Have you ever found yourself in a moment where God had so orchestrated every aspect of your experience that it became a profound milestone in your life?  I'm not talking about an experience like the Apostle Paul had on the road to Damascus...hearing the audible voice of God. However, not unlike that experience of the apostle, it was a moment that created a new awareness for you, or opened a door, or changed the course of your life. One of those moments for me occurred in January 2010.

That cold January day, I found my self sitting in the midst of 21,000 college students and workers, at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.  I had taken a group of college students from our campus ministry at Arkansas Tech University to Passion Conference...a gathering of students from 37 countries and all across the United States, along with ministry leaders, speakers, and musicians.  This gathering was for the purpose of challenging the next generation of world changers...to make an impact upon our world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The conference was an amazing experience as we were challenged by speakers to embrace the gospel, live out our faith in real ways and to give ourselves to make a difference in a dark world that desperately needs the light of Jesus Christ.   The messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit and there were many, on the last day of the conference, who stood as a testimony to how the Spirit had worked in their lives...some, to accept Christ as Savior, others who had wounds healed, and still others who's eyes were opened to the need for a generation to bring the love and good news of Jesus Christ to the world.  In amazement, I saw this group respond to a challenge to give financially with $668,000 to fund 12 global causes (a couple in attendance matched this giving to total $1.3M)!  That's college students giving over half a million dollars!  Wow!  What a move of the Spirit upon their hearts.

A Time of Awakening
These causes included things such as digging wells and sponsoring children in developing countries, building an education center for the Dalit people in India, sending men to seminary in Muslim countries and rescuing women from human trafficking.  And that...that last thing...human trafficking...that grabbed my attention.

Woven throughout the three days of the conference was a series of video clips that followed a particular young woman's story.  The videos chronicled her situation of living in poverty. Her family told of their desperate need and the promise that came from people from the city, that their daughter could go and work for a family there, doing domestic work, so that she could send money back to support them with food and other necessities.  However, as the story unfolded, they lost contact with her and, to their horror, heard stories that she may have been taken into a sex slave trade industry.  As these vignettes continued throughout the conference, information about the proliferation and immensity of human trafficking was shared...helping us to understand just how enormous this tragic situation is and what has to be done to combat it around the world...even right here at home.  As these series of video presentations came to a climax on the third day of the conference, it was revealed that this particular young woman had been rescued from her captors and, in that moment, she was introduced to the gathering, standing in person on the stage.  You can imagine the response of the conference attendees as they erupted in applause and celebration...even now, as I write this, my eyes fill with tears at the memory of that moment.  And at that moment, something else happened...I began to ask myself (maybe it was the voice of the Spirit asking)..."What if that were my daughter?  Or my wife?  Or any other of the women I know personally in my life?  What would I do to go and find them and rescue them?"  I immediately realized that I would stop at nothing to do whatever was in my power to find them and bring them to safety.  That was my awakening!

Awakening Leads to Seeking
It was at that moment that I began to ask, "What can I do?"  I wanted to know how I could make a difference.  I prayed for God to show me His plan...open doors...give me opportunities.

Fast-forward two years.  In the two intervening years, I never lost sight of this thing God had placed in my heart...I educated myself, I had conversations, I contacted people and organizations who were doing the work of fighting against human trafficking.  Then, my opportunity to go to the Philippines in 2012, as part of a humanitarian aid team, opened the process of making connections and giving me experiences in developing countries. I was being exposed to life in the culture of Southeast Asia, where much of the world's trafficking takes place.  This would eventually lead to the opportunity to go to Thailand and be involved in researching the need, searching for actual evidence of human trafficking and consulting with one of the leaders of an organization that is rescuing, educating, and bringing to justice, the perpetrators.  I had the opportunity to assist a daycare that provides childcare for mothers who are in aftercare and to consult with two foster care missionaries who care for children who are rescued from trafficking situations.  It was only a scratch of the surface, but it was a way for me to be involved and to use my experience to highlight and promote the need.  Putting a spotlight on support and action to reach those who are enslaved and feel hopeless.  Below, you can see a video that I did to share some of what I had learned and what we can do to make a difference (the email address at the end is no longer valid).

