Thank you for reading "Who Influenced You? Exploring your Purpose and Legacy" (Part 1 of 3).
In this follow up post, have you ever considered who may have been “appointed” to you, because they have been a positive, influential, character driven, principled, role model in your past? Even if your encounters with that person(s) were brief, do you think God wanted to impart something into you as a result of meeting and traveling with them on the road in life? What “life and/or legacy lessons” did you receive from him or her?
In light of your past or your present, whether it be speckled, bruised, traumatic or inspired, regardless of where you have been or what you are doing, what message and/or direction did they impart that God may want you to carry forward to others as my mentor, Dr Patrick Carnes has said, "to help you to only do things that matter?"
Seed dormancy science helps us to see that there are some seeds that will only germinate after a fire or other adverse environmental circumstances. Is it possible that the adverse fire of challenging or even addictive behavior has served as a catalyst to break open certain seeds of character that were dormant or “hidden” in your life through the years? What characteristics do you think you are intended to "sprout" in light of what you were exposed to?
The questions above and those below may reveal the purpose and the legacy that God has always had in mind for you, as these appointed caretakers were intentionally "seeding" into your life. As you reflect, what do you see? What comes to mind? What character and fruit is yet to be grown in your life in light of your past relationship with them? Going forward, one thing is sure: your legacy and purpose, like fruit, is meant to be sweet, pleasing, edifying, beautiful and fruitful. Finish Strong.
Think about the people in your life that influenced and impacted you positively and respond to the following questions:
1) What are the names of the people and during which decade of your life did you meet them (0 - 10, 11 - 20, 21 - 30, etc.)?
2) How many years have you known these people?
3) What impression did they make in your life? How did they positively impact you?
4) What character traits did they impart into you that may have been lying dormant within you and if given the opportunity, will sprout into healthy, fruitful and purposeful behaviors?
5) If you are already producing fruit in your life because of the “seeding” that was done by these people, what tangible, specific, concrete and measurable behavior is being produced and passed onto others?
6) What is the most important “life and/or legacy lesson(s)” that you have learned from these people being in your life?
7) As a result of their presence in your life, what plan or purpose do you think God had in mind for you to experience or accomplish, as a result of them leading, guiding and seeding into your life?
8) If they are still alive, what good word (Galatians 6:6) do you wish to share with them about the positive and purposeful role they have played in your life? ("Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor" - Galatians 6:6)
9) In light of their impact, what character traits and character values are you inspired to seed, plant and produce (or leave) with others in your life?
My hope is that you are encouraged as you pause and look at the overall "chapters" of your life because God had a purpose in mind for you then and today, and for you to be very fruitful and productive in life.
In Who Influenced You? Exploring your Purpose and Legacy (Part 3 of 3) I’ll share about positive and important people who have impacted my life in practical yet profound ways.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” – Ephesians 2:10 (TNIV)
I welcome your comments below or via email and your favorites, your retweets and your “+1’s” if you have a brief moment and find the information helpful. Again, it is my desire to provide the very best info for your consideration.
Thanks for visiting and please visit the other blogs written by Dr Ken McGill: Daily Bread for Life and “3 – 2 – 5 – 4 – 24″ for additional information that could be helpful.
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