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A few months ago I received an email from a young lady who reached out to me after reading an
article I’d written that spoke to some things she’d been dealing with. Since then, I’ve adopted her as
my little sister, and had the amazing privilege of helping her to give her heart to Christ. She’s a young
college student eager to discover her true purpose, and in her quest to learn who she is in Christ and
what His plans are for her life, she recently asked me a question I thought I’d openly address.
She asked, “Could you share your personal testimony of how you came to discover your purpose
and knew that being a writer was what you always wanted to do?”
Well, being a writer isn’t what I always wanted to do. In fact, I never envisioned it at all. I actually
had dreams of becoming a nurse or psychologist, because I loved helping others feel better and was
intrigued by the human mind. Fresh out of high school, I enrolled in a local community college to
pursue a degree in psychology. At the time, I didn’t quite have my head on straight and I ended up
throwing away my scholarship, and decided to chase love instead. Silly me!
After a few years of wandering aimlessly through my early twenties and trying to figure out what I
wanted to do with my life, I endeavored to become a nurse, but soon realized that was not the
profession for me. There I was, back at square one with no clue of the career choice I should make.
Totally lost when it came to what I’d be professionally, purpose had never really crossed my mind.
It wasn’t until about seven years ago when I took a job as a church administrative assistant that I
discovered the natural ability I possessed to write, and I loved it. I wrote a few things here and there,
but still, being a writer never crossed my mind.
My love for writing and God’s plan to use it as a part of His purpose for my life did not connect until a
couple of years ago. That only came through growing in my relationship with the Lord, discovering
my own identity in Him, seeking Him through prayer and His word, and allowing Him to direct the
course of my life.
The rest is history, and I am yet discovering the Lord’s plan of purpose for my life. It’s an on-going
process.
To me, purpose can be found by simply asking the Lord to reveal the gifts He’s placed within you.
We all have different gifts; however, as children of God, I believe our purpose is the same – to use the
gifts He’s given us for His glory. We are all purposed to be about our Father’s business.
I think, a lot of times, such a big deal is made out of purpose. By that I mean, people are made to
believe that unless they are doing something considered “spectacular” based on the size of their
platform, they are not operating in purpose. But here’s the thing, being a mother or the person that
cleans the church is just as great a purpose as being a mega-pastor or top-selling author, as long as it’s
what the Lord has called you to. Not everyone is meant to be out in the forefront; there are many
people in the background living purpose-filled lives.
Ask yourself:
What am I passionate about?
What hobbies do I enjoy?
What gifts and natural talents do I possess?
Start there, and then ask God to show you how you can use your life, and the gifts He’s given you, to
magnify Him. He’ll show you His purpose for your life.
Remember this, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Enjoyed this article? Tell the writer by leaving a comment here or sending an email to
lcollins@eewmagazine.com.
ABOUT THE WRITER
LaKeisha Rainey-Collins, freelance writer and professional editor, is a wife and mom of three sons.
LaKeisha is the owner & operator of LRC Editing, a Christian writing business specializing in
proofreading, editing, ghostwriting, copywriting, and transcription services geared towards helping
small business owners, self-published authors, non-profit and ministry leaders, and individuals reach
their writing goals. She shares editing/writing tips on her business blog.
LaKeisha is also an inspirational blogger who enjoys sharing encouraging messages with everyday
women. Check out her blog, Real Woman, Real God.
Visit Lakeisha on Facebook.
article I’d written that spoke to some things she’d been dealing with. Since then, I’ve adopted her as
my little sister, and had the amazing privilege of helping her to give her heart to Christ. She’s a young
college student eager to discover her true purpose, and in her quest to learn who she is in Christ and
what His plans are for her life, she recently asked me a question I thought I’d openly address.
She asked, “Could you share your personal testimony of how you came to discover your purpose
and knew that being a writer was what you always wanted to do?”
Well, being a writer isn’t what I always wanted to do. In fact, I never envisioned it at all. I actually
had dreams of becoming a nurse or psychologist, because I loved helping others feel better and was
intrigued by the human mind. Fresh out of high school, I enrolled in a local community college to
pursue a degree in psychology. At the time, I didn’t quite have my head on straight and I ended up
throwing away my scholarship, and decided to chase love instead. Silly me!
After a few years of wandering aimlessly through my early twenties and trying to figure out what I
wanted to do with my life, I endeavored to become a nurse, but soon realized that was not the
profession for me. There I was, back at square one with no clue of the career choice I should make.
Totally lost when it came to what I’d be professionally, purpose had never really crossed my mind.
It wasn’t until about seven years ago when I took a job as a church administrative assistant that I
discovered the natural ability I possessed to write, and I loved it. I wrote a few things here and there,
but still, being a writer never crossed my mind.
My love for writing and God’s plan to use it as a part of His purpose for my life did not connect until a
couple of years ago. That only came through growing in my relationship with the Lord, discovering
my own identity in Him, seeking Him through prayer and His word, and allowing Him to direct the
course of my life.
The rest is history, and I am yet discovering the Lord’s plan of purpose for my life. It’s an on-going
process.
To me, purpose can be found by simply asking the Lord to reveal the gifts He’s placed within you.
We all have different gifts; however, as children of God, I believe our purpose is the same – to use the
gifts He’s given us for His glory. We are all purposed to be about our Father’s business.
I think, a lot of times, such a big deal is made out of purpose. By that I mean, people are made to
believe that unless they are doing something considered “spectacular” based on the size of their
platform, they are not operating in purpose. But here’s the thing, being a mother or the person that
cleans the church is just as great a purpose as being a mega-pastor or top-selling author, as long as it’s
what the Lord has called you to. Not everyone is meant to be out in the forefront; there are many
people in the background living purpose-filled lives.
Ask yourself:
What am I passionate about?
What hobbies do I enjoy?
What gifts and natural talents do I possess?
Start there, and then ask God to show you how you can use your life, and the gifts He’s given you, to
magnify Him. He’ll show you His purpose for your life.
Remember this, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Enjoyed this article? Tell the writer by leaving a comment here or sending an email to
lcollins@eewmagazine.com.
ABOUT THE WRITER
LaKeisha Rainey-Collins, freelance writer and professional editor, is a wife and mom of three sons.
LaKeisha is the owner & operator of LRC Editing, a Christian writing business specializing in
proofreading, editing, ghostwriting, copywriting, and transcription services geared towards helping
small business owners, self-published authors, non-profit and ministry leaders, and individuals reach
their writing goals. She shares editing/writing tips on her business blog.
LaKeisha is also an inspirational blogger who enjoys sharing encouraging messages with everyday
women. Check out her blog, Real Woman, Real God.
Visit Lakeisha on Facebook.
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