Social Justice is at the Heart of the Father
As followers of Christ, who are seeking to pursue our purpose daily, we find that what is at the core of the Father's heart becomes the core of our heart...it is a process, and we must be willing to let Him do the work of transforming our hearts and shaping them to look like the heart of Christ.

This past year (2020) has been a challenging year...a worldwide pandemic, social isolation, fear of health crises, racial tension, political unrest, public vitriol and division. There is no shortage of needs when it comes to caring for the hurting, advocating for the oppressed and disenfranchised, and speaking against injustice.  These needs are as old as humanity and they have always been at the heart of God's plan for all people.  His heart and mission is the redemption of all,  through the message of his gospel.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

A part of this mission to redeem all who will come to Him, is His concern for justice and care for the hurting.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.  Micah 6:8

As people who are seeking to live out our purpose in this life and for our world, that purpose will have at the heart of it, the passion for people to know the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and for them to experience the love of a God who knows where they are and desires to administer healing and hope to their situation.  Let's ask ourselves, how does my purpose incorporate and live out that core mission of the Father?

A Process of Being a Purposeful Change Agent

When it comes to the idea of social justice and caring for, and doing something about, injustices and oppression in our world, I have been thinking through the process that is involved...at least how I am experiencing it.  When things came to a head with the death of George Floyd and the focus on many other similar situations...there are many other names I could list, like Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery...I began a process to understand, respond and be intentional as a person who wants to live my life with purpose.  I will share with you, my process and, perhaps, it will be a catalyst for others to consider the same path of growth and purpose as well.  I have developed a graphic that helps to describe this process that I am pursuing.  The pyramid suggests two things about the process.

1. Each level is foundational to the next.  We can't start somewhere in the middle.  The foundation must be laid in order to move to the next level.  I will say, however, that there is no sense in which I "complete" a level, as this is an ongoing process.
2. Each level narrows as the focus of each step narrows.  This also shows that the higher we go in the process, the fewer the opportunities may be to engage in that level, but this does not mean that we should not pursue opportunities when God opens the door.

Personal Growth
This is foundational to the process.  We can't hope to make any real difference, if we don't start here.  I realized very quickly as I was pondering the issues of social justice, that I have to look at my own heart and thinking first.  I had to face the perspectives, prejudices, blind spots and ways that I had abdicated my responsibility to advocate for change.  I needed to listen to those who were suffering.  I needed to re-examine what I viewed as normal and consider whether I was seeing through eyes of reality, or through a perspective that was skewed or tainted by years of injustice and was accepted as the way it should be.  I needed to be educated and I needed to be honest with myself.  This isn't a pleasant process, but it is a necessary one.  Frankly, it is one that continues.

Relational Influence
This is where interactional change begins to take place.  While I was experiencing internal change in the first step, this is where I would begin to make a difference through the relationships of influence that I have.  Through conversations with my family members, friends, and people of color, I began to speak words that confronted ingrained racism, made myself vulnerable to listen and learn, and speak some small measure of healing to those who have experienced oppression and prejudice themselves...whether in overt ways, or in their identification with those who were very public victims.  Because of the love of God in my life, I want to express that love to others in real and concrete ways.  That will continue to be a process.

Social Advocacy
This is the step where we move into the realm of advocating for change in our culture.  Whether it is through social media, public protest, or influencing political leaders, at this step we begin to take measures to speak for those who experience injustice.  For instance, in the issue of human trafficking; communicating the need, supporting the organizations that address the need, and partnering with those who are on the forefront of the effort to make change, are all ways that we engage in social advocacy.  A life of purpose looks for ways to make a difference through the avenues that we are afforded in our culture.

