Doing Things Broken: Choosing Purpose Over Perfection

Last year, I found myself fueled up and frustrated, my spirit on fire, but my mind overwhelmed. I was tired of dreaming about everything I felt called to do and wanted to step into, but feeling ill equipped with little spare time to invest. At the end of each day, I was exhausted. There was nothing I could take off my to do list, and yet, the dreams continued to grow. 

I am a wife, mother, employee, daughter, sister, and friend with a plus one of personal side hustles and ministry life. Where in all the responsibilities of these roles could I become the writer and minister I dreamt of being? Where was the spare time to develop incredible messages, study and pray for hours, and produce life-changing content? How could I balance my schedule, doing everything well while personally growing into these callings? 

Do things broken. 

These three words answered all of these questions and changed my life. 

As I stood in my kitchen putting away groceries, pondering where I was and where I wanted to be, I heard those words: “Do things broken.” It was a sweet, subtle whisper from the Holy Spirit filled with direction and empowerment. 

I was waiting on the perfect timing, perfect schedule, and perfect me to take a step out. Perfectionism had become the starting point for my purpose. I was walking the path of comparison, believing the lie that I had to be perfectly self-disciplined and free from issues to produce anything worth while. I’d bought into the “instasham” and “fakebook” versions of life, accepting that without a Magnolia home, Ingall's’ family, and influencer following, I could never launch anything great. 

“Do things broken” was an invitation. It was a journey away from perfectionism, proving, and performance towards purpose, passion, and present living. It was stepping onto the path of grace, peace, and rest, refusing to trudge through the muck of striving, pushing, and works of the flesh. 

And, it changed everything. 

Even in the midst of my becoming I had something to offer. In the middle of battling insecurity and fear…in the middle of building my family and business….in the middle of missing deadlines for goals, hitting snooze, raising my voice, eating ice cream, and skipping work outs…in the middle of this “mess,” I could fulfill my purpose. 

Doing things broken gave me permission to fulfill my purpose without being perfect.

And, it seems I’m not the only one who needs this permission. 

I consistently find myself surrounded by friends and women who feel like their purpose has been placed on hold. It seems we’ve culturally accepted busy over best and perfectionism over purpose. 

But, it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s a better way. 

I will admit it’s a more humbling way to go. It requires more trust in God, utter dependence on His grace, and commitment to choose your purpose over perfection. At times, it feels embarrassing, impossible, and the fulfillment of purpose still seems far away, but that’s what doing it broken means. 

You keep choosing your purpose over perfect timing, perfect image, perfect________[whatever holds you back].

Is perfect holding you back from living in peace?

Are you ready to dive into the life of doing things broken?

Are you ready to hit play on your purpose and permanently put perfectionism on pause?