Purpose is what you’re called to do … Passion, what you’re compelled to do.

What absolutely compels you? What grips your soul and won’t let go for decades?

When God is both the author and the audience of what compels you, that’s God-honoring passion. God-honoring passion isn’t any ol’ passion. Any ol’ passion gratifies, but God-honoring passion also glorifies. Any ol’ passion loves the people you love most; God-honoring passion loves the people you love least. The former achieves goals; the latter accelerates giftedness.

God-honoring passion has unending determination to realize God-given dreams. More than living before you die; it’s dying to yourself so that you can truly live. It converts how you see, as evidenced by how you act. It multiplies your talents before laying them at Jesus’ feet, rather than burying them (Matthew 25) or giving Him the lame and leftovers (Malachi 1).

It’s the burning desire that doesn’t burn up or burn out, and why you pass up the good to pass along the great. It’s why you love the unlovely, believe the unbelievable, and forgive 70 x 7 times without keeping score. It’s your unconditional tenacity, no-matter-what, and never-say-die. It’s your “oh no, I will not” when tempted to fall and your “oh yes, I will” when challenged to rise.

Do you know your #1 passion? Is it God-honoring?

My compelling passion is to experience Matthew 25:21 – feeling Jesus’ warm embrace and hearing Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Through good times and bad, it’s been my compass that always points north. My rock. My shield.

That’s why, 10 years ago, I started writing Well Done Mom & Dad!: A Practical Guide to Turn Good Intentions into Godly Legacies. But the book totally changed when God changed my dream … when my grand dream became a grand family dream … that is, to watch Jesus say, “Well done!” TO MY KIDS!! My family dream is so vivid to me that it’s surreal, yet completely real.

I can see the tears streaming down my kids’ cheeks as they hug Jesus. I can feel their utter joy. I can sense their overwhelming peace. After embracing Jesus, they rise and run to me, throw their arms around me, and we embrace. Forever. Together. Every struggle, every life stage, every challenge we navigated . . . each one is now worth it all. We’re safely home.

Hearing my Lord’s “Well done!” isn’t just a message; it’s a mission. This isn’t a book of cookie-cutter parenting tips and techniques. It’s a guide for parents to discover how to lead themselves, and, in turn, lead their kids to live, with God-honoring passion. When you do, you’re preparing your kids to turn passion into success, success into significance, and significance into faithfulness … the faithfulness that causes you to hear, “Well done!” from both God and your family.

Then again, when someone like my grandson, Acre Bright, endorses my book, you know he’s right. Who could possibly argue with this little guy of the attached photo? Don’t even try.

You can learn more about how to live and lead with God-honoring passion by:

I promise it will change your family . . .  if you let it change YOU.