Called for Something Greater: When You Finally Understand Your Purpose
Called for Something Greater: When You Finally Understand Your Purpose
By Angel, Founder of AMC Rise and
Thrive
Hello, beautiful souls. 🤍
I hope this Sunday has brought you a moment to pause, breathe,
and reconnect with what truly matters. Whether you're reading this after
church, during a quiet afternoon at home, or late in the evening when the world
has finally settled down, I'm grateful you're here.
This morning, I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to write
about. Sometimes I have a title in mind before I ever touch my keyboard. Other
times, like today, I simply trust that God will place the right words on my
heart when the time comes.
As it turns out, He did.
Our experiences have a way of shaping us in ways we don't
always expect. A single conversation, a familiar hymn, or a message spoken from
the pulpit can awaken something that has been quietly waiting inside us. Today
was one of those days for me.
Whenever I come to Chicago, one of the first things I look
forward to is going to church. It has become part of my routine, but more
importantly, it has become part of my spiritual restoration.
Back home, I don't currently have a church that I regularly
attend. It isn't because I haven't searched. Believe me, I have.
Finding a church where my son and I truly belong has been much
harder than I ever imagined.
As many of you know, my son has special needs. He experiences
the world differently, and because of that, church can sometimes be
overwhelming for him. Sitting quietly isn't always possible. There may be
unexpected sounds, movements, or moments that others don't understand.
Unfortunately, I've encountered people who were quick to judge
rather than quick to love.
That has always been difficult for me to reconcile.
When I open my Bible, I don't see a Savior who turned people
away because they were different. I see Jesus welcoming the overlooked, the
hurting, the misunderstood, and the people everyone else had already written
off.
I see compassion before criticism.
Grace before judgment.
Love before labels.
That is the Christianity I want to live.
Not a faith built on appearances, but one built on genuine
acceptance.
So, when I visit Chicago, this little church feels like coming
home.
My dad and my second mom are ministers there, and our family
has been connected to this fellowship for many years. In many ways, it has
become woven into the story of my life.
When I was growing up, we attended a different church. I
actually watched that congregation grow from something incredibly small into a
thriving community.
It began in what looked more like an old office building than
a church. There was a modest sanctuary, a room for the children, and just
enough space for everyone to gather together.
It wasn't fancy.
It wasn't impressive by worldly standards.
But God's presence filled that place.
Eventually the church moved into a much larger building. I
still remember every corner of it—the sanctuary where we worshipped together,
the nursery, the fellowship hall, the kitchen where so many meals were shared,
even the hallway where, as a little girl, I somehow managed to get my fingers
caught in one of the heavy doors more than once. Looking back now, I still
laugh that I never broke a bone.
Those walls witnessed so much life.
They held weddings, celebrations, prayers, tears, and
countless moments that shaped my childhood.
Years later, when my dad became part of the church I attend
today, I naturally followed. It felt right because family has always been
important to me.
Still, I carried a quiet fear with me.
I wondered if this new church would understand my son.
Would people stare?
Would they become frustrated if he made noise?
Would we once again feel like outsiders trying our best to fit
into a place where we were only partially accepted?
Those questions weighed heavily on my heart before we ever
walked through the doors.
Instead, something unexpected happened.
We were welcomed.
Not tolerated.
Not simply accommodated.
Welcomed.
Over the past five years, this church has become one of the
safest places my heart has known.
Last year I shared some of that journey in my post, A
Sacred Space: Finding Fellowship and Healing in Church. (https://amcriseandthrive.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-sacred-space-finding-fellowship-and.html)
Today, I realize there is even more to that story than I understood then.
Because sometimes we don't recognize just how much a place has
healed us until we look back and see who we used to be.
Sometimes God doesn't simply lead us to a building.
He leads us to people.
To fellowship.
To reminders that His love still exists in human hands and
human hearts.
And for someone who once wondered whether there would ever be
a place where both my son and I could simply belong...
That gift has meant more than words can adequately express.
When God Reminds You Why You're Here
One of the things I loved most about our former pastor was the
way he spoke directly to the heart.
Pastor Rene faithfully led this church for more than fifteen
years alongside his wife, and every time I came to visit, it seemed as though
God had arranged the message specifically for whatever season I happened to be
walking through.
I can't tell you how many Sundays I found myself wiping away
tears before the service was over.
Not because I was sad.
Not because life had suddenly become overwhelming.
But because I felt seen.
There is something incredibly comforting about sitting in a
sanctuary and realizing that the Creator of the universe knows exactly what
your heart has been carrying. Sometimes He answers our prayers through quiet
moments alone with Him. Other times, He speaks through the words of another
person who has no idea what battle you're facing.
