If there is one thing I've learned about purpose, it's this:
You will probably not feel ready when it finds you.
I know I didn't.
For years, I was just trying to get through life like everyone else. I was raising children, serving in the military, navigating relationships, dealing with disappointments, and trying to figure out who I was.
Purpose wasn't something I was searching for.
At least, not consciously.
Then one day, while sitting in church, something happened that changed my life.
I was listening to the song "Nobody" by Casting Crowns. I was struggling with my own thoughts and frustrations, feeling like I wasn't making much of a difference in the world.
As the song played, I heard a message so clearly that it stopped me in my tracks.
"You are not a nobody. You are a vessel to tell other people they have a purpose."
I remember looking around because it felt so real.
Part of me knew exactly where that message came from.
Another part of me thought, "There is no way."
The idea that God was speaking directly to me felt almost impossible.
But the message never left.
The problem wasn't hearing it.
The problem was accepting it.
Who was I to help other people find their purpose?
I wasn't a pastor.
I wasn't famous.
I wasn't wealthy.
I didn't have all the answers.
I had made mistakes.
I had failed at things.
I had scars from my own journey.
What I didn't understand then was that those scars were part of the qualification.
The experiences I wanted to hide were the very experiences that would allow me to connect with others.
The setbacks taught me resilience.
The losses taught me compassion.
The pivots taught me courage.
And the struggles taught me that it is possible to rise again.
So many people spend their lives waiting until they feel ready to step into their purpose.
They wait until they're more confident.
They wait until they're less afraid.
They wait until they know exactly how everything will work out.
But purpose doesn't work that way.
Purpose often shows up before confidence.
Purpose shows up before certainty.
Purpose shows up before you're ready.
The question isn't whether you feel prepared.
The question is whether you're willing to take the next step anyway.
Looking back, I'm grateful I finally accepted what I was being called to do.
Not because it was easy.
Not because I felt qualified.
But because every person I've been able to help since then reminds me that purpose isn't about being perfect.
It's about being willing.
If you're feeling a pull toward something bigger, don't ignore it because you're scared.
Don't dismiss it because you feel unqualified.
And don't wait until you feel completely ready.
You may never feel completely ready.
Acceptance isn't always about accepting your past.
Sometimes it's about accepting your potential.
Sometimes it's about accepting the purpose that has been waiting for you all along.
And sometimes the first step toward your purpose is simply believing that you're worthy of it.