Principles, Priorities, & Passions

Remember how I'm making one of the biggest decisions of my life? Well, this week was decision week for me. I had meetings and interviews all week long, and I'm happy to report the decision is made and I feel really good about it. Yay!

Last week held countless reminders for me of the things that are important and essential in the decision-making process. Looking back on the past 2 weeks, I cannot deny God's hands in my life and in my decision. Knowing I would make my decision this week, He sent me the right people at the right time to remind me of the importance of eternal principles, balanced priorities, and my own passions.

I live my life by eternal principles. These eternal laws make hard decisions easy. I know families are eternal, and I forever want to be reaching out to lift and strengthen my own family and the families surrounding me. I know I am blessed as I abide by the Lord's will and make time every day to worship and glorify His name. I know I am called to serve as His hands, and have a great desire to share His love with all around me. Whatever my decision, it needs to enable me to continue to live by eternal principles I have covenanted to abide by.

I have established balanced priorities in my life. Maintaining this balance is a constant challenge I am happy to face and eternally learn from. The world pulls at me from countless directions and in so many ways. As I balance work, play, relationships, health, and worship, I am enabled to do more with God than I could ever do on my own! Whatever my decision, it needs to allow me to maintain the balance that keeps me happy and useful.

My passions guide and direct my life and my interactions with others. A good friend looked me in the eyes last week and told me to remember to follow my passions as I made my decision. He didn't know it because I'm a master of disguise at times, but I panicked! I realized I had forgotten my passions. What do I wake up for in the morning and talk about all the time? What do I think about all the time and do for free? Lately it's been this decision, and I know that's not my passion! I turned to my friends and family--those who know me best. If you were describing me to a stranger, what would you tell them my passions are? I think friends and family exist in part to remind us who we are when we forget. And I am certainly blessed with friends and family who know me well! They quickly and unanimously reminded me of my passions: God, family, nature, and service. They reminded me to slow down and listen to myself. How grateful I am for a new friend who counseled me to follow my passions, and for old friends who knew what they were!

After last week I went into meetings and interviews armed with my principles, priorities, and passions--ready to make a decision. And I received a distinct impression that I could happily walk down either path--the decision was truly mine to make. The decision I've made is most in line with my principles, priorities, and passions. It may not make the most sense to some, but it is right. It sends me down the path of ambiguity, bound to be filled with more decisions that may alter the course of my life. I'm ready! Ready to face them with my principles, priorities, and passions in tow. Hit me.