That is one of the beautiful mysteries of faith.
Pastor Rene went home to be with the Lord last year, and while
he is deeply missed, the church has continued to flourish. Different members
now take turns sharing God's Word, including my dad.
Today, the message came from a woman whose testimony resonated
with me in a way I wasn't expecting.
She is a pastor's daughter and a single mother raising five
children. She spoke honestly about her journey—about knowing that God had
called her to serve Him, yet still experiencing moments of frustration,
discouragement, and uncertainty along the way.
I appreciated her honesty.
Sometimes, as Christians, we feel pressure to pretend that our
faith means we never struggle. We smile even when our hearts are heavy. We
convince ourselves that questioning or feeling tired somehow means our faith is
weak.
But the truth is, even the strongest believers have seasons
where they wonder if they're doing enough, going the right direction, or making
any difference at all.
Faith isn't the absence of hardship.
Faith is choosing to keep walking with God through it.
As she continued speaking, she shared how finding this church
brought back memories of her childhood—memories of a time when her relationship
with God felt simple, joyful, and deeply personal.
Before life became complicated.
Before responsibilities multiplied.
Before disappointments and heartbreak had left their marks.
She realized that what she missed wasn't simply a building or
a familiar place.
She missed that closeness with God.
She spoke about accepting the Lord not only as Savior but also
as her closest friend—the One she could bring every fear, every disappointment,
every question, and every victory to without hesitation.
That thought stayed with me.
I hope every one of you has someone in your life you can call
when everything feels like it's falling apart.
Someone who listens without judgment.
Someone who celebrates your victories as much as they comfort
your sorrows.
Someone who reminds you that you are loved.
But if you don't...
I want you to know there is Someone waiting for that
relationship with you.
God has never asked us to carry life by ourselves.
He doesn't grow tired of our prayers.
He doesn't roll His eyes when we come to Him with the same
struggle for the hundredth time.
He doesn't tell us we've cried too much or asked too many
questions.
Instead, He patiently waits for us to draw near.
The older I get, the more I realize that faith isn't simply
believing God exists.
It's learning to trust Him enough to share every part of
ourselves with Him—the joyful parts, the broken parts, the hopeful parts, and
even the parts we're still trying to understand.
Then she said something that has echoed in my mind ever since
the service ended.
She spoke about believers being soldiers for Christ.
Not soldiers who fight with anger or pride, but servants who
carry His love into a world that desperately needs it.
Each of us has been entrusted with a different assignment.
Some people are called to preach from a pulpit.
Some serve quietly behind the scenes.
Some encourage through music.
Some through acts of kindness.
Some through raising children.
Some through caring for aging parents.
Some through listening to a hurting friend.
Some through creating art.
Some through writing.
No calling is too small when it is done for God's glory.
As I sat there listening, I couldn't help but think about this
blog.
I've shared this before, but it has become even clearer to me
over the past year and a half.
AMC Rise and Thrive isn't simply my hobby.
It isn't just something I do when I have extra time.
It isn't about growing numbers, gaining recognition, or trying
to become known.
This is my ministry.
For many years I didn't recognize it as such.
I thought I needed a title.
A stage.
A microphone.
Some official position that would somehow qualify me to
encourage others.
But God has a beautiful way of reminding us that He isn't
limited by our expectations.
Sometimes He places a calling right in our own hands before we
ever recognize what it is.
For me, that calling became words.
Every reflection I write...
Every lesson I share...
Every difficult season I'm willing to talk about...
Every testimony that once felt too personal...
They all point to one thing.
Not me.
Him.
I don't write because I believe my story is extraordinary.
I write because I know what it feels like to think you're
walking through something alone.
If my experiences can remind even one person that God hasn't
forgotten them...
If one reader decides not to give up...
If one heart finds hope again...
Then every vulnerable word has been worth writing.
Because the message has never been about the messenger.
The message has always been about the One who continues to
transform ordinary lives into testimonies of His grace.
And perhaps that's the most beautiful purpose any of us could
ever hope to fulfill.
Planting Seeds You May Never See Grow
As I drove home after church, I couldn't stop thinking about
purpose.
It's one of those words we hear often, yet many of us spend
years wondering if we've actually found ours.
For the longest time, I believed a calling had to look big.
I thought it had to be something that everyone could see—a
title, a position, or a platform that somehow proved you were making a
difference.
But God has slowly changed my understanding of what purpose
really means.
Sometimes our calling is found in the ordinary.
It's found in showing up when we'd rather stay home.
It's found in choosing kindness when the world encourages
bitterness.
It's found in serving without expecting recognition.
And sometimes it's found in simply being willing to share what
God has done in our lives.