Public Leadership
Frankly, this is the level at which many people may not have the opportunity to effect change in the world.  We are not all pastors, politicians or social media influencers.  However, if God gives us a platform with a public voice, our purpose calls us to speak the heart of the mission to the world:  God wants to redeem every person and He wants that redemption to include the demolition of that which oppresses, kills, marginalizes or discounts the value of even one life...from the womb to the tomb.  If God chooses to give you that platform, be a voice of love, truth and healing to a world that uses people as stepping stones for success, wealth and power.

What did the prophet Micah tells us in his message from God?

Act Justly
Love Mercy
Walk Humbly

That is a great description of a person who is pursuing their God-given purpose 365 days a year.

What was an awakening moment for you?  What organizations have you partnered with to make a difference in supporting justice and healing?  Have you had conversations with people about your response to the needs of those who are voiceless?  Share in the comments below...we are excited to hear your thoughts!

This week, the inaugural episode of the Purposed 365 Podcast airs, setting the stage for the exciting and inspirational series that we hope will make a difference in many lives over the course of this year.  There is no better way to get things started, than to cast the vision for why P365 exists...and that is exactly what we have done in this episode.  If you haven't done so yet, take a moment to jump over to the podcast and take a listen, then come back and read the rest of this week's blog post that expands on the vision that our founder, Jasman Rolle, shares with us.  When you come back, you're invited to engage with our community here in the comments section and continue the conversations.
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Stuck for Three Days

In January 2012, I found myself on a flight, along with a group of other individuals from the U.S., on our way to the Philippines.  We were en route to the southern island of Mindanao on a mission to bring humanitarian aid, care and hope to the victims of Typhoon Pablo, which had devastated many areas of the eastern part of the island.

After our rendezvous in San Francisco, we had flown to Guam, our last stop on American soil.  Having passed through customs, we were re-boarding our plane for the last leg of our international flight into Manila.  As our team was boarding the plane, I was the last one in line to show my boarding pass and passport to the gate agent.  As he looked at my documents, he called me aside and consulted with a colleague, then told me I would not be permitted to board the plane.  It seems that the fact that my passport would expire in 5 months from then, put me within a 6-month window that prohibits entrance into the country of the Philippines.  Even though I was only going to be there for 14 days, it didn't matter.  Rules were rules and I would not be able to join my team as they continued their journey.  They assured me that they would be in touch as soon as they landed in Manila.  There I was...stranded in Guam...no idea where to go, who to seek for assistance, or what my next step needed to be.

To make a long story short, the next two nights and three days I spent on Guam brought feelings of uncertainty, disappointment and frustration.  I won't go into all the details, but little tidbits like depending on a taxi driver at midnight to recommend a place to stay, a hotel room with a bullet hole in the window, long hours in the airport terminal awaiting phone calls and messages, and efforts to assure my wife and friends back home that I am okay, may give you a glimpse into what I was experiencing.

There were moments in those three days that it looked as though I may have to board a plane back to the U.S. and abort my intended mission to provide crisis counseling, prayer and support to hurting people, as a part of our medical aid team.  I prayed...people back home prayed...my team prayed.  However, I never lost sight of why I was on this journey.  I knew my mission...the vision I had of what God was going to do through me and my team to touch people's lives.  That is what kept me focused and determined not to give up.  At one point, God brought a man into my life...on the second day...who spoke into my situation, giving confirmation.  This man worked in the car rental agency at the second hotel where I stayed.  I told him about my situation, my mission, and my concerns.  It turns out, he was a Filipino pastor there on Guam.  I will never forget his words to me that confirmed my vision and assure me that God would open the door to complete the mission for which I had traveled so far.  He looked me in the eyes and said, "You are a white man, but you have a Filipino heart."  Somehow his words reminded me of the vision I had for this mission and reassured me that God would be faithful to get me to the Philippines.  A day later, I was landing in Manila, greeted by special security escort to an office where I was given a letter from the Philippines Department of State, declaring that I was permitted to travel freely throughout the country with my passport that would expire prior to the required date.  VICTORY!

