Decisions with a Purpose: Dream big, decide wisely, and allow God to be your partner for every choice you make

By Daniela Carlos

If you want to make purposeful life decisions that will bring you health, satisfaction, joy, peace, growth, success, and certainly a lot less headaches, Coach Daniela's book is for you!

We've all made decisions in life that led to regret and disappointment. My goal is to help you understand that living a healthy life is not only based on what we eat. Our well-being is based on the decisions we make daily. A legitimately healthy life depends on a circle of daily choices that revolve around a single common good, that of obtaining a satisfying and abundant life. Our physical health and well-being does not only depend on our food choices but goes far beyond that. Every one of our daily decisions affects it, whether through our professional, financial, relationships, or spiritual choices. The way we think, how we dominate our emotions and actions--all play an important role in our health. Many decisions may seem to help us get what we want more quickly and easily but, in the long run, will bring us regret, sadness, anxiety, and bitterness. That is why we must always try to decide not by impulse, but with wisdom and preferably with God's guidance.

But Coach Daniela Carlos has some good news. It is possible to make better decisions in life. In Decisions with a Purpose, you will learn powerful Bible-based strategies and real-life experiences to help you make assertive choices and give you a real purpose for a lifetime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888322673

Book preview

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Decisions with a Purpose

Dream big, decide wisely, and allow God to be your partner for every choice you make

Daniela Carlos

ISBN 979-8-88832-266-6 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88832-267-3 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Daniela Carlos

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

Many decisions may seem to help you get what you want more quickly and easily, but in the long run will bring you regret, sadness, anxiety, and bitterness. That is why we must always try to decide not by impulse, but with wisdom and preferably with God's guidance.

Understanding How Our Emotions Affect Our Decisions

In today's world, many of us build our entire lives based on our feelings. We make decisions based on what will make me feel happy right now, without worrying about the people around us, let alone God's will.

Decision to Trust God

The truth is, we don't need to be in control all the time.

How much happier could we live if we could truly trust God's care and have the conviction that our lives are in His hands.

Perhaps you survived your own seasons of danger, struggle, and fear with God's help. Now it's time to move forward.

Sometimes we are living something we have prayed for so long but we still find a reason to complain.

Decision to Take Care of Your Body's Health

Decision to Achieve Our Goals

Decision to Love Yourself

Decision Not to Give Up

Decision to Leave the Past in the Past

Decision to Live My Purpose

Decision to Be Free

Conclusion

Acknowledgment

About the Author

Dream big, decide wisely, and allow God to be your partner for every choice you make

Introduction

Growing up I always heard my mom say, If you have a mouth, you can get all the way to Rome, which meant, we can get anywhere we desire if we simply open our mouth and ask for directions. So most of the time, I approached my mom confused and afraid of which way to go or of being discredited of my abilities to accomplish something. She would say again and again, If you have a mouth, you can get all the way to Rome. And I took this advice throughout my life literally.

I believe that if we wanted to do something, or be someone, or get somewhere, we sort of need directions on how to get there, don't you agree? We can't get anywhere in the world if we don't first prepare the itinerary. I have not yet seen anybody get in a plane without an actual destination and preparation of where they are going. Same in life. When we are making decisions, we need directions. It is very important that we ask the right questions and seek the right source before making any important decisions in life.

Life is surrounded by decisions, from the moment we get up until the time we go to bed. We make hundreds of decisions every day. Many are easy; others are complex. But every moment of every day, we make decisions. Our day, our year, or our entire life will most often be based on the decisions we make.

Every day we put into practice actions and ideas that are going to shape our life. By choosing to read this book now, for example, you are certainly looking for directions. And I believe this book to be a good source of answers for some questions you may have. You are making a decision to learn. When many people would prefer to read gossip magazines or waste their time with unnecessary conversations in social networks, you are choosing to read something that will bring benefits to your life. As Paul said,

I have the right to do anything, you say—but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything—but not everything is constructive. (1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV)

Although we desire to make the right decisions so that our plans will be successful, there is a great possibility that many times we will fail in our choices. Who has never faced the challenge of a decision, right? I believe most of us, in one way or another, and at some point in our lives, have regretted a bad decision. That's because we are human and we are only able to see the present moment. Most of the time we make choices based on our present circumstances, which very often leads us to wrong choices. But what if we seriously seek God's help? What if we totally put our life decisions in His hands, trusting that He cares and can direct us? I believe it will not only help us to make assertive decisions, but also help us correct the wrong ones.