That is what this blog has become for me.
I've said it before, and today I feel it more deeply than
ever: this isn't just something I enjoy doing. It isn't simply a creative
outlet or a way to pass the time.
This is where I believe God has asked me to serve.
When I first started AMC Rise and Thrive, I had no idea where
this journey would lead. I certainly never imagined that people from countries
I'll probably never visit would one day read these reflections.
That still amazes me.
The internet can often feel overwhelming, noisy, and divided.
Yet somehow, God has carved out this little corner of the world where people
gather looking for hope, encouragement, healing, or simply a reminder that they
are not walking alone.
That has never been because of me.
It's because God has always had a way of using ordinary people
to accomplish extraordinary things.
Throughout Scripture, He consistently chose people who felt
unqualified.
Moses didn't believe he could speak well enough.
David was overlooked by nearly everyone before becoming king.
The disciples weren't famous scholars or powerful leaders.
They were ordinary men who simply chose to follow Jesus.
Time and time again, God reminds us that He isn't looking for
perfection.
He's looking for willing hearts.
That realization has taken a tremendous amount of pressure off
of me.
I don't have to have every answer.
I don't have to write the perfect post.
I don't have to know whose life these words may touch.
My responsibility is simply to be faithful with what God has
placed in front of me.
The rest belongs to Him.
One of my favorite images in Scripture is that of planting
seeds.
When a farmer plants a seed, they don't dig it up every day to
see if it's growing.
They trust the process.
They water it.
They care for it.
And they believe that, in time, something beautiful will
emerge.
Writing feels much the same way.
Every post is a seed.
Some will land on hearts that are ready to receive it
immediately.
Others may not make sense until months or even years later.
Some may be shared with someone who desperately needs those
exact words at exactly the right moment.
The truth is, I'll probably never know.
And that's okay.
Not every blessing is meant for us to witness.
Sometimes our greatest act of faith is simply planting the
seed and trusting God with the harvest.
Maybe that's true in your life too.
Perhaps your purpose isn't standing in front of a crowd.
Maybe it's raising a child with love and patience.
Maybe it's caring for a parent who depends on you.
Maybe it's encouraging a friend who's going through a
difficult season.
Maybe it's offering a smile to a stranger who has forgotten
what kindness feels like.
Maybe it's praying faithfully for someone who doesn't even
know you're praying.
Never underestimate those quiet acts of obedience.
The world often celebrates influence measured by numbers, but
God's Kingdom measures faithfulness very differently.
If your kindness helps one person...
If your prayers strengthen one weary soul...
If your compassion points someone back to hope...
Then you are already fulfilling a purpose far greater than you
may realize.
Today reminded me that our mission isn't about making our own
name known.
It's about making God's love visible through the way we live.
I may never stand before thousands of people.
I may never write a bestselling book.
I may never know every person who visits this little corner of
the internet.
But if God continues to use these words to remind even one
person that they are loved, that they have purpose, and that they are never
beyond His reach...
Then I can honestly say that I am exactly where He has called
me to be.
And for that, my heart is full. 🤍
🌿 Affirmations
for Your Journey
Take a slow breath and let these settle into your heart.
✨ God knew
me before I ever knew myself.
✨ My
purpose is not determined by the world's approval.
✨ I can
trust God even when I don't fully understand His plan.
✨ Small
acts of faithfulness create eternal impact.
✨ I will
use the gifts God has given me to bring hope, kindness, and light to others.
📖 Bible
Verse
You Were Created on Purpose, for a Purpose
One verse continued to echo in my heart long after today's
service had ended:
"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew
thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I
ordained thee..."
— Jeremiah 1:5 (King James Version)
When I read these words, I'm reminded that none of us are here
by accident.
Before you ever took your first breath...
Before anyone knew your name...
Before you experienced joy or heartbreak...
Before you questioned your worth or your purpose...
God already knew you.
He already saw the gifts He would place inside of you, the
people whose lives you would touch, and the journey that would shape your
heart.
That doesn't mean life will be easy.
In fact, many of the people God called throughout the Bible
walked incredibly difficult roads. They doubted themselves. They became
discouraged. They wondered if they were capable of doing what God had asked of
them.
Yet God didn't choose them because they were perfect.
He chose them because they were willing.
I think that's an important reminder in a world that often
tells us we have to be the smartest, the richest, the most talented, or the
most successful before we can make a difference.
God has never measured us that way.
He simply asks us to be faithful.
For me, that faithfulness looks like sitting down at my
computer and sharing another piece of my heart. It means writing even when I'm
tired, even when I wonder if anyone is reading, and even when I question
whether my words matter.
Because somewhere along the way, I stopped writing to be
noticed.
