Finding Purpose Without Planning

It seems like my whole life I have been following a plan that I laid out for myself :

1. Go to college and graduate on time with a degree that showed that I lived up to my potential, not took the easy road.
2. Find a job and join the work force to prove that I am actually using the degrees I worked to earn.
3. Make everyone else happy and don't let anyone down.

And I accomplished these, but all with the sinking feeling that I was not on the right path, that I was going through the motions but without purpose.  I have worked two jobs that sounded OK, and paid me well, made me miserable day in and day out.  I worked for people who didn't care about me, not as an employee and certainly not as a person.

I didn't start my journey to Memphis to find my purpose, I packed my bags for love and along the way found more to love than I ever imagined possible. My purpose is a cluster of light pink buildings in downtown Memphis that in this short 2 months have showed me that there is more than going through the motions.

I work for ALSAC St. Jude. I work to raise funds so that children will one day be able to lead full, healthy, and happy lives.  I go to work everyday for HER.

Our CEO challenged us to pick a patient and work for them. When we are tired or frustrated to remember we are not fighting nearly as hard as they are. We don't work to pad a corporate bank account, we work because it takes $1.7 million/day to operate this hospital so that kids like Emma get the chance to keep fighting. I now have a drive to do my very best work, put forth the effort it takes to make anything I do a success all because I know that this is what I was meant to do.

I always thought St. Jude was a great charity when I would see it on TV, but I never knew how truly inspiring and amazing it is.  I took a huge leap of faith and ended up right where I belong.

Take a minute to read what can happen when you stop following your own plan and let Someone Greater direct your path.

Danny's Story