Stepping up to the role you were meant to play:

Let’s talk about the role you were meant to play. We can all say that we were put on the earth for a reason right? Whether you’re a Christ follower or not, we all believe that we have a purpose in life. We all have that calling that we feel led to accomplish at some point in our life.

We’ve all had those childhood dreams where we aspire to be something glamorous in the future. When I was in middle school I wanted to be just like Kristi Yamaguchi. I practiced alone in my room day after day. This would have worked out great if I had actually ever taken a lesson or got to the ice skating rink more than once a year!

I truly believe that the Lord put each of on the earth for a few specific purposes. Our first purpose is to glorify Him in all that we do. (Check out 1 Corinthians 10:31). I believe that our second purpose involves how we do that. The Lord calls some to be bankers and some to be astronauts. I believe that the Lord calls each person to do a money making job (I use the term “money making” loosely as Missionaries don’t technically “make money” per say. Also not all jobs that people have “make money” rather they break even with their finances) to enhance their first purpose in life.

Does anyone remember that old song by Switchfoot “Meant to live”?? The main line of the song goes like this “We were meant to live for so much more, have we lost our self?” I agree with the first stanza of this, we WERE meant to live for so much more. Christ has some amazing things in store for us in this life. The Lord has great things in store for us if we follow His will are sensitive to what He is telling us. I half way agree with the second part of the stanza, “Have we lost our self?” Yes! I think that we lose sight of what our real mission here on earth is. I think we sometimes get so focused on money, paying bills, family, and the normal routine etc. that we lose sight of what we are really on earth for. We get content in the MEDIOCRE that we don’t go for the GREAT that God has for us.

I have many roles in my life. First, I am a wife. Now, I wasn’t a wife first in my life, my first role was as a mother. Then my husband came along and the priority of my roles shifted. My first priority in my life is to my husband. To respect him, honor him, help him, be there for him, to challenge him and be as respectful as I possibly can in all of those moments. He called me an oxymoron the other day. The reason was that I challenge him on a lot of things. I don’t do it to be a pain, or to be contentious; I challenge him to be a better man and challenge him on things that I don’t think are great ideas. Let me say that my husband is the head of our house. Whatever he says goes, but he gets my opinion regardless. He always listens to my opinions on situations even if he doesn’t agree with them. Sometimes my opinion doesn’t change how he thinks we should handle the situation. That’s his call. He’s ultimately responsible before God for that decision.

I wasn’t ever planning to be a wife, to be honest; it was something that I felt was out of my reach for a very long time. Because I had my son first I was ‘forced’ to be in that mom role and it’s time-consuming. It took all my extra time, energy, focus etc. After working 40+ hours a week, whatever I had left over my me, my son got. I didn’t have time for another person. At least not someone who wasn’t in it for the long haul and UNDERSTANDING that some days I just couldn’t be there for him. Some days I couldn’t text them as much as I wanted, I couldn’t call as long as I wanted, I couldn’t go out on dates because little man was sick. It takes a very special man to be able to take on that fatherly role to a child that isn’t biologically yours. I am beyond thankful that my husband has taken on that role with a passion. He has truly changed OUR son’s life in so many ways.

My next role is a mother. We have an amazing 5-year-old and one on the way. Being a mother is the most beautiful, frustrating, rewarding role I’ve ever taken on. It’s taken me a bit to grow into my role as a mother. It did not come naturally to me to be a mother. I don’t see myself as a compassionate person. I don’t see myself as a maternal person. However, when life hands you a precious baby boy you change what you need to, to give him your best. You essentially fake it till you make it. I have seen myself grow into this version of myself that I never thought would exist. It’s shocking sometimes to see how much I have changed over the past few years thankfully. This change came when I embraced that I was a mother and needed to learn how to be a better mother. EMBRACE YOUR ROLES!

The last role that I never thought I would be embracing is being a firearms instructor. Granted I’m new at this. Really new at this, but I love it. I love teaching people how to defend themselves using this particular tool. More so I love doing this with my husband. We are a team! We were both put on this earth to be teachers and leaders. Also, we have such a passion for firearms, our 2^ndamendment rights and using this tool correctly for self-defense. Teaching those things just makes sense. It’s taken me a while to embrace that aspect of my life. I enjoy shooting, I enjoy taking classes that teach me to be better, but the thought of teaching others was scary! I didn’t feel adequate enough to teach this valuable skill/tool. The biggest passion I have with firearms and self-defense is teaching moms to how to defend themselves with their children near. My husband and I have written an entire class that trains mothers to handle situations that arise when you’re at Wal-mart (for example) and you encounter a situation where you need to use a firearm.

 I’ve taken many advanced firearms classes in the past few years and with the prodding of my husband I’ve jumped right into helping him when he teaches a class. It’s shown me that I need to embrace my skills. Furthermore, it’s shown me that I CAN step-up and do this role no matter now scared I was, of teaching others and messing it up. It’s shown me to trust my husband, let me critique me and help me become a better instructor. We now own our own company to teach others.

Point is, step it up. Embrace the life that Christ has for you. Seek it out if you don’t know what it is. It might be scary, or new, or take a lot of work, but if Christ has his will involved in this new venture it will be the great decision that you ever make! Embrace the change and embrace God’s Best for your life!

Be bold. Take that leap and embrace it.

Cheers,

Nila