You Were Made for More Than This
Have you ever read a book you didn’t want to end—not because of the plot, but because something about the story made you feel seen?
Twice in my life this has happened to me with college courses.
I took a history class as a junior at Knox College with Professor George Steckley. The whole course grade was based on one paper. We spent the whole term working on it. Researching. Writing drafts. Rewriting drafts. And then, we finally submitted it. But, that course didn’t end on the final day either.
Professor Steckley asked me if I wanted to keep working on my final paper — for three more months. Why? Because he wanted me to submit it for a contest. He saw me. He knew me. He believed in me. And that changed everything.
That course changed everything for me. Professor Steckley had a bigger vision for me. He had a bigger impact of my college career than anybody else. He influenced my writing style more than anybody else. And, he is integral in developing my critical thinking, creativity, and boldness in writing – more than anybody else.
That’s what happens when we are truly seen, known, and loved.
Not for what we produce. Not for how we perform. But for who we are becoming.
That is the essence of purpose.
That is the heartbeat of community.
And that is the reason we created Purpose Fueled.
The second college course I didn’t want to end just wrapped up at Luther Seminary—Cultivating Church in Everyday Life.
Our professor, Dave Male, is the Director of Strategy & Vision for the Church of England, and he brought such insight, challenge, and encouragement to every session. The topic was rich. The conversations were deep. The vulnerability was real. And the global community we built—classmates from all over the world—was something I’ll truly miss.
Here are a few takeaways I’ll carry forward:
- Sacred moments happen in everyday places when we show up with purpose.
- Purpose turns the ordinary into sacred.
- Community grows when we lead with authenticity, not authority.
- We don’t need bigger platforms—we need bolder presence.
- Spiritual formation doesn’t need a sanctuary—it needs intention.
- Conversations can be holy ground.
- Mission starts at the dinner table, in the breakroom, on the sidewalk.
- Church isn’t just a building—it’s a way of being in the world.
- Church is less about Sunday and more about every day.
In my final paper, I wrote about “a church that moves toward people” - not waiting for the world to come to us, but meeting people where they are with grace, curiosity, and radical generosity.
That’s the heart behind Purpose Ignited—to help people live their purpose in community, not just some days, but EVERY day.
And that’s why we created Purpose Ignited.
