April’s newsletter about discovering and defining your personal mission statement was one of my most popular. I believe it is one of the most important I have written. If you do not receive my newsletter I do not want you to miss this message. This blog shares excerpts from the newsletter.

Knowing our personal mission statement is the foundation for determining our priorities and living an intentional life. No one can do everything that comes her way. We need to know what we are best suited to do, what God has made us to do, so we can say no thank you to the rest.

Excerpts from April’s Newsletter:

A Personal Mission Statement

The one thing that is for sure in life is change. Our life circumstances change sometimes overnight. But the one thing that stays the same is the person God created us to be. Each of us discovers who that person is at different times in our lives. No matter your age when you discover that person, she has always been in you waiting for you to let her out.

I had been living as the person God made me to be for many years, but I still had the nagging feeling I was missing something. This lie from the enemy kept me unfulfilled. I felt like I should be doing more or branching out into more areas. Yes, me the queen of priorities. This lie made me feel like I couldn’t trust what God placed in my heart as important—the most important things to me.

What Changed

A personal mission statement. These three words always made me anxious. How was I supposed to know what my life was to be about? I know my priorities but big, forward-future-thinking-planning overwhelms my brain.

What I learned at the retreat is that a personal mission statement is vital not only to live the life God intended for each of us, but to have peace and a closer relationship with God.

Think of a personal mission statement as the trunk of a tree from which all the branches grow and from those branches the fruit will grow. The fruit your life produces comes from being the tree God created you to be. Your personal mission statement declares what you were put on earth to do and for whom. It will help show you what opportunities to accept and which direction to take. Here is the resource from the personal mission statement worksheet.* Go ahead and take a look at it.

Start with the action word section. Circle as many as resonate with you. Now go back and cross off the ones that aren’t as much of you as the others. What is left? Do those verbs make your heart beat? If not, cross off others until only the verbs that speak to you are left.

Look at the “who will you do it for” section. Of the people in this list, who are you passionate about serving?

The final list—Questions. This list was very helpful to help me see myself more clearly. Answer the questions honestly, not as someone would answer for you; but don’t take too long. If you listen to your true self, most often the first answer is the most accurate answer.

Go step by step through this process. Pray over it. Don’t freak out, but be open to what God shows you. You may want to bounce your process off someone who knows you really well and who loves the Lord.

So What is My Personal Mission Statement?

To equip women to know God, His truth, and His limitless love for them, and to honor Him by living the lives He planned for them.

How I Wrote My Personal Mission Statement:

I chose the action word “equip” because it encompasses the verbs I circled—inspire, affirm, encourage, teach, write, and shape.

My “who I will do it for” was easy—women. I focus on ministering to women, but I also live out my mission statement with my family. I have also taught groups of teen girls and loved it. They are not my sweet spot, but when I have the opportunity I love it. I have also spoken to groups which included men.

The “Talk to Yourself” questions—as I said previously, these questions were most helpful. It was easy for me to answer what a great day looks like and what groups of people I care about. Equally easy to answer was who I admire and what I want to be remembered for.

Feel free to use the skeleton of my mission statement to plug in your words.

To (Verb) (Who/Group/Person) (What you want to do for them).

How My Mission Statement Works in My Life

Jesus tells us in John 15:5 that abiding in Him is the only way we will produce much fruit through our lives. As we stay in close relationship with Jesus, we will hear from Him more and more who He made us to be and what He made us to do. Going on this journey with Him will help you know yourself better and make sense of the pieces of your life. You will be better able to discern what is for you and what is not a good fit for you.

Even though I start my missions statement “to equip women”, my desire is for everyone I know or influence to “know God, His truth, and His limitless love for them, and to honor Him by living the lives He planned for them.” This is my goal in all my relationships—family, friends, readers, people I meet in my daily life. So when I talk with others I try to speak God’s truth to them and encourage them in pursuing their relationship with God. It is the passion that flows through my veins. It is why I write, even this newsletter. It is the foundation of every conversation.

My mission statement helps me know what is for me and what is not for me.

I would love to hear your personal mission statement. And if you would like to get my monthly newsletter you can sign up on the home page of my website!

*Used by permission of Claudia Mitchell.

**Photo courtesy of Ian Schneider, Stocksnap.io.com

Brenda Garrison is an author and speaker who empowers women with the confidence to live their calling. Brenda is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ministry Leadership with a Concentration in Women’s Ministry at Moody Bible Institute. She and her husband, Gene, are the parents of three young adult daughters and live near Metamora, IL.