Created With Purpose - FREE PREVIEW

Endorsements
If we labor to be someone were not, we are sure to fail.

But one thing we can succeed at is being authentically
who God made us to be. In fact, if we knew who God
meant for us to be, we would never attempt to be anyone else.
With incredible transparency, Johannah and Victoria open their lives to reveal their own journeys into
their God-given identities. They have taken a challenging subject and made it practical and doable. Each has
a personal story of journey and discovery that will bring
great encouragement and strength to anyone willing to
accept the challenge to be authentically who they were
created to be. The activations at the end of each chapter help to remind us of our own journeys and Gods
faithfulness in our lives, so that we can walk with confidence that God will complete and make perfect the
work He has begun in us.
Bill Johnson
Bethel Church, Redding, CA
Author, When Heaven Invades Earth
Knowing who you are and the purpose for which
you were created is key to living out the life that God
intended for you. Johannah Leach and Victoria West
Henady have written a life-changing book filled with
real-life stories, testimonies, and practical applications
to direct you to your path of identity and destiny. I
highly recommend Created with Purpose: Unlocking Your
Created_with_Purpose_V5.indd 1
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Dreams and Fulfilling the Desires of Your Heart to all those

who want to be activated in their calling!
Dr. Ch Ahn
Founding Pastor, HRock Church, Pasadena, CA
President, Harvest International Ministry
It is truly heartwarming to see the next generation
embracing, articulating, and sharing the heart values of the
kingdom of God. Well done, Johannah and Victoria. Keep
changing your world.
John Arnott
Catch the Fire World
I am thrilled to endorse Created with Purpose: Unlocking Your Dreams and Fulfilling the Desires of Your Heart.
It has been a privilege to watch Johannah grow up as a
beautiful woman who shines for Jesus, full of Holy Spirit.
What a joy to watch someone so anointed carry the glory
of God through dance! I pray that God will use Victoria
and Johannahs experiences and wisdom to speak to you
about your own special identity in Christ.
Heidi G. Baker, PhD
Co-Founder and Director of Iris Global
This book, Created with Purpose, written by Johannah
Leach and Victoria West Henady, speaks to my heart
with their single-minded pursuit of the love of Jesus,
their pure hearts, and their valuable spiritual guides.
These authors candidly share their life stories filled
with wisdom from above and with unshakable convictions of the love and purpose of God toward them
and others. Their heartening words are precious jewels
from Heaven. I wholeheartedly recommend this book
to teenagers who are besieged by life challenges, and to
God-thirsty Christians.
Andrew Park
Professor of Theology and Ethics at
United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH
11/23/15 9:02 AM
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Copyright 2016Johannah Clark Leach and Victoria West Henady

All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws
of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or
reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations
or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request.
Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are taken from the
HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright
1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of
Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB
are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by
The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations
marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry
of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible;
Tyndale House, 1997, 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Used
by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked GNT
are taken from the Good News Translation, Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission. Scripture
quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.
All rights reserved. Please note that Destiny Images publishing style
capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some publishers styles.
DESTINY IMAGE PUBLISHERS, INC.
P.O. Box 310, Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310
Promoting Inspired Lives.
This book and all other Destiny Image and Destiny Image Fiction books are available at Christian bookstores and distributors
worldwide.
Cover design by Eileen Rockwell
For more information on foreign distributors, call 717-532-3040.
Reach us on the Internet: www.destinyimage.com.
ISBN 13 TP: 978-0-7684-0855-3
ISBN 13 eBook: 978-0-7684-0856-0
For Worldwide Distribution, Printed in the U.S.A.
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 / 20 19 18 17 16
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Contents
Foreword by Dr. Randy Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Introduction by Johannah Leach . . . . . . . . 13
PART ONE Be YouThe Journey
to Becoming Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Chapter
Finding Your Value, Knowing

Your Worth by Victoria West Henady . . . . . 29
Chapter
Renewing Your Mind

by Victoria West Henady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Chapter
Loving Others and Yourself

by Johannah Leach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Chapter
Redefining Joy
by Victoria West Henady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Chapter
Discovering and Embracing Who

