"How Do I Find My Purpose?"

Have you ever asked yourself, “how do I really know what my purpose is?”

Look, God created purpose before He created person.

 

The bible states that we’re the workmanship of God. So, we’re perfectly designed and crafted for a purpose. I mean everything He’s created was created with and FOR purpose. Think of the trees. The cows. The lakes. The fish. Ohh and let’s not forget bee’s!!

Everything about you was created for a purpose. Your struggles, your past, your story…it’s all a part of your blueprint. Trust ME!

Frustration comes when a person is not seeking and walking in purpose. This is where the devil wants us. This is where he traps us. Then all of a sudden we feel lonely, sad, unworthy, left out, not good enough, not smart enough, too old, too young, too white, too black, too poor, too skinny, to thick… and all these things lead to depression and that’s exactly where he wants us; because in a state of depression, you do nothing! Your body is still here but you inner being is dead.

Remember, the average person dies at 75 but stopped living at 25!

The devil’s job is to ‘kill, steal and destroy’ and that is his only mission. He cannot ‘GIVE’ life so his job is to make sure he takes it!
Your primary purpose is to seek God and ONLY in and through Him, you’ll discover your secondary purpose.

If you think your purpose in life is to get married or have children, that is not so! If it’s a desire, that’s different. It may or may not be a part of your destiny. Your only purpose right now should be to ‘be’ the best version of YOU! Work daily towards that and in finding yourself, you WILL discover your gifts and passions. And your passion is what you will use to serve the world.

When I began to seek God and know God for myself, I started seeing and believing exactly what He wanted to do in and through my life. That did not happen overnight. I worked diligently on recreating that little girl who lost herself at the age of five. It took time BUT it has been the best time of my life and I can only imagine what’s to come!

Purpose = Your Supreme Reason for Being

 

Love, Lizzy

Why You So Afraid of Success?

Something on my heart....

Sometimes the very 'thing' you're so afraid to do or try is the very 'thing' that will change your life and the world around you-FOREVER!

I was 12 years old when I actually decided without a doubt that 'one day' I would write a book about my life. Like, I mean I literally told my library teacher (Mrs. Hayes) that I was going to write a book about my story. She asked me 'oh why do you want to do that? What will it be about Elizabeth?"
I answered, "I want to help girls who are being abused and who don't like themselves. I want to tell them to be strong and don't let anyone hurt them or abuse them" Little did she know....at the time, I did NOT like myself one bit!

Little did I know what the next 15-20 years of my life were going to look like.

As the years went on and I experienced more pain, abuse, shame, self inflicted emotional drama, neglect and abandonment, I realized more and more that I was going to ONE day write a life changing book / memoir for women and girls- on the affects of abuse (emotionally, sexually, mentally and physically). But I was so afraid. I was afraid of letting out my secrets. I was afraid of telling 'my' truth. I was afraid of exposing those who abused me. I was afraid of telling the world about the places I'd been, things I'd done, toxic choices I made and the alleys they brought me threw. I was afraid of being vulnerable and most importantly, I was afraid of freedom. I had being life as a prisoner my entire life and I was scared to death of FREEDOM. Kind of like a man standing in his jail cell the day he is about to be released after doing 15-20 years behind bars. It was nerve wrecking and scary to face the UNKNOWN.

I started writing that book when I was 33 years 'young' but I came up with the title at 18 'If You Played In My Playground'

Writing it alone was the longest emotional rollercoaster ride I had ever been on. I laughed and I cried. I laughed and I cried. I had to dig up memories of my childhood that made me lock myself in a room -alone- and ball my eyes out for hours at a time. I had to go back and stand face to face with 'my story' in the deepest way you can ever imagine. And this hurt sooo bad. There were moments I had to put my pencil down and just feel the memory. Go back to the moment of that memory and really just 'be still' in it; in order to deal with the emotional aspect of it- that I NEVER dealt with as a child. I will NOT sugar coat this in any way. It hurt mannnn. I fought to go back there because my entire life I was a RUNNER. The moment I got to run away from my 'home' I became a runner. If something hurt bad enough, I ran! Because I had wanted to run ever since I was 6 years old so the moment I got to do it- I mastered it.

The truth is, I did not want to write my dark secrets in that book. It didn't feel good at FIRST! I was so cautious of what the world would think of me and I thought by writing the book I would go back to live in that place of darkness again. Ohhh was I wrong!

I had the entire book pretty much written and put down for months. Again, afraid of the world. The moment I was able to speak to my sister after my brain surgery (December 2011), I said to her, "Sue I am going to publish the book mama. If I had died, nobody would've known the real Liz" It was a true AHA moment for me.