What is the purpose behind my decisions?

Will this decision that I am about to make bring something beneficial to my future?

These are important questions that we must ask ourselves before making any decision that will influence our future.

There is a great deal of power in the decisions we make, because our success and our failure are the result of our decisions. In fact, our decisions are so powerful that some of them can actually impact for generations to come. Do you remember the story of Ruth and Orpah? Their father-in-law died, leaving their mother-in-law, Noemi, a widow. Their husbands also died, leaving them widows too. And at that time, when women became widows, they were totally discarded from society, because at that time, they were dependent on their husbands, who were the primary providers of the house. Naomi then decided it would be better to return to her homeland in Israel, so Naomi told her daughters-in-law, Look, it is better for each of you to follow your paths. I have no condition to care for and support you. You are still young, and you can still start your lives over. Although she felt sad to leave Naomi and Ruth, Orpah made the immediate decision to move on with her life, but Ruth decided to stay with Naomi. Ruth loved and clung to Naomi tearfully and begged her to leave with her. With these touching words, she asked,

But Ruth replied, Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me. (Ruth 1:16–17 NIV)

Ruth knew very well what she was doing. Naomi had warned her of the difficulties of facing a Jew at any time, but Ruth was unwavering in her determination to follow her mother-in-law and cling to her chosen faith. Only the future would prove that Ruth would be justly rewarded for her lofty decision and loyalty.

If you look at Ruth's story, you will realize that because of a single decision of hers—the decision to follow her mother-in-law, Naomi—she totally changed her own story. I imagine that she knew her mother-in-law would not be able to work hard for her own survival because she was old. I imagine that she thought that by being younger, she could work and provide for herself and her mother-in-law. On the other hand, I also keep imagining the life testimony of a true servant of God that was Naomi. Ruth had probably already witnessed Naomi's faithfulness to her God and also the provision of the God of Israel in their lives. Which of us does not like to be around people who are good, pleasant, optimistic or teach positive habits? We can all agree that we can always profit from being around good people, right? I believe this is the image of Naomi for Ruth. Naomi exudes faith, confidence, and perseverance, and this attracts people who desire to grow and become better. Ruth's decision necessarily implied her change of nationality—that is, she was willing to become a Jew and abandon her god in favor of Naomi's God. Notice that Orpah's name is no longer mentioned in the Bible while Ruth's name is not only mentioned but also became history by becoming part of the lineage of Jesus. But I believe that it wasn't just her decision to follow her mother-in-law that changed her story but the moment she said, Your God will be my God. That's what changed everything.

We must be intentional with our choices, or life will take us anywhere without direction. There is a lot of information in this book, and if you can get at least one good answer to your questions and use it to improve the quality of your life, then I have already accomplished my goal. It is important to remember that the power that many of us are seeking through various means of information also lives within us. This power is given to us by our Creator. It is a promise of Jesus for the lives of those who believe. Through this God-given gift called the Holy Spirit, we are able to make quality choices for our lives. We are led by a greater force that knows what we need and where we must go. It is the compass that we need that directs our steps into the right path.

Hi! I'm Daniela Carlos, holistic health coach and follower of the Most High God. I'm married and a mother of two. I was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and I have been living in the United States since 2001. Taking care of our health is also a matter of decision, and this is one of the reasons why I decided to write this book. A legitimately healthy life depends on a circle of daily choices that revolve around a single common good: that of obtaining a satisfying and abundant life. Our physical health does not only depend on our food choices but goes far beyond that. Every one of our daily decisions affects our health and well-being, whether professional, financial, relationship, or spiritual choices. The way we think and how we dominate our emotions and actions all play an important role in our health.