You Are by Johannah Leach . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Chapter
Finding Your Identity in Christ

by Johannah Leach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
PART TWO The Courage to Fulfill Your Destiny . . . 131

Chapter
Living with Grace

by Victoria West Henady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Chapter
Sharing Your Story

by Victoria West Henady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Chapter
Fulfilling Your Destiny

by Johannah Leach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Conclusion Unlocking Your Dreams and

Fulfilling the Desires of Your Heart
by Johannah Leach
and Victoria West Henady . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Foreword
Dr. Randy Clark
I just finished reading Created with Purpose, written

by my daughter, Johannah Leach, and my assistant,
Victoria West Henady. I am amazed at the wisdom
and transparency Johannah brings to the issues
of identity and destiny that so many of us struggle
with. Her teachings on how to discover your identity
and destiny, how destiny and identity work together,
and how to identify those things that may be holding you back from your destiny are truly amazing
and inspiring, as are her teachings about loveloving yourself and others by loving God.
I found Victorias chapters so very encouraging
and enlightening too. Through her own personal
story she relates how the power of pain can cripple
and blind us to our destiny. But she also brings a
7
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Created w ith Purpose

message of hope and redemption; a message of the
importance of friendship with true friends and with
the greatest friend anyone can haveJesus. Well
done, Johannah and Victoria, well done! I hope
this is just the beginning of your writing careers.
While reading this book, I learned so much
about my daughterthings she had never shared
with me beforequalities of her life that make me,
her father, even more proud of the woman she is.
Her stories are amazing, revealing an undeniable
leadership gift, a heart for evangelism, and wisdom
beyond her years.
Little did I know she was an evangelist all the
way through elementary school, preaching to the
kids at recess, getting many of them to sing contemporary worship songs, and impacting the teachers
aides for Jesus. I knew they teased her in grade
school, calling her Holy Hannah, but I thought that
was because she chose to sing the Christian song
Be Magnified in the second grade school talent
show.
I didnt know about her private spiritual life
how passionate she is in her walk with God, that
she is a person of prayer, that she is so prophetic,
and that God speaks to her in dreams and visions.
One thing I do know for sure is that God has given
me a great gift, a treasure, in Johannah. Her transparency in this book opens up her life in amazing
8
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Foreword
ways, bringing a great message of hope, faith,

and confidence.
The activations at the end of each chapter make
the life lessons Johannah lays out even more practical, drawing the reader into the practice of what
she was teaching. This makes the book not only
interesting and encouraging, but it also provides
steps readers can use to begin the process of changing the way they think in order to become their best possible
selfnot someone else.
This is her first book, other than her training
manual for Dance Revelation, and she has proven
to me not only that she is a strong leader and an
amazing person, but also a writer. She captured
my interest with stories to illustrate her teaching
principles, combining the best of her parents communication styles. At times I felt like I was on holy
ground, like I was reading the writings of one of
the young Christian mystic women of the Middle
Ages. Often there were tears as I read, but always
there was encouragement and a sense of being
built up in my trust and faith in Gods love for me
and others.
I have known Victoria since she began coming
to my house at age fifteen. She is an outstanding
young woman, graduating near the top of her high
school class, graduating with straight As in college,
9
11/23/15 9:02 AM

and then going on to graduate school where she
received her masters degree in social work.
The divorce of Victorias parents during her
freshman year of high school dealt a troubling blow
to her self-perception. From a distance I watched
Victoria succeed in academics and in her career,
and at the same time struggle with her personal
life. I saw her subconscious hurts driving her to
unhealthy choices, making her vulnerable to the
control and influence of others.
Watching Victoria come back into Gods original destiny for her life has been amazing.
It has given me great joy to see her emotional
wounds healed. In the process she learned how to
break destructive choices and identify her vulnerabilities so that she could begin to live in her true
God-given identity.
As the light of Jesus came into her life, her
broken hard driveher body, mind and spirit
were rebooted and set right. Wounds were healed,
depression replaced with destiny, sadness with joy.
Lonely no more, she is now married to a fine young
man of God who loves her and honors her. The
things that the enemy used as stumbling blocks in
her life have been redeemed by God. She has taken
those former stumbling stones and built a strong
fortress, and from this place of strength she invites
others into the light of Gods love.
10
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Foreword
Her keen intellect and heart for Jesus will bring

