the sake of being informed? I’d love for y’all to share what works and what doesn’t.
In This Together,
Kim
After writing this blog post, I realized I wanted to make it a series. I’ll be labeling this part one as soon as I figure out how to subtitle it to go along with the rest of its parts. Thanks for reading along.
Thank you for your inspirational writing. I was encouraged to look some scriptures on purpose and discovered many nuggets that I enjoyed. Perhaps you will too. Keep on fulfilling your purpose, and it will help others with theirs.
https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-purpose/
Joel, thank you so much for the link. A couple of those came to mind when I was writing, but I didn’t think to actually seek out more verses. I love a list!
You, along with others, set an example that helped me stop the fear in its tracks and get back on track. I appreciate it.
Your words, your focus on purpose, reminded me to stay focused on my purpose. Such a healthy choice. And your other friends’ choices? Inspiring. I’d love to meet each and every one of them.
Awe, Beth, thank you! ❤️ I need the same reminder daily.
About my friends … I don’t think they have any idea how much I counted on them since March. You’d love them all!
Thank you for your post! I’ve found more depth in my writing and a closeness with our Father through these days of uncertainty, as well.
Mary Beth, I’m so grateful that a lot of us are looking in the same direction. We need our focus on God and His hope and then on how we can help each other.
I appreciate your comment so much. Thank you! ❤️
Thank you Kim! Great article & just what I needed to read today!
I’m grateful to have you as a friend and reader, Vicki. Thanks for being here. ❤️
I tend now to focus on reading the Bible more, reading books by David Jeremiah and praying. I try to focus on the “ heavenly things” than “ worldly things”.
Thanks for sharing and I always love your blogs!🥰👏👏
Also thanks for making the world a better place!🙏🙏✝️
Lyn, I love “I try to focus on the ‘heavenly things’ more than ‘worldly things.'” Me too, my friend. It’s keeping me sane to look up. ✝️
I appreciate your comments so much. I love you! 💜
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Cindra Marshall Love this Kim!
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Kim Henson Thanks so much for your example, Cindra Marshall. 🥰 I’m spending the next fews days with family and then I’m painting that boat if it’s still available.
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Cindra Marshall Kim, it will be when you’re ready. Just let me know when. XO
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Kim Henson Cindra Marshall, great. I will. Thank you. <3
Mary Catherine Sargent Kim, I really needed to read this. Something heavy on my heart today. I have been keeping busy make quilts for my daughters and grand daughters, just knowing they will always have my arms around them while they watch TV when I am not here anymore. We can let others' distract us, we all need to focus on GOD, have that spiritual relationship with HIM every day. Praying keeps our hearts in tone for every day life. Thank YOU for caring.
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Kim Henson I love your comment so much, Mary Catherine Sargent. Every word is truer than true. <3 So sweet, the thought of your children and grandchildren having something to wrap around them that symbolizes how much you love them. Makes me tear up. 🥰 Hey, message me if you need to, okay? I love you.
Peggy New I've had to severely limit FB
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Kim Henson Peggy New I cut back too, which is probably why I didn't know you did so much crocheting. Another example of living your purpose. <3
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Kathy Andros Eckert Just love this and love you! 💕🙏🏻💕
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Kim Henson Awe, thanks, Kathy Andros Eckert. I love you too! 🥰
Donna Feddick Fagerstrom Love this & you!💜
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Kim Henson Thanks so much, Donna Feddick Fagerstrom. I love you! 🥰
Athena Dean Holtz Good words my friend!! 😊
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Kim Henson Thanks for setting a wonderful example, Athena Dean Holtz. 🥰It's been so nice to have something to look forward to every day ... not that I'm trying to make you feel guilty that you're leaving us in August. lol 🤣🤣🤣 You deserve a break!
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Athena Dean Holtz Kim Henson ok good. Guilt averted!
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Dana Johnson Love 💜💖
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Kim Henson Thanks so much, Dana Johnson! 🥰
Joel Carter Left a message on your blog Kim. Love your purpose and inspiration
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Kim Henson Thanks so much, Joel Carter. I read it and responded, AND so appreciated the link to verses about our purpose. Thanks for sharing it. <3
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Connie Rogers Thank you gotta sharing Kim. I need to use my time more wisely.
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Kim Henson Connie Rogers, I've wasted plenty of time, but I got to work after I saw friends living well even during this season. <3 There's no reason not too, but I can sure make excuses. lol 😀
Patricia Turner Johnson Beautiful words that we all should pay attention to!
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Kim Henson Awe, thanks so much, Patricia Turner Johnson. I appreciate you and your comment. 🥰
Jackie Waters Miles Thanks for sharing all your positive thoughts. Love it
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Kim Henson Thanks so much, Jackie Waters Miles. 🥰 I was happy to calm down and happy to share it with others.
Theresa Jordan 🎨🎚📚🖊😍
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Kim Henson Yes, Theresa Jordan. Emojis are worth a thousand words. <3
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Beth K. Vogt Such an encouraging post!
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Kim Henson Thanks a lot, Beth K. Vogt. My book's about living our purpose, so it's about time I got around to my own, which is writing it. See the tangled web here? lol 🙂
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Betty Butler I love reading your thoughts on getting through Corona Virus and finding purpose as a means to do it. John 16:33 assures us that we will have trouble in this world. I immediately saw this confinement as an opportunity to delve into a project we were already working on and a chance to organize and declutter. The big project is cleaning up the dust from a repair we had done to the house. Along the way, we have found numerous things in good condition that we are donating to the Salvation Army and Good Will. The rest of it is getting organized. As for a larger purpose, I remain in the service of the Lord spreading his Good Word of grace.
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Kim Henson Betty Butler, I've noticed you're always busy and doing good. I love that about you. It's been such a different kind of time for me. I've reevaluated almost everything, which I thought I did anyway, but not like this time around. I was happy to be able to put some of it into words. Thanks for sharing your take on it too. <3
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Betty Butler
♥️🙏♥️
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Kim
This article is a home run.
The world it seems is fear driven by reports from the media on all these topics you mention.
“Of what use are entire philosophical systems social, economic programs? We live in Epoch of gigantic material progress, which is also the epoch of a negation of God previously unknown. Such is the image of our Society” Pope John Paul II
We need to focus on our purpose, that is, to return love to the God that created us.
When things become distorted in my life I listen to that quiet voice. “Come to Me ……. And I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28.
Bob
Thanks so much, Bob. I love your go-to verse.
I’m grateful for this time since it’s tested what I say I believe in and I’m coming out okay.
I appreciate you and Agnes so much! ❤️