I believe that every decision we make has an impact on our health and life and the consequences that will come, whether good or bad, so I'm always very careful in making decisions (not that I've never been wrong in many of them). I learned to forgive myself when my choices are not always assertive, and I look forward to focusing on doing my best to learn. I also learned to look to God for answers for my decisions; and I had to learn, often failing in my choices, to be patient and wait for the right time to decide.

Think of every decision as a big decision. I don't mean what color you should paint your bedroom, whether it's white or yellow, or what clothes you're going to wear; but decisions that will somehow reflect on your values, health, spirituality, the success of your dreams, and so on.

Strategic decisions can transform our future for the better. Our best decisions are born out of a prayerful atmosphere. I don't mean you should pray about an important decision a few minutes before you make it, even though you may. But I mean living in a prayerful atmosphere where our connection with our Creator will cause our heart to constantly ponder our choices and what God really wants for us. The Holy Spirit will help us through our prayers with our choices and bring us new ideas. If you think about the story of King Saul and King David and their opposite way of making decisions, you will see that when faced with their challenges, King Saul invariably made wrong decisions. Although he seemed very intelligent and alert, he was not intimate with God, so he made his decisions according to his own ideas and intentions. However, King David, his successor, was the complete opposite. He was always seeking God and asking for directions before his decisions. The life of David is an example. During the moments he consulted God before his decisions, he won the battles; other moments that he decided by his own desire, he paid for the consequences. It is inevitable to reap the fruits of our decisions.

We also often need advice from people we trust and who have the knowledge and resources to help us make a decision. We can't go to a nutritionist for help on how to build a house or seek advice about our marriage from a single person. That would be unwise. So we must be very careful who to seek help from, whether that help is coming from the right source. I believe that even in this, God is helping us, putting the right people in our paths for the right time. But for that, we need to be directly connected with Him.

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers. (Prov. 11:14 NIV)

Many decisions may seem to help you get what you want more quickly and easily, but in the long run, these will bring you regret, sadness, anxiety, and bitterness. That is why we must always try to decide not by impulse, but with wisdom and preferably with God's guidance.

In this book, I will be sharing some life experiences and highlighting some strategies that will help you make purposeful life decisions that will bring you satisfaction, joy, peace, growth, success, and certainly a lot less headaches.

This book is in no way to condemn anyone of any decision they have already made in their life. On the contrary, as Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13 (NIV), "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead"; that is, what happened is past, stays in the past. Now is the time to invest in better decisions. My wish is that this book will help you learn what God really wants for your life, and that your decisions, as well as my own, are in sync with what God has already decided for us. Don't give up, because day by day we are learning and for each decision we make closer to God's will, the better our life will become.

Many decisions may seem to help you get what you want more quickly and easily, but in the long run will bring you regret, sadness, anxiety, and bitterness. That is why we must always try to decide not by impulse, but with wisdom and preferably with God's guidance.

Understanding How Our Emotions Affect Our Decisions

Have you ever looked back at some of the terrible decisions you've made and wondered, What was I thinking? Well, there was probably a chance you were not thinking. That is because when we are led by our emotions, we often don't decide by logic.

What are you led by? What drives your decisions, actions, words, and thoughts?

Many people, including myself, have at some point chosen to live by our feelings. Have you ever made a decision because it just feels right? Have you ever said something because it felt like the perfect moment? I know I have. My feelings informed my reactions to life and guided my mouth, and I confess that this is something I need to monitor myself on a daily basis. As long as I didn't throw the word out of my mouth in my moments of anger and said everything I thought was right, I didn't stop. My lack of self-control, which is one of the fruits of the Spirit, led me many times into saying words that hurt and condemn.

We can easily hurt others with our words (and most of the time those who we say we love) when guided by our emotions. Many times we say things that hurt in order to defend ourselves instead of choosing to release our cause to God. The impact of our words in the lives of those around us can be sometimes devastating. Choosing to believe that God can and will defend us is a hard decision, but in doing so, we are not only trusting Him but also avoiding causing a negative impact on other people's lives.

People who decide wisely, rather than being led by their emotions alone, are more likely to succeed in life. Will this decision really get me where I want to be? Would what I am eating, thinking, talking, practicing, investing, reading, using my time help me with anything in my life? What does God think about this decision? As much as you don't believe it, God answers