In my quest for significance in life I wanted a defining moment so significant that it was in black and white, not a general blur of I already know this about myself.
We took four different types of assessments: Personality (DISC), Spiritual Gifts, APEST, and the Your Unique Design (used by NASA). Each assessment produced reports at length reflecting strengths/weaknesses that I was already familiar with as well as insights I really hadn't considered, but was still all too familiar with.
Writing a work study each week from each assessment pulled out insights and profile patterns to help each of us understand how we are wired, our strengths, our natural abilities for our roles in life, what energizes us as individuals, causes we are passionate about, and what excites us.
Each week I took my assessments, agreed and often pondered the results.
Last week we pulled information even further in our final work study. We pulled the information even further from our former work studies to fine-tune it into a personal mission statement in life as we asked ourselves, "How can you make the most significant difference for God in your lifetime?" What is my purpose behind every unique way I have been created.
Going into my fifth week, my answer was still a blur. Specific questions pulled from specific reports, pulling out the "who are you and what makes you tick in life" questions like a funnel into magical answer inspired my personal mission statement:
To lead, inspire, and guide impoverished teen moms
and single moms to tear down barriers that hinder their own
significance and success in life.
My Aha! moment came when pulling this information from many reports, writing it down, the words did show themselves in black and white and I realized that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
You see, I began my first day on my new job the very day I wrote this mission statement. I am a personal assistant to a woman who is starting a new group home for girls. Once this is up and running we will be starting a group home for pregnant teen moms.
I was jumping up and down inside!! I couldn't wait to share my revelation with David, but I told him it needed to be a face-to-face conversation. He came over first thing in the morning.
No story ever goes quickly with me, really. Many details are needed to not only paint a picture, but to color it in completely. I work my way up to the crescendo of my revelation when he looks at me and says, "That's what I just told you last week!"
In fairness, he observed these details and stated his personal assessment (in much more detail than he readily admits to) when I told him about my new job; however, I needed to come to the realization with all these assessments shaken up, pressed down, and poured into one very specific sentence that puts me on the path in life for my purpose.
When I began my quest for significance over six months ago, I meant it. It wasn't a whim. It was an act of faith with no concrete evidence in sight that my quest would have an answer and I would learn more about myself than I already knew.
In my quest for significance, I don't believe for a second that it was coincidence that the evening I had my Aha! moment in life was the very day I began in the very position that aligns with my purpose. It was divine confirmation.
Where I am now may be for a lifetime or for only a season, but I am on my path of purpose and my TrueNorth.
For if you try to reach the geographic
North Pole known as true north,
from anywhere in the world
with only a compass,
you will no doubt fail.
For a compass will only lead
you to magnetic north.
You must continually stop,
assess where you are,
seek wise counsel,
and recalculate TrueNorth.
Just as in life.
- TrueNorth RT