I had to come face to face with death in order to discover my true purpose in this world. I didn't think for one second or worry for one second (after surgery) what 'others' would think of my TRUTH. Because I knew God Himself gave me that vision when I was 12 years old and I knew that He did so because He could trust ME to bring it to life. To bring MY life back to life.

Today, through that book, through 'my story' I empower the lives of disadvantaged and disenfranchised girls and woman who have been afflicted by challenging family of social circumstances. Today, because of the freedom I stand and live in, I inspire girls to live each day recreating who they desire to be, therefore enhancing their quality of living and becoming leaders of their OWN future.

The very thing I was so afraid of was MY PURPOSE!

Whatever your 'thing' is, I am begging you to just DO IT! You're feeling that push because it was given to YOU! If you do not bring that vision to life, you will be held responsible for it. That 'thing' is your purpose tugging at you, screaming at you, calling to YOU! Shut out the world and lock into your calling.

Go ahead, 'it's' calling YOU!

Love, Lizzy

He Saw Me Before I Was Born

 

'You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.' - Psalm 139:16

 

I believe what most of us fail to realize is that God could care less what we look like externally. Our external appearance means nothing to Him. It doesn't even matter how many weaknesses we have. We were all made in His image; meaning we are perfect. We all come from a long line of perfection.

 

From day one, just like Daniel who spent an entire night in a lion's den unharmed, divine protection flows through your bloodline. Just like Nehemiah who built the walls of Jerusalem when all the odds were against him, I made it through 'my playground' when everything around me was crumbling to pieces. Yes that's my Father's bloodline. Resilience and persistence.

 

You're unique and you are not ordinary. Despite what you're going through in this moment or what you've been through in the past, He knows you by your name and there is purpose in your pain. Inside of each of us-flows the blood of a winner.

 

You and I are winners. Yes we are! Don't think for a moment that you're being punished for something or that you have what people call 'bad luck' because there is no such thing. It's called purpose. Your blueprint was designed before you were conceived and you're going to have to go through things to get to your final destination. Discovering and fulfilling your purpose takes work and focus. Above all it takes FAITH! Believe and you WILL achieve and receive.

 

Don't rush to get to the final destination when you still gotta go through the growing stages. Remember when David said, "God, all of my days you ordained before one of them came to be" In other words, no matter what age you're at, God has been working on you for a long time. From day one.

 

You've been destined to be a winner. To overcome. To build a legacy and leave your mark in this world.

 

Love, Lizzy

Own Your Story!

Let me the first to tell you, that owning and sharing your story is going to be a huge part of your healing.

It happened. It was real. It happened and you've got to feel the emotions and share them Now!! I didn't say "dwell on them" - share them and then let it go.

Share your story with someone who deserves to hear it. Someone whom you can count on to respond with compassion. Shame hates being shared. It hates it because 'shame' cannot survive being shared. It's no longer alive when it's shared. It loves secrecy. It manifests into anger, guilt and depression when it's kept a secret. The most dangerous thing to do- is hide your story. It's crippling.

Hiding my story is what led me to make most of the negative choices I made. It's what kept me living in guilt. You've got to be brave. You've got to talk NOW!

But here is the thing about sharing and letting it out; you can't just talk to anyone and you shouldn't. You've got to reach out to someone who you KNOW 100% is filled with true compassion for life, for others and for the world. It's hard to share a 'shame' story with someone who is still living in their own 'shame' story. If you're looking to heal and get past your shame then reach out to someone who is deeply rooted. This person will be open to listen and not judge. This person should be one who will listen and then share her own vulnerability stories. This will also be a person who won't feel sorry for you, rather she will empower and uplift you. She will walk you through your emotions and ensure you that tomorrow is and will be a better day. She will not entertain a pitty party with you. That's not compassion.

You've got to be courageous. You've got to reach out and ask for help. I see courage in myself all the time. When I open up to students and women from all walks of life; willing to be vulnerable enough to share my faults and the life choices I made that held me captive in my own frame of mind.

The less you talk about - what you call and think is your 'shame story' is the more that story of yours has control over you. Shame is the fear of being 'un-lovable' - it's the complete opposite of feeling worthy and owning our story.

Shame is all about fear.

Today, I challenge you to take off the mask and be YOU. Whoever that is, dig down and find her. Let people know who you are and what your story is. Your story is your power, Embrace it. Love it and share it. The world needs YOUR story!

'Life Inside of Me' With Suzie Correia Rego