Finding Purpose

Last Thursday, I attended a lecture given by Mary S Poplin (not Poppins, sad, I know) about finding purpose. First off, what an interesting lady! Mary worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, did research on inter-city schools, and taught as a professor while finding God and her purpose along the way. Suffice it to say, she has had quite the journey and had some solid advice on finding one’s purpose.

I think it was Pastor Kate who once told me that purpose lies at the intersection of what you’re good at and where you’re needed. (Although she probably said it much more elegantly.) Mary had a very similar view. She told us to examine the gifts God has given us and to examine our passions. What stood out to me, though, was her advice on how to find our passion. She told us to ask what grieves us the most. For example, Mary was grieved by public education systems that left impoverished kids behind. This drove her to work in education.

How cool is that? Instead of being overwhelmed by what grieves us, we can turn it around to find our passions. Those feelings of hopelessness can be a sign to find where we are needed and what we are passionate about. So now, what grieves you most?

-Meghan with an H