Full disclosure, I am not the most religious person on earth. I don’t see myself as a perfect christian. I was the kid begging not to go to Sunday school, and the kid that turned into the teenager that would walk to Kohl’s instead of sitting in youth group (only sometimes….sorry Mom). And that teenager became the college kid that slept in on the weekends, and put religion on the back burner. But that same kid did turn into an adult who sought out her own church and found one that fit her personality and lifestyle and gave her a place to worship and grow in her faith.

Sometimes, I am convinced that I have been put through situations for God to get through to my stubborn-self and teach me that he is bigger than I will ever be and that I have absolutely no control over most of what happens in life. As I have grown into an adult, I understand why my family instilled the importance in religion into me. I am so grateful for that. As I sat in our “pew” (our church is one of those hip churches that has stadium seating) last week, I realized how important Sunday service has become to me. Each week, no matter what I am going through, the sermon somehow relates to a situation in my life. It provides a glimpse of hope, inspiration, and honestly gives me the juice to keep going. It is my one hour to sit and sip coffee (yes, my church is the bomb) and recharge with a new found energy for the week.

This past week’s message hit home big time for me. Our campus pastor spoke about grace versus grit. Essentially, explaining how there no way to determine how much grace we are given versus how much work we have to put into our lives. And how it doesn’t always seem “fair.” Sometimes I get so stuck wondering why certain people seem to have it easy in life. Why do they get all of the grace? Scrolling through my Instagram friends’ “highlight reels,” I find myself wishing for fair. Wondering why things happen to me and my family and not to others (because I am a good person…right?). Why do I have to work so hard? What a terrible, narcissistic view on life to have.

Less than a year ago, I started a small fitness and nutrition business. I thought I would be a billionaire in a month and have a Kardashian high number of blog followers. That hasn’t happened (gasp!). I have high hopes, dreams and aspirations for my future as an educator, an entrepreneur, as a wife, a daughter, and a mom. Sometimes I get so caught up in climbing the ladder of life, I need a reminder.

It’s messages like this one that make me realize I would be nowhere without a relationship with God. It is a message like this one that humbles me, that motivates me, that keeps me pushing forward. It’s messages like this one that make me so grateful that my mom forced my feet into my church shoes and made me brush my hair every Sunday.

And it is because of messages like this one, I have purpose in life. And I am pretty happy with that.