light into your darkness, hope into your hopelessness, joy into your sadness, and healing into your
brokenness. Her pain has been redeemed, and in
her redemption she now shows the way for other
fellow strugglers to find abundant life in Jesus.
In some ways my wife DeAnne and I feel like
spiritual parents not only to Johannah, but also to
Victoria, yet our influence on Victoria is small in
comparison to Johannahs. We are so proud of what
God is doing in them and through them both.
I know you will be greatly blessed by this new
book. But after you read it, dont just set it on a
shelf in your library. Pass it on to someone else so
they too can be blessed. Buy multiple copies to give
away, because this is much more than a book. It is
a tool that will bless, comfort, encourage, and motivate all who read it.
11
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Introduction
Johannah Leach
BE THE BEST YOU YOU CAN BE

Do you know that it really is possible to courageously be yourself, fulfilling the dreams God puts
in your heart? I know this to be true. As Victoria and
I share our stories, we invite you to walk with us and
courageously discover your own identity in Christ. It
is our prayer that as we make this journey of discovery together, you will be encouraged to embrace who
God created you to be, and in the process you will
learn to love yourself and others, and to fulfill your
destiny. Today is the day to start being true to who
you are, to what your stories have taught you, and
how your personal journey has moved you forward
in your walk of faith. Remember, each persons walk
13
11/23/15 9:02 AM

is different, but we are all made in Gods image to be
exactly who He wants us to be, perfect in His eyes.
God wants you to live in the identity He has
for you. When you try to be someone other than
yourself, someone other than who God created you
to be, you end up as less than the best version of
you. When you are true to your God-given identity, you can more naturally fulfill your purpose.
As you free your mind from the competition of the
world, focusing instead on your purpose in life and
not comparing yourself to others, you open yourself up to letting go, so that your mind can focus on
greater things. When Im comfortable with myself
and my relationship with Jesus, I can feel perfect
peace in the midst of any of lifes storms.
God is calling us to build the foundation of our
life on His Word, instead of comparing ourselves
to others. When Gods Word is our foundation, we
find the faith and hope to fulfill the dreams He has
put in our hearts. Paul tells us in Second Corinthians 10:12, Not that we dare to classify or compare
ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves
by one another and compare themselves with one
another, they are without understanding (ESV).
We need to learn to live for today, because none
of us know what tomorrow may bring. Live each day
as a fresh start, a fresh way to make a difference,
14
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Introduction
a fresh chance to be the person you were made to

be. When you wake up in the morning, think of
how today is your very best day. Look at things with
fresh eyes, and focus on the bigger picture that is
in front of you. Keep childlike hope, love, and faith
alive in your heart every day, for each day is your
first and only time to experience what God has for
you on this particular day.
Be thankful for the people in your life. See the
best in everything around you. Appreciate the here
and now. Learn to live in the moment. Open your
heart, soul, and mind to learn from yesterday and
apply it to today, faithfully believing for a greater
tomorrow. And in everything you do, be you.
I am grateful to share my testimony. Testimonies are powerful and meant to be shared. They
build faith and hope in others. Sharing my testimony helps me keep perspective, and I believe
sharing your story will do the same for you.
Remember, your story is designed to ignite faith
and encourage others to rise up and be the person
God has called them to be, because if He did it for
you, then He can certainly do it for others.
Your story can impact lives more than you can
possibly imagine. How many times can you recall
hearing someones testimony and being encouraged? When my good friend, Victoria, shared her
testimony, I remember thinking, Wow, she went
15
11/23/15 9:02 AM

through all of that and she is still so amazing! The
person that she is today gives no hint to the challenges she experienced growing up. Her testimony
has encouraged me to hang on to a positive outlook, and to reach out for Gods grace and hope
in faith.
Before we go any further, let me introduce you
to Victoria. I am so honored to write a book with
her. She is a woman of wisdom and an encourager
to me. I admire her and who she is. Victoria likes
to come alongside people and make them look a
thousand times better, all without asking to be in
the spotlight or even to be recognized. She has
a servants heart and longs to see everyone reach
their goals. She is a refiner and steward too. Victoria has taught me so much just by being herself and
doing what is normal.
I am continually amazed by how much Victoria
can accomplish in just one day. She is a hardworking individual who strives for excellence, but she
is totally okay with failing. She has been my good
friend for the past fourteen years, and an amazing
employee for the last five years. Victoria is like a
sister to me, and although lately our time together
is typically spent working, our friendship only
grows stronger.
Victoria and I first met when I was fifteen, in
September of 2001. I had just moved from St. Louis
16
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Introduction
and started public school at Cedar Cliff High

