I’ve been working on compiling pictures for a video I’m making for my aunt and uncle’s 50^th wedding anniversary.  Thanks to my parents’ obnoxiously large tub of pictures, I’ve been able to find a few “gems” to include in the video.  Hey, to be fair, they knew what they were getting into assigning me to this project.

What I didn’t expect when taking on this project is that I would be unlocking a time capsule.  I found two old copies of Newsweek (which my mom guesses were mine – I was a very intellectual 3-year-old), pictures of my grandfather in the military, and a picture of my mom in the 70s standing next to a man who she says is a cop and I claim to be Kareem Abdul Jabbar… my real dad.  Then again, my argument holds no weight seeing as how I also uncovered pictures of my actual father and there’s no denying I belong to him – eyebrows, puffy cheeks, long eyelashes and all. It’s completely undeniable.  Plus, the fact that my athletic skills are lacking and I’m not African-American also unraveled my paper-thin argument.  Darn.  Just when I thought I uncovered a scandal.

The real shock came when, in the middle of the copies of Newsweek no less, I found a note I “detedcated” to my mom.  We figured that I must have written it when I was about six or seven.  At least I hope I did.  Just kidding.

The note is covered in stars, a self-portrait (where I have EXCELLENT hair and am wearing a headband – thank you, 6-year-old me), a drawing of my mom wearing a red evening gown (so fancy), a spaceship complete with an arrow pointing to it saying, “space ship” in case there was any doubt (and there was), and last but certainly not least, prophetic words.

In between the stars and family portraits were things like, “I love Jesus,” “Jesus is my friend,” “Jesus is God,” (apparently I had a good grasp on the Trinity and theology in general at that age), and probably the most prophetic statement of them all, “Written by Nicole Perez.”  Somewhere in that little spirit of mine God planted His desires for my life and I unknowingly wrote them down.  Clearly, talking about Jesus meant I was bound to go to bible college and this whole “Written by Nicole Perez” thing meant I was supposed to be a writer (which, we all can agree on is a work in progress).

I stood there staring at the note for the longest time because I couldn’t believe how, at this young age, I basically wrote down my life goals.  More amazing even still was the fact that I uncovered this note right about the time I needed to be reminded why I’m on this planet: to love God, love others, and to be a writer (for whatever purpose that may be).  Pretty simple, but man, I’m really good at complicating things.  Let me explain…

I complicate things by worrying too much about the big picture of my life’s purpose.  I do that by asking questions like, “Okay, Lord, so I’m supposed to be a writer, but why am I writing stuff for a bible college that most people won’t even see instead of being somewhere like CNN?” or “If I’m supposed to be good at loving others, then why don’t I make more of an effort to bless and build them up instead of ignoring needs or letting relationships fall by the wayside?” and let’s not forget, “Lord, if I’m supposed to be good at loving You, then why is it so difficult for me to pray, read my bible, go to church, and be more involved in reaching out to Your world?”

See? A simple life mission complicated by thought-provoking yet energy and time-sucking questions.

I call them time-sucking because the time I spend dwelling on/asking those questions could be time spent putting action behind my mission.  If I want to spend more time with God and be better at loving Him and serving others, I need to stop talking about it and start doing something.  If I want to be better at relationships, then I need to start by taking the time to invest in the people in my life.  And if I want to be a better writer or push my career in a different direction, then I got to put the pen to the paper and crank out articles or books while I’m cranking out resumes.

Sound overwhelming?  It is.  That’s going to take a lot of time, courage, and work to accomplish – as all life missions are.  But, like my note, we have to keep it simple.  Here’s how:

What can you do today to fulfill your life mission?  If you’re an encourager, say something encouraging to someone, preferably someone you don’t know.  If you’re an artist, make something to display in your home or to give as a gift.  If you’re a parent, go love on your kids.  If you’re a friend, give your friend a call, or a hug, or send them a note to let them know you’re thinking about them.  If you’re a human on this planet, smile or do a random act of kindness for someone else just to remind them that they’re someone who matters too (we all have that life mission).  Whatever it is you do, just do it!

Whoever you are, whatever you do, whatever it is you stand for, do something to fulfill your life mission today.  And if you’re looking for a little inspiration about finding yours, here’s a hint: if you’re doing it right, your purpose in life will be 99.9% about others and the rest will be about you.  Trust me.  That’s how it works.

Now go out there and live well, play hard, and love deeper.  At the end of the day you’ll find yourself to be more productive in accomplishing your life mission than a plastic surgeon in Hollywood.

So thank you 6-year-old self for that helpful reminder.  It’s good to know you still love Jesus, your mommy is still fancy, writing is still fun, and encouragement never goes out of style.  Oh, and thanks for the awesome self-portrait… bangs and headbands were a good idea.