Living Out Your Passion

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. - Ephesians 3:20

I recently had someone ask me how I got into my line of work and got to write for a living. I smile every time someone asks me this question because I love telling the story not just of how I got my job, but all that led up to me getting my job.

You see, I’ve always loved writing. I fully believe that God gave me not only the ability to write, but the passion for it as well. And so for as long as I can remember, I’ve loved writing, whether it was for school or in my own personal journals.

It wasn’t until I was in college that I started writing devotional content. It was writing I felt comfortable sharing with others because I wanted to encourage them. I wanted to tell them stories and give them analogies that would help them grow in their faith and trust in the Lord. And so just for fun, I started writing devotionals or social media posts with the hopes of pointing people to Jesus.

After several years of doing that, I got a call from a family friend one day asking if I would want to get paid to write two devotions a week for a ministry his company was working with. Of course I said yes. After all, the chance to get paid to write had never come up before, so I wasn’t about to turn it down now. So almost immediately I started writing these devotions as a bit of a side hustle.

Then about 7 months later, after I had quit my job and was looking for a new one, I remember telling my mom, “Gosh wouldn’t it be cool if I could just write these devotions full time and that could be my job?” I never thought that would actually happen. I never thought it would work out where I could live off the money I made writing. But that’s where I clearly underestimated God, because the opportunity to write full-time did come, and it turned out to be so much better than I ever imagined it could be.

I read a quote from Emily P. Freeman this morning where she said, “My job is not to go out and find my personal calling, rather it’s to stay where I am and do the work of uncovering it.” That felt really true for me this morning as I thought back to how I ended up with the job I have today. For all these years, God had been preparing me for this — giving me the drive and the passion to write, and not just to write anything, but to write words that would matter to people, that would encourage them, that would make them feel less alone, and that would ultimately point them back to Him.

I never could have known the story God was weaving together all those years ago when I was just writing devotions for my family to read. And I definitely never thought I could ever pay the bills on a writer’s salary. After all, every time you see a writer in the movies, they’re working another job or two just to make ends meet. Then again, though, God proved Himself faithful as He led me in a vocation and a calling that I absolutely love.

I say all of this because if you’re in the early stages of figuring out you’re calling, if you’re still waiting to see how God is going to use your gifts and talents, my prayer is that you’ll hope and wait with great expectation. What you’re doing right now might now seem like that big of a deal. Maybe it just seems like a hobby. Or maybe it’s just a side hustle. Or maybe no one even knows that you’re capable of a certain skill. But God knows. He made you with that skill, that talent, that gift. And I have no doubt that He has great plans for you to use what He’s gifted you with for His ultimate glory.

So hang in there, friend. Wait patiently and expectantly for what God is going to do, and watch as He blows your mind with the opportunities He orchestrates for you to live out the calling and passion He placed inside of you.