School in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Being the new
girl, and having been homeschooled for the past
two years you can imagine how everything was
somewhat of a culture shock to me.
When I walked into the different classrooms
on my first day of school, everyone thought I was a
substitute teacher. Perhaps it was because I carried
myself with confidence, and didnt care what others thought of me, or maybe it was because I was so
tall for my age, but it must have been obvious that
I loved life and looked at everything with a positive
outlook. I think it was all those things combined
that made people think I was much older than I
actually was. Needless to say, I was somewhat in the
spotlight that week.
I quickly learned who everyone was, and who
was in each clique. It was a bit overwhelming at
times, so I prayed a lot. I knew God was with me,
and when I called on the Holy Spirit, I felt His presence and felt secure. Overall, everyone was very
welcoming toward me, and I was excited to meet
new people. I spent a lot of time just observing,
taking everything in, and not saying too much. At
times I remember thinking, These people seem
like they could use the Lord, and Im just the person to share His love with them. I was not sure who
would be my good friends, or how I would impact
people at my school, but I was hopeful and excited
17
11/23/15 9:02 AM

to see what the next four years of public school
would blossom into.
During this time the youth group in our new
church was the place where my real friendships
formed. Although I was slowly making friends, they
were just classmates and our friendships did not
extend much further than school. After school, I
spent most of my time with church friends or family. I never went to football games, parties, or other
get-togethers. I didnt even know what people did
at those events. A lot of my hesitation stemmed
from the fact that many of the invites came from
older boys and upperclassmen. My older brother
and his wife took me to my first high school dance.
We got all dressed up, stopped in to dance for a
bit, and then went home to watch the Miss America Pageant. I had been asked by several boys to
go to the dance, but said no, because I wanted to
protect myself.
At the time I met Victoria, my family was temporarily living in a hotel while our house was being
built. Victoria thought this was the coolest thing
ever, and so did a lot of other people at school.
People wanted to be friends with the girl that
lived in the nice hotel and had just moved from
the Midwest.
Victoria had lived in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania all her life and already had a lot of friends
18
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Introduction
there. When I met her, it was a Friday night and

one of Victorias close friends wanted her to
meet me, so they made a quick stop at the hotel.
I remember thinking how funny Victoria was.
As she and her friends zipped off to the football
game, they seemed so carefree, so fun, and outgoing. They were all extremely stylish and cool, too. I
was intrigued. I felt like I would fit right in, and I
wanted to be part of their group.
By the time second semester rolled around Victoria and her group of friends had started to hang
out with me every weekend. Victoria found herself
at my house every Friday night and became like a
sister to me. We seemed to balance each other out
and loved spending endless days together. We had
so many memorable moments together, journeying
through exciting, sad, challenging, and hopeful
times. We experienced lifes growing pains together
and were completely honest with each other. This
honesty kept us accountable, because sometimes
we lost sight of who we were. In the midst of it all
we had fun.
Sophomore year was a sweet stage in my life. I
think my friends loved spending time at my house,
because they felt appreciated, and loved, and safe. I
was able to make tons of friends, to be myself, and
to impact lives by the high standards I set and the
value system I lived by.
19
11/23/15 9:02 AM

