My life's mission is to lay hold of God's purpose for my life (Philippians 3: 8-14), to know Christ my Lord.

My purpose is to:

1John 4:21 - love God and others

Isaiah 64: 4 - wait on God with hope

Deuteronomy 10:20 - serve God with reverent fear

Philippians 3:12 - and fulfill God's purpose

God's purpose is to:

Revelation 4:11 - have a people who will reflect God's glory

Colossians 1:27 - conform us to Christ

1 John 3:1 - love His people

Isaiah 46: 9-10 - establish his Kingdom

Romans 8:28-29 - accomplish his plan for good

Isaiah 55: 8-9 - carry out His way in our lives

(adapted from Cynthia Heald's Becoming a Woman of Purpose, Nav Press 1994, a Bible study)

In all things I will:

choose to love, wait, trust, and serve

receive His glory, Christ's likeness, love, goodness, and way

My life's prayer: (taken from my prayer notebook 2/15/96 and is still my prayer today)

"Lord, I cannot see if I am fit for Your Kingdom; I can only trust you are working continually in me, in my heart, in my mind, and in my circumstances to perfect my faith in You. Thank You, Lord.

Lord, as I look back, I see that I have been very selflsh, and I know so little about You. I would like to say that I did my best, but I know that many times I chose indifference, or hurry, or wastefulness, or resentment and bitterness. Lord, I cannot change the past, where so often I chose myself, my own agenda over you. But I willingly receive Your release from past regrets!

Lord, is there anything even now hindering my walk with You? Have I missed something that You wanted to show me? Am I clinging to anything You don't want for me? Am I holding back from any, no matter how small, obedience to You?

Lord, I want to do my best for you. Save me from selfish ambition and mold me into one who will please You, bring You joy, and give You great glory. Amen.

My prayer for ministry (after reading Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest, entry for Nov. 9):

Father God, I pray that I will become so identified with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the reality of His redemption that You may continually bring Your life to others through me. I pray that the real presence of Christ , Your Son, will come through all the elements of my life.

Please grant me Your grace to always preach the historical facts of the life and death of my Lord as they are revealed in your Word. Use my preaching on the ground of Christ's redemption and create in those who listen that which only You can do.

Help me to continually nail my personality on the Cross - that which wants to draw others to myself -and make me so identified with Christ's personality.

Save me from the dangers of glorifying in myself and enable me to lift up Jesus Christ in all that I am and all that I do. Amen.