Books by Donna!
By: Donna R. Patrick, Award Winning Author
Psalm 139:14 – I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
“Tricks are for kids.” Remember that television commercial for Trix cereal? Do you often see articles offering a trick to do this, or a trick to do that? There is one trick to burn fat, another trick to have a successful marriage, and too many others to name. The supposed simplicity of buying into the trick is to make whatever you’re trying to get done go faster with less work. But I have discovered that there really are no tricks to discovering your purpose or making life better on your own terms.
Having been a musician for three-fourths of my life, there was a time when all I did was play and teach new music with little regard for whether lives were being changed. It was at The International Worship Institute that the shift came leading to the discovery of my purpose. Knowing my purpose gave me a reason to get up in the morning, shaped my goals, and gave me a sense of direction. It provided me a central, motivating theme for my life. Your unique, God-given purpose is the reason you exist. It is the vehicle through which you tap into your creativity, significance, and the greatness God placed inside of you.
With a changed mind the music I selected was now influenced by the Holy Spirit’s active power in my life (Eph. 3:20). It had become important to me to select music that God wanted, rather than what was most popular at the time. My motivation was now to lead others straight into the presence of God through music. Eventually God began to open up opportunities for me to organize, and teach in, worship conferences because it wasn’t just about the music anymore; it was about Christian education with an emphasis on biblical worship.
I offer three very good reasons why it is important to know God’s purpose for your life:
- So you don’t waste precious time doing things that God never meant for you to do. Yes, make plans, but ask for God’s guidance;
- So you don’t miss being a blessing in someone else’s life. God’s purpose for your life may not be just for you; and
- So you don’t begin life full and leave full – leave empty! God has given all of us something to do that no one else can do as well.
By now, you’re probably asking yourself, “But how can I know God’s purpose for my life?” It all starts with knowing Jesus Christ and having a personal relationship with Him. There are so many voices that would tell us where we belong, but seek Godly counsel (Psalm 1:1). This very often means guarding our ear gate from those voices that don’t speak God’s truth. He will show you who you are and where you belong when you ask Him.
Donna Renay Patrick is an award-winning author of two praise and worship-themed devotionals; At All Times, and It’s In Your Praise. She also co-authored two other devotionals; one to encourage women in the workplace, and the other a stewardship-themed devotional called,The Perfect Seven. She is a musician, worship leader, transformational speaker, and host of The Donna Patrick Show, an internet-based segment on The Fishbowl Radio Network. With ministry-focused guests, her show emphasizes the priority of worship in the 21st century church, and how to tap into next-level personal and corporate worship.