Between my sophomore and junior years, I
got my drivers license. A few weeks before school
started a bunch of us piled into my car and headed
to a local carnival. I missed a bend in the road,
and went off into a ditch. We were headed directly
toward a bank of trees when the car flipped endover-end two times before landing on the roof and
finally rolling over into the opposite lane of traffic.
A car full of friends behind us saw the accident and
thought we were dead.
When we came to inside the car, we thought it
was on fire because we saw smoke, though we later
found out that the smoke was from the airbags
deploying. The car was totaled. All the windows
were shattered, and some of our personal items had
been ejected through the sunroof. Miraculously,
all four of us walked away from that accident, with
the most serious injuries being a strained neck and
a bruised chest from the seatbelt. After the accident Victoria and I became very close and talked
quite frequently about how God sent angels to protect us. It was a miracle we were alive and without
serious injury.
As I reflect back on those high school years and
everything we went through together, I see now
what Victoria was going through personally. I recall
how she dealt with her parents divorce and how
she got involved in a serious relationship with an
older guy who was not the greatest example for her.
20
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Introduction
She struggled at times, not knowing how much she

was really worth. In the midst of it all, she still had
perfect grades and seemed to have her life together
on the outside.
My life certainly was not blameless during those
high school years, but even though I had sin in my
life, too, I was always reminding Victoria of her
worth and value, sharing with her and my friends
that there is a God who loves us. I was determined
to continue to strive to share Jesuss love even when
I failed, because I know Jesus never fails us. He is
full of grace and forgiveness.
True repentance is all about turning and walking in the other direction from the sin that has you
in bondage. Although I was not always able to get
out of my habitual sin, I knew God loved me. And
I knew He loved Victoria too, although she didnt
yet know Him. I believed with all my heart that one
day she would invite Jesus into her heart, be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and call Him her Lord and
Savior. I knew God had His hand on her life, and
so I always prayed that He would soften her heart
and make Himself known to her.
We graduated from high school and Victoria
left for college. We werent able to see each other
every day and hang out on weekends like we used
to do, but we kept in close contact and would visit
as often as possible. She inspired me as she followed
21
11/23/15 9:02 AM

her dreams and met her goals. Even though her
faith was not a big part of Victorias life, she was a
good person and was more of an example of what
a Christian would look like or act like than some of
my friends who called themselves Christians.
While Victoria was in college, I started a dance
school called Dance Revelation, which kept me
quite busy. Fortunately for both of us, Victoria was
able to move closer during her last few years of college to help me with the school. She taught me how
to manage my time and to think faster, and thankfully, she took on the workload that I didnt have
time for, since I needed to teach dance. In short,
she was a lifesaver. At one point, I thought I was
going to break under the strain, but Victoria swept
in and took the load off of me. I am so thankful
for the many ways she has come alongside me and
helped me carry out my vision.
Victoria and I worked together for about two
years, until she moved to Philadelphia to go to
graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania.
Staying in touch with her during those two years, I
watched Victoria walk through some of the darker
times in her life. She was getting older, and she
chose things that were emotionally hurting her. I
just stayed close to her without shoving Jesus down
her throat, praying for her and loving her every day.
22
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Introduction
After graduate school, Victoria worked for a

year in Philadelphia before doors opened for her
to return to Dance Revelation. I am so glad she
walked through the doors God opened. She moved
back to Mechanicsburg and has partnered with
me in running Dance Revelation ever since. I am
so thankful for her and for our friendship, and I
look forward to wherever God may take her in life,
cheering her on and wanting the best for her. Im
so happy she was able to write this book with me. I
know you will appreciate her powerful message and
great insight as much as I do.
WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR

US, HE CAN DO FOR YOU
Victoria and I believe you will be positively
impacted as we share our stories with you, and
more importantly, we believe that what God has
done for us, He can and will do for you too. Jesus
is waiting to bring you closer to Him, propelling
you further into your destiny. Trust Him and He
will show you how to unlock your dreams and realize the desires of your heart. Friends can walk with
you, but God is ultimately the One who will get you
where you are going.
In life, we get to experience each day in a brandnew way. Although life may sometimes seem to be
the same old thing with the same daily tasks, we
should remember that each and every day is new,
23
11/23/15 9:02 AM

