Whatever . . . Is Never an Answer: Knowing Your Purpose in Life

By Dwayne Thompson

When you talk to people today it seems so many are wandering around in life seeking what gives them joy and happiness. Months previous to the discussion most love their jobs and this life. Not many months later, that same person is seeking another job due to unhappiness or not being fulfilled with their present job. The world has much to offer when it comes to providing momentary joy, happiness and fulfillment. But what about the long term? What is missing? Is life only capable of short bursts of joy and happiness or is there something else? This book will unveil the something else.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973670230

Dwayne Thompson

I grew up in the home of a blue collar family. My brother and I were both adopted at birth, yet four months apart. We began life in a small home in Tulsa but moved to the country and started first grade at Owasso Schools. Our summer days were filled with fun and adventure and we never slowed down until we were told to come in at dark. We played baseball during the summer and basketball and football in the fall. We rode our bikes everyday and everywhere. When it came to swimming, the majority of our swimming took place at ponds close to the house because those were the swimming pool in the country. My dad taught my brother and me hard work by example and to work for everything you get in life. Dad worked hard all his life and so working hard has never been an issue. My best friend and I hauled hay in the summer and cut and sold firewood in the winter for spending money because we had both bought cars in our sophomore years of high school and knew we were responsible for them. He and I did everything together. I loved growing up in the country and would not trade those days for anything. After high school graduation I was fortunate enough to play on a basketball scholarship through college and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. With excitement I was now ready to face life head-on and fulfill my life’s purpose. And the first question that came to my mind as I pondered my first move was, what is my purpose in life? Parts of this book speak from my experience.

Book preview

WHATEVER …

IS NEVER AN ANSWER

Knowing Your Purpose in Life

DWAYNE THOMPSON

36850.png

Copyright © 2019 Dwayne Thompson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7022-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7024-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7023-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019910346

WestBow Press rev. date: 9/9/2019

DEDICATION

I want to thank my family for being who they are, for without them in my life, my motivation to write this book would not have taken place. I thank my wife, Tonya, for being my completer for 38 years of marriage. She knows me better than any other human being and helps me see things in such ways that prove her to be my completer in life. She has been my love since high school and she will continue to be until this life is over. My son, Bryce, is not only a man of God, but a leader among men. He is a man of integrity and the son every dad hopes their son grows up to be. He makes me proud to be his dad.

My daughter, Brittne, is a special lady who not only loves God, but puts others ahead of herself. She is a role model of what Jesus taught us to be. She has traveled the world sharing the good news to all who will listen. She is the daughter that exceeds a dad’s dreams.

Kristen, my daughter-in-law, is the best I could have asked for as the wife for my son. Not only has she been the perfect wife to my son, she is also the best mother to my grandkids. Her love for God reveals itself through being a wife, a mother, and her outspokenness when it comes to God’s moral teachings. She will always be special to me - and of course, my three grandkids are perfect… most of the time.

For these reasons, I dedicate this book to them. For any good this book may bring to others, I pass on that praise and glory to my Lord Jesus, Who loved me and gave His life for me and was raised back to life so that I could experience the abundant life He promised me in this life, as well as live eternally with Him when this life is over.

And yet, for each of these mentioned above, knowing their purpose in life is essential if they are going to enjoy this life for what it was meant to be for them.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1   Wide Gate - The Perfect Job

CHAPTER 2   Wide Gate - Intellectual / Physical Ability

CHAPTER 3   Wide Gate - Inner Self

CHAPTER 4   Wide Gate - Money

CHAPTER 5   Wide Gate - Fame

CHAPTER 6   Wide Gate - Power

CHAPTER 7   Wide Gate - Confusion and Deception

CHAPTER 8   Building on a Foundation of Absolute Truth

CHAPTER 9   In the beginning, GOD created …

CHAPTER 10   Two Men Who Came to Know Their Purpose

CHAPTER 11   Narrow Gate - Knowing Your Purpose in Life

FOREWORD

Dwayne Thompson is a loving husband, a devoted father, a great friend and a committed Christian. For the last 30 years it has been my privilege to know and have a close friendship with Dwayne. In that time I have learned that he is never satisfied with the status quo, but is always asking the questions that will help bring not only himself, but others as well, closer to God. Dwayne has an unshakable belief in Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior and is submissive to God’s purpose for his life. He truly believes that God has a specific purpose for each one of us and that each one of us must do our best to determine what His purpose is for our life. Then, as we find God’s purpose and submit to it, we find that elusive happiness we all want.

This book comes from the heart of a Pastor, but more importantly, I think it comes from the heart of a husband to Tonya, his loving wife, and from the heart of a dad to Bryce and Brittne as well as his grandchildren. I was not surprised several months ago when he called me and said, Let’s have lunch. I have a question for you.

As we sat at our favorite sushi place, he asked me, what is the purpose of life? I was ready for just about any question, but that one took me aback. As we talked, my mind went back to 1998. In 1998, a movie was shown in theaters around the world that had a profound effect on the audiences that saw it; Saving Private Ryan. In the closing scene of this movie, Private Ryan, now in his 80’s, stood before the grave of Captain John Miller, the man who saved him at the cost of his own life. He asked his wife a penetrating question - a simple question, but yet, a question that is so elusive today because of the underlying meaning we find in it. He asked, Have I led a good life? The question came out of the last words Captain John Miller would say before he died during the rescue of Private Ryan. Captain Miller told Private Ryan to go live the best life he could. As I left the theater, someone said to me, you know that last scene reminds us we can’t waste our life, because the life we live didn’t come without sacrifice. As we talked, we came to the conclusion that in order for our lives to be the best they can be and to possess the happiness that everyone is so desperately seeking, it must count. Or, in other words, it must have purpose. It did not come without sacrifice!

Have you ever asked yourself, What is my purpose in life? I think