Created for Purpose...from the desk of Angela Cook

Good Tuesday afternoon to all of you lovely ladies out there!  I am so priviledged to share some thoughts with you today as you go about your business serving the Lord for we know that it is in Him we live and move and have our being. 

Well, starting a new Bible study is always so exciting for me.  I first started doing Beth Moore Bible studies about 6 years ago after going through a very difficult miscarriage with my first pregnancy.  I was just learning the truths of God's Word concerning His love for me.  And now, 6 years later, 3 very active little boys, one little girl on her way - in just a few short weeks - and 3 lost pregnancies later, I can say each one of these children are marked by one or more 10 week sessions of learning the Word through Women's Bible Study.  I spent many days of morning sickness, later the anticipation of giving birth and then, many nights of wondering if I'd ever make it through one more day of sleeplessness all while taking time to open up the Word of God to learn more about my Savior and become closer to Him as I take this journey of life and move foward to the prize which Christ has called me heavenward!

During my pregnancy with my firstborn, Braden, God opened my eyes to the wonder of His love through the passage of scripture found in Psalm 139 - most of us know that well - "I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows that very well."  Not only was I having to believe that for myself but also for the precious little one who was being secretly knit together in my womb.  I realized also during that time that each and everyone of us was made with a purpose.  In our study this week, Priscilla asks the question, "How might knowing you have been hand selected by God deepen your affection for HIm and affect your life decisions?"  Most of us can give the "Sunday School" answer to this question or even have a deeper self-realization of His love for us but yet we live so consumed with our own preoccupations that we tend to forget that not only are we loved but we have a purpose - that purpose is to further God's Kingdom - "The Lord is not slow about His promise...but is patient towards you, not wanting any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).  We must come to a point of understanding that we need not seek the acceptance of those around us, whether family, fellow workers or friends.  We need to come to an understanding that our purpose is to serve the Lord and His Kindgom. 

I am priviledged to be given the responsibility to raise four beautiful children in the admonition and discipline of the Lord.  Yes, as a mom it is easy to think of all of the wonderful things my children could aspire to but lately I've had a different view about this.  It comes from a song by the Grammy nominated band, Leeland, called Follow You: 

Follow You into the homes of the broken
Follow You into the world
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God
Follow You into the world
Use my hands use my feet
To make Your kingdom come

My prayer for my sweet little family is not that we would be successful according to this world's standards but that we would strive to follow Him into the arms of the broken, poor and needy to see His kindgom come.  I believe if more of us who are Christians would accept that purpose for our lives we would see a decline in depression and frustrations in the Church.  So I will ask you now, how might knowing you have been hand selected by God not only deepen your affection for Him and affect your life decisions but also how you relate to your world?