Your Mission

Hi friends!

We had such a blast with you at Sending Her Equipped! We so enjoyed spending the day with you all! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been thinking a lot about what we talked about together, the whole process of charting our course. I hope you’ve been paying attention to those road signs along the way. Remember, we can’t make the meaningful and permanent changes on our own, but we can choose this day who we will serve and allow God to change us! I am so comforted that I am not alone on this journey! We can only decide to do our best one day at a time. We can determine that today we are going to give Him the control He rightfully deserves so that we can decrease and He can increase! Only then do we make room for real love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Are you recognizing more spiritual fruit in yourself? Are you more aware of it in your daily interactions? Are you more appreciative of it when you experience it in others? I hope your answer is a resounding YES! But if it’s not yet, don’t give up! Remember ... one day at a time, and tomorrow is a brand new day!

If you recall, you got a little homework assignment to work on: your mission statement. I hope you’ve been giving it some thought. I wanted to share this story with you, to inspire you.

When Rick Hoyt was born in 1962, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and declared a spastic quadriplegic, and it was not expected that he’d learn to speak. Although many doctors gave up on him and advised his parents to institutionalize Rick, his parents refused, treating him just like they treated his siblings. Later, teachers discouraged Rick from getting an education; however, not only did he do so, communicating through a special computer, but he eventually graduated from Boston University with a degree in special education. One day, Rick typed out a message to his father, Dick, saying he wanted to enter a foot race. His father agreed to do it by pushing his son’s wheelchair the entire way, resulting in “the biggest smile” Rick’s parents had ever seen on his face when they crossed the finish line. After the race, Rick Hoyt told his father that he felt like his disability had “disappeared” while his wheelchair was flying along the course, which led his father to decide to train for, and enter, as many athletic contests as he could with Rick along for the ride (pushed in the running, pulled in the swimming, and connected in the cycling.) Since 1992, they have completed more than two hundred triathlons, including six Ironman competitions, as well as sixty-five marathons. As a result of the joy that came to Rick from feeling like a participant in athletic events, Dick Hoyt’s mission statement is magnificent: “To integrate the physically challenged into everyday life,” and he thanks his disabled son for giving him this worthy purpose.

Wow! I just love that story! That’s quite a mission statement! And it came from something he was already doing! He made it his mission to continue what he’d already begun! As you are crafting your mission statement, remember to consider these things:

* What are your most cherished values?
* How do you want others to remember you after you’re gone?
*What are you already doing that makes you feel accomplished or gives you a sense of purpose?

And here are a couple more thoughts to encourage you:

* A purpose in life guides our behavior and thoughts. It starts with our values, it shapes the goals we set and our reactions to setbacks, and it clarifies our future endeavors.

* A mission statement is a rich, specific way to compellingly telegraph your beliefs and inspires you to be your best self every day.

We’d love to hear from you! If you are willing to share your mission statement, please do! Not only does it provide accountability, it will more than likely spur someone else on to complete theirs!

One day at a time,
Bronie