​Vision, when related to our purpose, keeps us going when everything around us says something different.  In this week's podcast, Jasman "Jazz" Rolle establishes for us the vision that is behind Purposed 365.

Why Another Podcast?

There is no lack of podcasts available in the digital world and, frankly, no lack of blogs either.  You can even find podcasts and blogs that are encouraging and inspiring...seeking to touch people's lives with truth.  But, there was not a Purposed 365.  You may argue as to whether the world needs another podcast, but you can't argue with the work of the Spirit when He moves upon a person's heart, producing a passion that comes out of one's purpose and leads to a vision for a specific pursuit.  The bottom line?  There is always need for encouragement and hope...there is always a need for people to be pointed to the redemptive power of Jesus Christ and there is always a call for each of us to use our unique gifting to share these things with our world.  That explains why this online community has been created.  Jasman Rolle, and all those who are becoming a part of this movement, are using their gifting, unique personalities and experiences to proclaim the powerful work of God in lives when they surrender to His purpose and calling.  That is the vision that is P365.

The Power of Transparency

In his own words, Jazz demonstrates transparency that will be a characteristic of this community, as he admits he had to overcome some barriers in establishing P365.  As a "behind the scenes" kind of guy, Jazz had to step out of his comfort zone to follow the passion to which God was calling him.  He had to face his fear and move into the next steps.  I think he would tell us that this was a process that continued to challenge him at various points along the way.  It was the vision that God had given him that continued to enable him to step into those places that were not comfortable and familiar.

His second barrier was his tendency toward perfectionism.  Like we have discussed in a previous post, over-analysis, or waiting for perfection, can be paralyzing.  However, Jazz had people who spoke wisdom into his life and he realized he needed to move forward and do his best, leaving the rest to God.  Sometimes we have to take that first step in obedience...even if we don't have all of the details figured out.  Knowing your purpose and having a vision of what that looks like for you, will empower you to fulfill that purpose and allow God to get the glory in the process.

Visioneering

"Visioneering" is a word Andy Stanly created to describe the process of making one's God-given dreams a reality.  In his book by that title, he writes, "Visioneering is the course one follows to make dreams a reality.  It is the process whereby ideas and convictions take on substance."

For the dream of Purposed 365, visioneering has led to this statement:

Purposed 365 exists to point people to hope in Jesus Christ, encouraging them to dream and be intentional about pursuing those God-given dreams.

This is about more than a man's dream.  It is bigger than one or two people.  It is about how God wants to work through each of us to accomplish His ultimate plan of bringing people to Himself...offering them hope, redemption, purpose and fulfillment.  There will be many stories shared on this platform over the coming months.  Each one will be unique and beautiful, but all will be examples of how we can discover our purpose, develop our vision, overcome barriers and, through the grace of God, see Him work in and through us for his glory.  That is why even being stranded on an island in the south pacific can't stop the plan of God in and through a life lived on purpose.

What have you discovered so far about your purpose?  Can you recognize particular talents, interests, or spiritual gifts that may give you clues to what unique way you can live out your purpose?  Share in the comments and get the conversation going.

It was a near miss!  A sunny summer afternoon on I-40, my family and I were heading east on vacation.  My wife and daughter were whiling away the time, napping, as the radio played softly and I was clicking off the miles toward our destination. Not realizing it, I had succumbed to what has been called highway hypnosis.  Also called "white line fever," it is the mental state in which a driver can operate a vehicle for extended distances, responding to external events in the normal, safe and expected manner, without having recollection of doing so.  Perhaps you have experienced this...you're driving along on the interstate and suddenly you realize, "I can't remember anything about the last 30 miles I've driven."  It's a little unnerving when you recognize it.  Most of the time, things are okay, and we don't experience this state for long.  On this particular day, however, it didn't take long for the situation to turn critical in a matter or seconds.  As I crested a rise in the highway, I suddenly saw the rear of a travel trailer at what appeared to be a dead stop, directly in my lane.  Without thought, as a spontaneous response, I swerved the vehicle into an adjacent lane to avoid a collision.  Thankfully, there were no other vehicles in the lane beside us, and we avoided a very critical situation.  God's angels of protection were on their toes that day!

