PURPOSEFUL LIVING SERIES | SEPTEMBER WEEK 1- Small Beginnings, Fruitful Purpose

Happy New Month, and welcome to September!

September is a special month for me because it is my birth month. Each year, as my birthday approaches, I find myself reflecting on God's faithfulness throughout my life's journey. Birthdays remind us to pause, look back, give thanks, and recognize how far God has brought us.

This September, our Purposeful Living theme is The Fruits of a Purposeful Life: Finding Fulfillment in Seasons of Change.

As the ninth month of the year, September gives us a meaningful opportunity to reflect on fruitfulness, maturity, and fulfillment. While the Bible does not explicitly assign spiritual meanings to each month, the number nine reminds many believers of the nine qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

These fruits remind us that God's work in our lives is not only about where He takes us, but also about who He is shaping us to become.

This week, we begin with the theme Small Beginnings, Fruitful Purpose.

It is easy to overlook small beginnings. We often admire the visible results of a person's journey—the position, the platform, the achievement, the title, or the leadership role. But long before the visible fruit appears, God is often working quietly in ordinary places.

As I reflect on my own journey, I think about my early years in Ghana. As a young girl, I hawked ice water and chewing sticks on the streets of Bantama. At that time, I did not fully understand the purpose as I do now. I was doing what I could to support myself and my family(I share more in the full devotional- stay tuned).

But looking back, I can see that God was using even that season to shape something in me.

He was teaching me responsibility.

He was developing resilience.

He was shaping independence, diligence, and compassion.

He was helping me learn to recognize opportunities and embrace the season I was in.

As a young girl selling ice water, I could never have imagined that one day God would open doors for me to become a full professor at a university in the United States. The journey was not straight, and much of it was unexpected. But God was present in every season.

The Bible reminds us:

"For who has despised the day of small things?"(Zechariah 4:10, NKJV)

Small beginnings are not wasted when they are surrendered to God. What looks ordinary today may be preparing you for something you cannot yet see. The season that feels small may be developing the character, faith, humility, wisdom, and strength you will need later.

At Called to Lead, we believe that every individual is created with purpose and called to make a meaningful difference in the world. Purposeful living does not begin when life becomes impressive. It begins when we invite God into the season we are already in and allow Him to produce fruit through our faithfulness.

This week, I encourage you not to despise your small beginnings. Do not dismiss your current season because it seems ordinary. Do not compare your journey to someone else's visible results.

God can use your background, your work, your education, your family story, your challenges, and your hidden seasons to shape you for His purpose.

A life does not have to begin in great places to become fruitful in God's hands. When we remain aligned with His purpose, even small beginnings can produce lasting fruit.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for every season of my journey, including the small beginnings and ordinary places I may not have fully understood. Help me not to despise where I started or where I am now. Open my eyes to see the fruit You are producing in me. Teach me to abide in Christ, live purposefully, lead faithfully, and make a meaningful difference wherever You have placed me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Weekly Anchor Thought

A life does not have to begin in great places to become fruitful in God's hands. When we remain aligned with His purpose, even small beginnings can produce lasting fruit.

If you are looking for a simple reading to help you stay grounded in your faith- check out our book: Your Life After Salvation: Foundations for Faith, Growth, and the Christian Walk