and a gift from God. During my high school years,
where most days consisted of the same schedule, I
had the choice to look at every day as a new day
and a new adventure to be lived, or to get caught
up in the routine of it all. I chose adventure, and
Im glad I did. I would not have had the same experience in high school without knowing how much
God loved me. I know His mercies are new every
day, and that He wants my hearts desires to be fulfilled. This positive outlook on life is the heartbeat
of my testimony.
If youre wondering if my life is always all sunshine and rainbows, Im here to tell you its not!
Ive had my share of trials, but every day I make the
choice to view life through the lens of Gods faithfulness, grace, and love. If someone were to rename
me, I think my name would be Faith.
I want to encourage you to live a life of faith.
Take charge of your life and choose to see how
much God loves you. Choose to be thankful.
Choose to spread the love of God to others even
when you dont feel like it. Have faith in Him
because He will never let you down.
Throughout this book, as I share stories from
my own life, youll see them intersect with Victorias
practical takeaways and principles. Each chapter
ends with an activation exercise, recapping what
you have just learned. These exercises are designed
24
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Introduction
to encourage you and show you how to walk out

what you are reading. Remember, we are on earth
for just a short time. Our eternity is in Heaven with
Jesus. You have a purpose in this life! Get ready to
step into your destiny!
25
11/23/15 9:02 AM
PA RT ON E
Be You ~
The Journey to
Becoming Yourself
27
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Chapter
Finding Your Value,

Knowing Your Worth
Victoria West Henady
Instead, it should be that of your inner self,

the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet
spirit, which is of great worth in Gods sight.
P :
FINDING YOUR VALUE IN CHRIST

Do you know that you are of great worth in
Gods sight, and that your lifes story is a testimony to the grace of God? When I think about
where I have come from and my testimony, I realize that each of us has a story to tell. Even if you
29
11/23/15 9:02 AM

were born into a loving home with faithful parents,
you will likely experience trials, triumphs, and difficult moments that shape who you are. When you
feel frustrated or overwhelmed by life, its good to
remember that youre not alone. And it helps to
learn others stories to better understand who they
are and how you can relate to them in ways that
are honoring.
Our stories build our testimonies, and these
testimonies build faith in our hearts. They
strengthen our relationships and honor God. As
Christians, we should share our testimonies so
that God can receive the glory. As we hear the testimonies of others, and come to understand their
journey, we can more easily guide them to salvation, or if they are already saved, to help guide
them through their trials and their triumphs.
You may be unsure of your relationship with
God or where your faith stands, but regardless,
your testimony is important to God and to others.
Take the time to write down your story, even if it
is just notes or a diary entry. This type of journaling will help you realize where youve come from,
what youve been through, and how God is shaping
you to be just who you were meant to be. When you
understand yourself and your journey you can better understand other peoples journeyswhy they
are the way they are, and how to relate to them in a
deeper way. It is in these deeper relationships that
30
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Finding Your Value, Knowing Your Worth
we come to value ourselves and others so much

more.
In Romans 8:28, Paul writes, And we know that
in all things God works for the good of those who
love Him, who have been called according to His
purpose. If we know that we have a purpose in
God and that He has a purpose for us, what does
that tell us about our worth in Him? How can we
find our value? What do we have to give that is useful, important, or life changing?
Lets begin with the aspect of value. Values, in
general, are the morals and ideals we hold to be
true. But, I believe our own personal value is much
more than that. Some of us base our personal value
on how well we uphold our ideals. For example,
we may feel unworthy if we stray in our marriage
or lie to our spouse because we know these things
are morally wrong. But no matter how bad our
deeds, our true value is not based on what we do.
Rather, it is based on what Jesus did. Jesus died on
the cross for our sins, forgiving them all. As a result,
our worth is no longer defined by what we do, or
even who we are. Our value now comes from Christ
within us. That being said, Christs work on the
cross does not give us a license to sin. This is why
Paul says in Romans 8:10-14:
But if Christ is in you, your body is dead
because of sin, yet your spirit is alive
31
11/23/15 9:02 AM

because of righteousness. And if the Spirit
of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is
living in you, He who raised Christ from
the dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligationbut it is not to the sinful nature, to
live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if
by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds
of the body, you will live, because those who
are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Here Paul is telling us what it means to have
Christ live in us. It is when Jesus lives in us, in the
power of the Holy Spirit, that we are able to find
our true value. While the world values us according
to our usefulness, with Jesus in us our usefulness
is endless. In Christ, what God has for us is more
than we can ever imagine. He has promised us His
kingdom, the glorious kingdom He died for us to
receive. Sometimes we may not feel that we have
value, but in Heaven our value is unending and
limitless because of Jesus.
Let me say a word about abilities here. We often
hear worth and value used interchangeably, however, our worth can also include our abilities. In the
worldly sense, we know many limits to our abilities,
and it can be overwhelming to feel that we cant do
32
11/23/15 9:02 AM
or achieve something. However, in Christ, our abilities know no limits. Thats true freedom!
KNOWING YOUR WORTH

