Living Purposefully: 7 Ways to Make a Difference
Our family recently returned from a memorable road trip from our home in western Pennsylvania to the mountains of northwestern Montana. As I reflect on our time away, one interaction reminds me of the importance of living purposefully.
Today, I’ll share my experience. Then, we’ll look at seven ways to live more purposefully. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you embrace God’s purpose for you.
Living Purposefully
Our horses plodded in a steady procession beneath the endless western sky. As we rode through meadows of late-summer wildflowers, the scene reminded me of the years when I hiked through the Rockies alone. I often passed similar groups on horseback and was always thankful to be on foot, untethered to anything or anyone, free.
Twenty-five years later, it seemed unexpected to be one of the horseback riders and not a lone hiker.
My daughter and I signed up for a guided horseback ride because it was the one and only activity she repeatedly requested for our trip to the Rockies.
As we ambled along, our lead wrangler taught us about edible flora, the names of the surrounding mountains, and the history of Flathead National Forest.
She climbed from her horse to handpick thimbleberries and share them with us.
She wasn’t the guide I expected.
Unexpected Gifts
Stereotypically, I had imaged a haggard older man who might even be impatient with our lack of riding experience. I didn’t imagine a college-age woman picking berries for us, learning our names, and asking about our lives. Her warmth was the greatest gift of the experience.
She told us she was in grad school to become a physical therapist, and guiding horseback trips was just her summer job. I thought of what a great physical therapist she would be: kind, engaging, thoughtful, bright, and caring.
We rode our horses through thick stands of fir and across open meadows, and she continued teaching us about the land and its history.
When the ride ended, I realized it was far more than I’d hoped for. My aching back didn’t love sitting in a saddle, but I was grateful for all I’d learned.
Handing the young wrangler a tip, I told her how much her warmth and hospitality meant to us. I told her she was going to be an amazing therapist and thanked her for her care and kindness.
Tears filled her eyes.
I wanted to sit with her and hear more of her story. But the next group of riders waited, and our family waited for us at the car. We shared a spontaneous hug, wiping away the tears, knowing we’d just shared a moment that meant something to us both.
Living Purposefully With Intentional Moments
Looking back, it was one of the most impactful interactions of our time in the west. The moment reminded me of the importance of living purposefully, with intentionality, no matter where we happen to be.
How easily we go through the motions of life, rarely pausing to consider how we might impact others with a few simple words.
I’ve been thinking about the moment now that we are home, Montana’s big sky feeling so far away, like a dream.
Here are some reflections on living purposefully no matter where we are.
7 Insights on Living Purposefully
We live purposefully when we slow down.
When we rush through life, we miss the moments that often matter most.
I spent most of my twenties and thirties rushing from one thing to the next, always stressed out and anxious. Finally, I realized there had to be a better way of being.
I decided I was done hurrying forever. For several years, I intentionally stopped myself every time I realized I was rushing. This shift has radically increased the peace and purposefulness in my life
Our relationships are purposeful when we take the time to truly listen to others.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone who was so eager to respond that you could tell you weren’t being heard?
We move toward living purposefully by listening closely and well, not allowing our minds to drift or overly focusing on how we are going to respond.
Living purposefully includes listening for whispers from the Holy Spirit.
God is always speaking.
The secret to hearing his voice is quieting the other noise around us.
If we learn to listen, God will tell us how to encourage others. He shows us what we cannot possibly know without him and guides us as we carry his hope and love to the world around us.
Read here for seven ways to live purposefully in every season of life. #Purpose Share on X
We live purposefully by refusing to function on autopilot.
Habits are important in life. Brushing our teeth and going through certain parts of our days on autopilot reduces decision fatigue and can help us function more fully.
However, if we always live on autopilot, we miss meaningful moments.
Particularly when interacting with others, we live purposefully by actively engaging and considering how we can build them up.
Pause to talk to God in the middle of the day.
I’ve learned to purposefully pause in the middle of even the busiest days to talk to God. Over lunch, I talk to him about the morning and ask for wisdom for the second half of the day.
For years, I set a timer on my watch. It beeped at noon every day and reminded me to turn my attention to God in the middle of the day—for even a few seconds. This purposeful pause is centering. It brings us back to our purpose of loving God and loving others.
Anticipate the events of the day before the day begins.
We can become more intentional by preparing for each day as it begins.
Before going out into the world, we take time to consider the places we plan to go and the events on our schedules. We ask God to guide us in being loving and encouraging, carrying his light, into these places. This helps us not to be caught off guard by opportunities as they arise.
Live purposefully with reflection.
Before falling asleep at night, reflecting on the day can be helpful. We reflect on what went well and what made us sad.
As we reflect, we talk to God.
We learn from the difficult moments.
We talk to him about being more purposeful in tomorrow’s moments.
God will faithfully meet with us in these moments.
If this post blessed you, I invite you to explore our family devotional books as well as our library of free devotionals and eBooks below. Be blessed as you aim to live purposefully and walk with God.
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
These Books Are Free on Kindle Unlimited: God Wants to Heal, Restore, and Refresh You
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. He also wants to help you establish a rhythm of meeting with him daily as you trust him with the hard parts of your life. Click here to explore two books that will guide you: Be Still and Trust and Lean Into Grace. They are free on the Kindle Unlimited program and for sale in print.
Download Your Free Devotional Here
Set Free: Let God Do What You Cannot explores ten realms in which most of us need God to work in our lives and bring deliverance. We’ll talk about finding freedom from fear, worry, insecurity, bad habits, emotional pain, and more. This short online devotional will bless you as you let God accomplish what you’ve been unable to achieve through willpower. Get your download for free with promo code GRACE or for a donation of 3.99 right here.
I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
