It was four weeks ago yesterday, the day before my Thanksgiving JoyNews was to be sent, that my husband Paul and I were in a terrible car crash that left us with many broken bones, bruises, and injuries, and sadly took the life of the other young driver. Her car veered out of control and hit us almost head-on that night on the way home from something as simple as having pizza with friends. Life is fragile! You never know when, in a split second, it will change or even end.
Still, four weeks later, I fight to stop myself from thinking about the “if only’s.”
~ If only I had not changed my plans.
~ If only we had left our friend’s home just 5 minutes earlier.
~ If only we had stopped at just one more red light.
~ If only…
But then God’s Spirit reminds me that the if only’s are just a lie. Do I really think that the God who kept us alive during this horrible crash could not have changed the course of the oncoming car, or slowed us down, or… or… or…? Of course He could have! I won’t take the time to go into detail now, but in the upcoming months I will share some of the many ways we saw God’s divine hand in the events of that night. We may never know the full extent of God’s protection or His reasons for allowing this tragic event, but what I do know without a shadow of a doubt is that God did allow it. He brought us through it and He has a reason for choosing to let us to remain here on earth for another season. He has a purpose even in this.
H
mm… Purpose. I have been thinking a lot about God’s purposes in these past four weeks. And just the other day, as we were preparing to celebrate a very special Christmas, I was reminded once again that God had a very specific and life altering purpose for sending Jesus to earth as a little baby that first Christmas night. Jesus took the form of a mere created human being. He lived a life that would teach millions how to live for centuries and centuries after He was gone. And He suffered a horrible, criminal’s torture and death, to pay for crimes He never committed in order to free the guilty from an eternity without God. Now that is purpose! Jesus was born to die for me, and for you.
And if I learned one thing from going through a car crash that probably should have taken my life, it’s that God has a purpose for my life and for yours. After being pulled from a wrecked automobile, having my clothes cut away from my body so the EMT’s could keep me alive, going through the pain and struggle of broken ribs, fractured vertebrae and a cracked sternum, and realizing all the ways that God was completely and tangibly present during that whole ordeal I know ~ like I know ~ like I know, that I am here because God is not finished with me yet. And if you are breathing today, YOU are here because God is not done with you either.
So as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and King this Christmas, let’s remember that our God is a God of purpose. He had a purpose for giving His Son human life, and He has a purpose for your life as well. God is completely and totally in control. He allows or prevents the natural disasters and accidents and diseases of this fallen world, for a reason. And now that I have a second chance at the ripe-young age of 60+, I am 
HUNGRY to fulfill the purpose for which He gifted me with LIFE this Christmas!
What about you? As you think about this upcoming new year, do you know your real purpose? Is it perhaps something bigger than houses, cars, clothes, jobs and fun? Is there something God has been tugging at you to do or try or be that you’ve been hesitating on because of time or money or fear? Remember… life is fragile. It can change or end in a nanosecond. We had absolutely NO control over the events of that night four weeks ago, but we do have control over whether we are going to use the lives that God so graciously saved, or simply forget the lessons and go back to life as usual.
Oh Father God, how I pray that we will never forget! I pray that each and every day, we are reminded of the brevity and gracious gift of our lives. And I pray that I will courageously and joyfully say “Yes!” no matter what you call me to do. I want to find and live the purpose for which you kept me alive that scary, awful night. And I pray that each and every person reading this newsletter will do the same. God I pray that this year ~ 2015 ~ will be the year of finding and spreading Joy on Purpose!
What is God saying to you about your life’s purpose? We would love to hear from you. Share your story with all of us here on the JoyBlog by clicking on Comments at the top of the page. And if you need a bit of help to find and fulfill God’s purpose for your life, please Contact Me for a Free 1 Hour Introductory Coaching Session. I know that part of God’s purpose for me is to use my training and gifts as a Professional Life Coach to help others find their God given purpose. I’d be honored to walk with you on that journey to find Joy on Purpose.
God’s richest blessings to each and every one of you for a
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