Have you ever struggled with feelings of worthlessness? I recall feeling utterly worthless during
difficult times in my life. Even though in my mind
I knew I had value because Jesus was in me, and
I knew Gods opinion of me was real, I was still
often overwhelmed with feelings of unworthiness.
I would think, How can anyone accept me after
all Ive done, after who Ive become? Then one
day I heard Johannah say, Victoria, God accepts
you just the way you are. Hes waiting for you
with open arms. Every time you run from Him,
He waits and His arms open even wider. He will
accept you whenever and however you choose to
come back to Him.
When the truth of Johannahs words finally settled into my heart and my mind I was finally able to
embrace that it was okay to be who I was, to be who
I amto have a past and a futurebecause God is
willing to accept me no matter what. He is the one
who gives me my true value, and He is the one who
defines my true worth.
Even though you may understand what Jesus
is saying, its still hard to actually feel worthy sometimes. You can go through the motions, say the
33
11/23/15 9:02 AM

wordsYes, Im worthy of Gods love. Yes, I believe
He values me, but it is another thing entirely to
feel that truth. So many times we feel like we dont
deserve something, that were not worthy of something, but its important to remember, thats not
the voice of God. That is the devils voice speaking
to us. God doesnt need us to do anything but follow Him. In His eyes we are endlessly worthy and
immensely valued. Even when we dont feel worthy
in a worldly sense, we are certainly worthy in the
godly realm.
Most of us have been programmed to feel like
our value and worth come from what we do or who
we are in life, because thats how the world thinks.
For example, you may feel more valuable if you
have certain skills, a certain job title, or a certain
salary because society respects specific roles, jobs,
and titles more than others. If we focus on how
the world thinks it will definitely shake our foundation, and make us feel unworthy. Those feelings
of unworthiness can be detrimental, but when we
learn to find our worth in Jesus, which is where our
true value comes from, then we can focus more
on the heavenly and less on the earthly. Remember, your worth is found in Christ and Him alone.
When that kind of thinking takes hold in your life,
get ready to experience true joy.
So where do you begin on the journey to fulfilling your purpose? The first and most important
34
11/23/15 9:02 AM
step is to give your life to the Lord. In the gospel of Matthew, as Jesus sends out the twelve, He
tells His disciples what it means to lay down their
life for Him:
Anyone who does not take his cross and
follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever
finds his life will lose it, and whoever
loses his life for My sake will find it. He
who receives you receives Me, and he who
receives Me receives the One who sent Me.
Anyone who receives a prophet because he
is a prophet will receive a prophets reward,
and anyone who receives a righteous man
because he is a righteous man will receive
a righteous mans reward. And if anyone
gives even a cup of cold water to one of
these little ones because he is My disciple, I
tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose
his reward (Matthew 10:38-42).
This passage is important to our understanding
of our identity in Christ, because it lays out how we
are to find worth and value in fulfilling the mandate to build discipleship. Jesus clearly tells us that
in order to fulfill our destiny, in order to solidify
our worth, we must first lose our lifelay it down
and follow Him. It sounds like a tall order, but it
becomes easier the more you get to know Jesus.
35
11/23/15 9:02 AM

