The words of Maya Angelou’s classic poem Still I Rise echoed in my ears as I created the character of Lydia Green and her story, Rise. The word “still” in the title speaks of overcoming adversity. Lydia has been fighting her own battle against spousal abuse for many years and is on the brink of taking her life in the first scenes of the story. I use the analogy of a cliff and stormy waters to depict what is going on in her soul:
“…The rocky edge she clung to was slipping away, exposing her to the crashing waves below. She could taste the bitter waters running past her tongue, down her throat, filling her lungs as her body sunk into oblivion. Once she was there, she wouldn’t have to feel or think or even speak again. Just lie down, close her eyes and sleep the misery away. She would be free.”
But God wasn’t about to let Lydia die, not at the hands of her husband or by her own hand. He threw her a lifeline. All she had to do was reach up and grab it and His strength would do the rest.
Your life has meaning because you are created by a loving God. Many people live and die without ever finding their purpose. Is it any wonder that many feel hopeless and lost? It doesn’t have to be that way. Living on purpose is fulfilling and satisfying. You don’t have to make a pilgrimage across the world to find yours. It is right inside you waiting to be discovered. Go.
Life on Purpose