This is an example of how operating on "auto-pilot" can be a dangerous thing to do.  While airliners rely on computer assisted navigation every day with high levels of safety, and we now have self-driving and self-parking cars that amaze us, living our lives on auto-pilot is not the best way to go!  At best, it can lead us to undesired circumstances.  At worst, it can lead to a crisis.  Think about it, regardless of the good that auto-pilot, self-driving cars and artificial intelligence serve, they are limited in their usefulness.  At some point, a human must intervene.  Otherwise, there is going to be a crash!

In life, it is easy to live on auto-pilot.  We've probably all been there.  At some point, we look back and ask ourselves, "Where did that time go?"  We wonder what happened to all that time...with our education, career, leisure time, family?  We can sometimes live life with "highway hypnosis." 

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Turning off the Auto-Pilot

In contrast, the person who is living a life of purpose, recognizes that we do so by choosing to live life with intentionality.  Simply put, the "why" that we are discovering, is informing the "what" of our daily lives so that there is meaning for all that we do.  It's almost like a roadmap that helps us navigate our journey...remember the days when we used those?  Roadmaps?  That was before GPS and smart phone navigation apps.  We had to plan out a trip by reading a roadmap and determining the best route to take to our destination.  Sometimes, there would be an obstacle or situation that required us to re-route our journey in order to make the best possible time, or avoid unnecessary delays or, even worse, getting lost!  Of course that never happened to me. *wink.

When we speak of living with intentionality, we aren't referring to time management.  Though that is a worthwhile topic to consider, that is a discussion for another day.  Intentionality actually comes out of the uniqueness of our Creator and our design as His creation.

Our Creator is the most intentional being in existence.  Think about it, the Scripture tells us that, even before time began, He had a plan that would transcend time (1 Peter 1:10-21), and that plan was blowing the minds of His angelic host (1 Peter 1:12).  Consider, for a moment, just a few examples of the intentionality of God:

Intentional in his Creation
So God created man
in his own image;
he created him in the image of God;
he created them male and female.

God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.  Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.  Genesis 1:27-28

Intentional in His Plans
For I know the plans I have for you" --this is the Lord's declaration-- "plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11

Intentional in His Timing
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.  Galatians 4:4

Intentional in His Sacrificial Gift
This is how God showed his love among us:  He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love:  not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  1 John 4:9-10

Like Father; Like Child

We are unique, in that, we are created in the image of God.  No other member of God's creation can claim that distinction.  He invites us into relationship with himself, through his Son, Jesus Christ.  In so doing, out of that relationship, comes our opportunity to live with intentionality like our Creator.  Intentionality is essential to the understanding and pursuit of our purpose.  The greatest expression of ourselves and, in turn, expression of God's glory, is to reflect the Father's intentionality.  It brings us fulfillment, peace, joy and, most of all, brings the presence of God to a world that desperately needs Him.  I love what the Apostle Peter wrote:

Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer.  1 Peter 4:7

He places an urgency on our calling to be intentional and purposeful.  It seems to say that we don't have time to waste.  We can't afford to live on auto-pilot...risking white line fever.  The time is now...to care about how we live, to prayerfully pursue our purpose and to make a difference in the lives of others.  The Apostle Paul put it this way:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.  Ephesians 4:15-17

In other words...

It matters that you choose to live your life intentionally.

Make the most of your time.

Make an impact on others as a result.

So What?

We always ask, what does it mean for me?  What does it mean to live my life with intentionality?  The answer to that question is as unique as you are.  But there are three things that will help you figure it out.

