by Carolyn Kwon
I signed up for the EMPOWER class because I knew that as Christians we are all called to be children of God with the basic identity of faith, hope and love, but I wanted to know my specific purpose— how I could use my unique qualities and circumstances to glorify Him. It’s the last of the 4 ‘E’ classes offered at Every Nation NYC and the Empower class lived up to its definition: “to make someone stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights” (thanks Google!).
Through the class, I took away several key things. First, I learned that we are all called to lead by loving and serving others and that it’s a radical call to become a servant leader like Jesus. In today’s world, I viewed leaders as those with a lot of power, money, and presence, but that’s not how Jesus lead. Jesus loved before he led others, which is what made him so effective and revered as a leader, and it really challenged me to re-think my definition of leadership. Secondly, I learned a lot of practical things too. This class gave me tips on how to become a better listener, manager of conflict, and a true team player — all the things I wanted to work on more at work, in my friendships, and in my family. But above all, what I came out with was my purpose statement. It was quite an experience to develop a statement with other supportive people and with the step by step guidance of Pastor Bryan. We all got goosebumps when people took turns reading their statements out loud. It was incredible how much impact God wanted each of us in the class to make in the world, in our communities, and in our families. It was a glimpse of how God wants us to have a kingdom mindset.
It was so empowering to develop my purpose statement which is: “To advocate for underprivileged youth and children through positive relationships to find everlasting hope and joy.” Coming up with this statement was like unlocking my superpower. The statement became relevant in all aspects of my life not just at my job where I am an attorney for children. When it comes to what responsibilities are the most important at work or considering which ministries I should serve in and in what capacity or which relationships to pursue– my purpose statement has made it absolutely clear. I know that God wants me to serve and called me to a greater purpose, but with this statement– it’s given me confidence as to who God called me to be and clarified the specific path he’s set out for me. None of us were put here by mistake, he has a great purpose for each and every one of his children… a purpose that we can each uniquely fulfill. God only made ONE of me and ONE of you and he’s placed superpowers in each of us. I encourage you to go and get empowered!