I started writing to be obedient.
If these reflections encourage one person to keep going...
If they help someone feel less alone...
If they remind someone that God's love hasn't given up on them...
Then this calling has already fulfilled its purpose.
The world often celebrates people whose names become famous.
But the Kingdom of God celebrates people whose hearts remain
faithful.
And honestly...
I'd rather be remembered for pointing people toward Christ
than for pointing them toward myself.
That is the legacy I hope to leave behind.
🎵 Song of
the Day
"Nobody" by Casting Crowns Ft Matthew
West
Today's message brought this song to mind because it
beautifully captures the heart of what I was reflecting on after church.
Its message reminds us that our purpose isn't to build our own
reputation or seek recognition. Instead, our greatest calling is to let our
lives point toward Jesus. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly chose ordinary
people—people who felt overlooked, inadequate, or unqualified—to accomplish
extraordinary things for His Kingdom.
That's incredibly encouraging.
It means none of us have to be famous to matter.
We don't need a large platform, a perfect past, or all the
right words. We simply need a willing heart.
Whether your mission is raising a family, caring for a loved
one, serving your community, encouraging a friend, or quietly living out your
faith each day, every act of obedience has value in God's eyes.
Never underestimate what God can do through someone who simply
says, "Here I am."
As I close today's reflection, I want to leave you with this
thought.
The world can be discouraging. Sometimes it seems as though
selfishness and division are louder than compassion and kindness. It can make
us wonder if our small acts of love really matter.
I believe they do.
Every encouraging word, every prayer, every act of
forgiveness, every moment you choose grace instead of anger, and every time you
reflect Christ's love into the world, you are helping build His Kingdom one
life at a time.
So, if you've been questioning your purpose lately, let today
be your reminder.
You were created intentionally.
You are deeply known.
You are deeply loved.
And whether your calling reaches one person or one million, it
is valuable because it was given to you by God.
Keep planting seeds.
Keep showing kindness.
Keep trusting His timing.
And above all, keep pointing people toward the One who makes
all things new.
May you have a blessed Sunday, and may the peace of Christ go
with you wherever this week leads. 🤍
Final Thoughts
As I packed up after church today, I found myself carrying
more than just my Bible and my purse.
I carried a renewed sense of peace.
Not because every problem in my life has been solved.
Not because caregiving has suddenly become easier.
Not because I have all the answers about what tomorrow will
bring.
I walked away reminded that God is still working.
He is still calling ordinary people to do extraordinary things
through simple acts of faithfulness.
Sometimes that calling is spoken from a pulpit.
Sometimes it's lived out in a classroom, a hospital room, or
around a kitchen table.
Sometimes it's found in the quiet moments when no one else is
watching.
And sometimes...
It's found behind a keyboard.
As I continue this journey with AMC Rise and Thrive, my prayer
remains the same as it was when I first began.
That these words would never point to me.
Instead, I hope they point to the One who has carried me
through every storm, comforted me in every valley, and reminded me time and
time again that hope is never out of reach.
If you've been wondering whether your life has purpose, let me
gently remind you that it does.
Your kindness matters.
Your prayers matter.
Your perseverance matters.
Your story matters.
Even when no one applauds your efforts...
Even when you feel unseen...
Even when you wonder if anything you're doing is making a
difference...
God sees every act of love offered in His name.
He sees every seed you plant.
And in His perfect timing, He brings forth a harvest we often
never get to witness ourselves.
So, wherever this week takes you, I pray you'll walk with
confidence, knowing that you were created intentionally, loved completely, and
called uniquely.
May you continue to shine His light wherever your feet are
planted.
Thank you for spending part of your Sunday with me.
Until next time, keep choosing faith over fear, kindness over
judgment, and hope over despair.
With love and many blessings,
Angel 🤍
🤍 Support
AMC Rise and Thrive
If this reflection encouraged your heart, strengthened your
faith, or reminded you that you are never alone, you're welcome to help support
AMC Rise and Thrive.
Your generosity allows me to continue creating faith-filled
reflections, spiritual encouragement, and uplifting messages that are freely
available to anyone who may need them.
There is never any pressure—only sincere gratitude for your
kindness and support.
Support AMC Rise and Thrive 🤍
Thank you for being part of this community. Your presence here
means more than you know.
If today's message spoke to your heart, consider sharing it
with someone who may need these words as well. You never know how God might use
a simple act of sharing to encourage another soul.
Trust His timing. Keep your heart open to His leading, and
remember that even the smallest seeds of faith can grow into something far more
beautiful than we could ever imagine.
#AMCRiseAndThrive #FaithJourney #PurposeInChrist
#ChristianEncouragement #TrustGod
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