ACTIVATION
I encourage you to write down the ways you feel
valued, and the ways your abilities make you feel
that you have worth. Do you feel value from your
relationships, from your own inner views of yourself? Do you feel worth from your ability to do your
job? What about from God? Does He make you feel
valued? Do your God-given gifts give you worth?
Remember that the day-to-day things of the
world that validate you will come and go. They are
subjective, but God is objective. He will not stop
seeing value in who you are or worth in what you
do. No matter what your day is like, your value is
Christ in you. Your worth comes from how the
Lord sees you.
When you feel unworthy, write down the ways
you see yourself. Then write down the way God
sees you and compare the list. If I start to feel a certain way about myself and what I can accomplish,
my husband will say, Does God think you are like
that? Does He put those limits on you? Who matters
most? Of course I know its God who matters most.
Thats when I remember to surrender those negative thoughts. Because I know negative thoughts
are not from God, and because when I embrace
Gods view of me, I can see how He values me.
Write down three ways you feel value in the natural, then three ways you feel value from God. Do
36
11/23/15 9:02 AM
they intersect at all? How can you put more weight

into the value that comes from God and less into
the value you get from your natural circumstances?
Be uplifted as you come to understand how much
God values you, and how He defines your worth.
He is waiting for you, no matter how many times
you turn away or fail. He will welcome you back
time after time, without judgment or shame or condemnation, because He knows your true worth. His
love living in you is your true value.
37
11/23/15 9:02 AM
Unlocking Your Dreams
A
J C L
V W H
Johannah Clark Leach is the daughter of Randy

and DeAnne Clark, founders of Global Awakening.
At the age of six, she felt that she wanted more of
Gods presence and discovered a way to gain this
through the art of dance. Over the years, she ministered to children in the church, teaching them how
to experience Gods love through worship. At the
age of twenty-one, she founded Dance Revelation
in the basement of her parents home. Since then,
it has grown over eight years to over two hundred
students. Her heart of ministry leads her to mentor
young students and teens as well as her staff as they
grow in their art form and press into the love that
Jesus has for them.
Victoria West Henady is the personal assistant of
Randy Clark and the administrator of Dance Revelation. Close friends with the Clark family for
over 10 years, she serves both Randy Clark as well
as his daughter, Johannah. Victoria has a formal
background in counseling and earned a Masters
Degree in Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania while working for Dance Revelation part-time.
189
11/23/15 9:03 AM

She has since joined the ministry staff full-time and
mentors some of the older dance students. Victoria
has a passion for non-profit ministry, and during
the evenings, she facilitates a social skills group for
youth who are overcoming obstacles in their lives
such as autism, developmental disorders, and a history of trauma.
190
11/23/15 9:03 AM

Created With Purpose - FREE PREVIEW

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Created With Purpose - FREE PREVIEW

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Endorsements

If we labor to be someone were not, we are sure to fail.

Dreams and Fulfilling the Desires of Your Heart to all those

Copyright 2016Johannah Clark Leach and Victoria West Henady

Finding Your Value, Knowing

Renewing Your Mind

Loving Others and Yourself

Discovering and Embracing Who

Finding Your Identity in Christ

PART TWO The Courage to Fulfill Your Destiny . . . 131

Living with Grace

Sharing Your Story

Fulfilling Your Destiny

Conclusion Unlocking Your Dreams and

I just finished reading Created with Purpose, written

Created w ith Purpose

ways, bringing a great message of hope, faith,

Created w ith Purpose

Her keen intellect and heart for Jesus will bring

BE THE BEST YOU YOU CAN BE

Created w ith Purpose

a fresh chance to be the person you were made to

Created w ith Purpose

and started public school at Cedar Cliff High

Created w ith Purpose

there. When I met her, it was a Friday night and

Created w ith Purpose

She struggled at times, not knowing how much she

Created w ith Purpose

After graduate school, Victoria worked for a

WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR

Created w ith Purpose

to encourage you and show you how to walk out

Finding Your Value,

Instead, it should be that of your inner self,

FINDING YOUR VALUE IN CHRIST

Created w ith Purpose

Finding Your Value, Knowing Your Worth

we come to value ourselves and others so much

Created w ith Purpose

Finding Your Value, Knowing Your Worth

KNOWING YOUR WORTH

Created w ith Purpose

Finding Your Value, Knowing Your Worth

Created w ith Purpose

Finding Your Value, Knowing Your Worth

they intersect at all? How can you put more weight

Unlocking Your Dreams

Johannah Clark Leach is the daughter of Randy

Created w ith Purpose

Potrebbero piacerti anche