Dana,

You are deeply loved by God.

No matter who you are or what you’ve done, God’s love for you is unconditional, unending,
and life-changing!

         Because it’s not based on who you are—but on who he is.

And because you are so deeply loved by God, he has a purpose for your life.
Why God Made You

By Rick Warren — 09/10/2022

   

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and

what we are living for . . . part of the overall
purpose he is working out in everything and
everyone."
Ephesians 1:11-12 (The Message)
Mark Twain once said the two most important
days in your life are the day you’re born and the
day you find out why.
God has created everything with a purpose. Every
plant has a purpose. Every star has a purpose.
Every animal has a purpose. If your heart is
beating, God has a purpose for your life. The very
fact that you’re alive makes your life meaningful.
If you want to know your purpose, you won’t find it in a self-help book, on television, or in the
movies. You also can’t find it in yourself because you didn’t make yourself. God made you.
Only God—the one who created you—can tell you your purpose.
The Bible tells you this in Ephesians 1:11-12: “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what
we are living for . . . part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and
everyone” (Ephesians 1:11-12 The Message). 
You were made by God; you were made for God. Until you understand that, your life will not make
sense. 
The Bible says you were made to last forever. One day, your heart will stop. That will be the end of
your body, but it won’t be the end of you. God has long-range plans for your life. He wants you to
live forever and ever and ever.
You’ll spend more time on the other side of death than on this side. You might get 80 or 100 years
of life on this side of death, but on the other side is eternity.
The Bible says you’re not yet ready for heaven. You need to learn some things first. This life is
preparation for the next life—because that’s the life that will keep on going forever and ever.
In the next few devotionals, I’ll share the five habits God wants you to practice on Earth. I believe
these next five devotionals may be among the most important ones you ever read.
The fundamental question of life is, “Why am I here?” These next five devotionals will help you
answer that important question.
Four Steps to Help You Stop Worrying

By Rick Warren — 01/03/2023

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

It takes more than willpower to stop worrying—but you already know that, because you’ve
already tried it. You’ve thought, “I shouldn’t worry about this,” yet it stays on your mind.

Here are four steps to help you stop worrying:

Get to know God.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:32, “People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over
these things” (The Message). If you don’t have a relationship with God, you have every
reason to worry. That’s why you need to get to know God!  
As a believer, you have a heavenly Father who has promised to take care of you. You are
God’s child, and children get special privileges. When you worry, you are acting like you don’t
have a loving Father who is with you and for you.

Put God first in every area of your life.

Matthew 6:31-33 says, “Don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing . . . your
heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you
if you give him first place in your life” (TLB). Anytime you take God out of the center of your
life and put anything else there—no matter how good it is—you’re going to worry.

Live one day at a time.

The Bible says, “Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries.
Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34 NCV). If you’re worrying about
tomorrow, you can’t enjoy today. Also, when you’re always worried about tomorrow, the future
gets overwhelming. But God promises to give you the grace and strength you need when you
need it. Right now, you only need enough power for today. 

Trust God to care.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). How do
you do that? One way is to memorize God’s promises in the Bible. They’re like an insurance
policy for believers. When you know something’s covered, you don’t worry about it anymore.
Another way to trust God is to pray. If you prayed as much as you worried, you’d have a lot
less to worry about.

What’s the result of taking these four steps? “You will experience God’s peace, which is far
more wonderful than the human mind can understand” (Philippians 4:7 TLB)