Think Intentionally - develop the mindset that daily values and seeks to know why you are here on this earth.

Plan Intentionally - make your plans in the context of understanding your purpose and filtering them through the truth of God's Word and the leadership of His Spirit (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Act Intentionally - Ask yourself, "Is what I am doing, fulfilling God's purpose in me?" (Micah 6:8)

Respond
What is one thing you will do intentionally this week to pursue your purpose and make a difference in our world?

With a visit to your local bookstore (if you can find one), you will quickly find that there are shelves loaded with what will likely be labeled as "Self-Help" books.  From the latest in weight-loss solutions, mindfulness, and positive thinking, to strategies for organizing your home, being more productive and making a fortune.

We often peruse these titles, looking for a way to improve our lives...lose weight, gain skills, or sharpen our business acumen...desiring to become the best version of ourselves.  Sometimes they help, sometimes they don't.  Some of the advice we find in these books is beneficial and may lead us to greater understanding and strategies to make definite improvements.  However, some of them will lead us to a self-absorbed focus on the things that only end in emptiness and disappointment.

Purposed 365 is more than a self-help strategy.  It goes beyond the idea of  becoming the best version of ourselves.  P365 is about each of us understanding our reason for being...answering the question of why I exist.  While it is true that understanding our purpose will make it possible for us to be the best version of ourselves, it goes so much further than that.  Living a purposed life makes it possible for us to be keenly aware of how we can be a part of something bigger than ourselves...something that makes an eternal difference in the world in which we live and the people with whom we interact.  No matter what journey we are on, what career path we traverse, or what stage of life we are in, when we understand our purpose lived out in those unique and personal avenues of our lives, we become partners with the God who created all things and wants to bring life, peace and fulfillment to each of us.  That is why we believe the things we write about and talk about here in the P365 community are of the greatest importance...that's why we are excited to invite you to join us in this pursuit.

Where Does it Begin...This Pursuit of Purpose?

Understanding and pursuing our purpose is not just a decision to turn over a new leaf or set a few new year's resolutions.  It begins with transformation and renewal.  When we come to understand our need to be connected to our Creator and receive his life and peace through His Son, Jesus Christ, we undergo a transformation as a follower of Christ.  That means that our thinking begins to change and our perspective on the world morphs.  As we are reminded in the letter to the disciples at Corinth...

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!  2 Corinthians 5:17

This new perspective begins the process of discovering our purpose and the call to live it out in the daily functions of life.  Our relationships, our careers, our ambitions, and our choices become intertwined in this greater purpose of making a difference in the world in which we live.  We become representatives of the very One who has designed us uniquely and planned ways for us to uniquely impact our world and the people who inhabit this planet.  The Apostle Paul continued in the passage from which I quoted above...

Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.  That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ...  (2 Corinthians 5:18-20a)

Now, before you run the other way, thinking, "I'm not a preacher!"...or, "That's too much responsibility for me!"...let me assure you that these words are not just for career ministers and pastors.  Just remember, anything God has called us to do, He will equip us to complete.  The exciting thing is, when we begin our journey of faith and the life of a follower of Christ, we get to be representatives of Him to our world.  Being His ambassador is at the center of living out our purpose, three-hundred and sixty-five days a year.

What Does that Mean for You?

Whether you are a long-time follower of Christ, or you are just stepping into this journey of faith, your renewal makes it possible to see your life through the lens of purpose.  I like what a pastor said about the Scripture passage I referenced above...one way to live our purpose as an ambassador for Christ is to "be a loving friend, who is available to others."  No matter what your current situation, career, or life stage, you get to live your purpose as an ambassador of Christ, being the unique individual God has created you to be, living the best version of yourself.  There is nothing more fulfilling and more impactful than that!

Where are you on this journey of faith...seeking, learning, serving?  What is one thing you've come to view differently as a result of becoming a new creation?  How are you, or how could you, be a loving and available friend to someone today?  Share with us in the comments and let's get the conversation going!