Pursuing purpose in the midst of your everyday life

When was the last time you felt passion and purpose? When did you last know that you were stepping into your dreams and walking as the person you were created to be? This weekend I gathered with other women from my church community for our women’s conference. The conversations I had and the words spoken from the stage confirmed so much of what I have been pursuing and dreaming about. They fueled the passion in me to encourage and equip women to see themselves as leaders with purpose and journey together.

These gatherings and times of feeling filled to overflowing with passion and purpose are so important, however, that feeling is so hard to keep hold of in the midst of the mundane. Real life with its dishes, cleaning, tiredness, sickness and distractions can swamp the learning and fire if we are not careful. This is where purpose and dreams are lived out and given substance.

I sat at my dining table this morning debating whether to even write today. A lingering cold is sapping my energy. Other tasks are looming on my list. The desire to numb out on entertainment is strong. I could easily have excused away ignoring the words I want to share and I believe are part of my purpose in this world. I don’t tell you these things to say “look how good I was to show up” but to say “me too.” I get how hard it is to keep taking steps forward towards your dreams. I battle the same thoughts of inadequacy and uncertainty. If I can make the choice to do the next right thing in front of me, you can too.

How do we do it? How do we live fully present and engaged in our real everyday lives and pursue the unique purpose we each have? I am still learning. I am still growing in this and I have found that often the answers are not what I really want to hear!

These are a few lessons I have to relearn on a regular basis:

  • Ask yourself what you are prepared to sacrifice and what comfort you are willing to let go. You cannot grow while in your comfort zone and our full purpose is rarely found there.
  • How can I realign my thinking to see that my everyday life is part of my purpose instead of resenting those mundane tasks? Our lives are a whole not a fragmented set of categories. Every part feeds into every other part.
  • Stop waiting until you “feel” like it and just do it. Motivation rarely comes before the task but often as a result of being disciplined and doing it anyway.
  • Look for the next right step in front of you instead of waiting for a clearly outlined five-year plan!
  • Bring your people along for the ride and seek out those who can stir up purpose in each other.

What is the secret dream within your heart? Where do you feel hints of purpose and passion straining to break free? Maybe you need to think through these lessons for yourself today and see how you can stir up those dreams at this moment, in the midst of your everyday life.


This weekend’s conference felt like the start of a new chapter for me in many ways. I had the privilege of sharing on stage about my book Stepping Up In Leadership that is releasing August 6th. I was able to share my heart behind writing it and a little of the journey I have been on. I have spent the last almost three years nurturing those words on a screen in isolation. This opportunity to connect face to face with the very women I wrote this book for was beyond words. The conversations I had with different individuals after speaking were humbling as I could already see the impact God was bringing from the words I have been obedient to write. The response to the preorder offer blew me away and confirmed in my heart how much we as women need this encouragement.

A promo video will be coming soon to share more about what you can expect in this book so stay tuned!

Preorders are available for you too! I have a sale on preordered print copies until July 31!

Stepping Up In Leadership book

The ebook version can be preordered on Kindle, iBooks or Kobo.

For my Australian friends, you can preorder a print copy here that includes shipping: https://jokoepke.com/stepping-up-in-leadership-book-preorder

For my International friends, contact me by email so I can work out shipping costs: enquiries@jokoepke.com OR you can order through Amazon (but not at a sale price)

(I have had to set up these temporary sales solution thanks to issues with my website’s shop so hopefully, it will be an easier process soon!)


Have a gathering or event coming up and need someone to speak encouragement and equipping into your women? I would love to share what I have learned with you. Find out more here: https://jokoepke.com/speaking

One Comment

  • Melissa

    I have a mantra from a couple of years ago… plan the next small step, do the next small step that helps me find motivation on the hard days ?