What is Your Purpose?

“The Cause Within You” Finding The One Great Thing You Were Created To Do In This World by Matthew Barnett.  A book Review.


Be careful in reading this book. It may cause you to give up the things that you are now pursuing and begin searching for God’s purpose in your life.

This is one of the most inspiring books I have read in awhile. Matthew Barnett is the founder of ‘The Dream Center” in LA. The book begins with how he began to lose his passion and thus decided to spend a night on the streets joining with the many homeless in that area.

He said, “I went to skid row with a secret thought that what I was doing was somehow heroic, I left there knowing that I was not a hero but a servant….Returning to the Dream Center, I realized the real danger was living a routine life not fully aligned with God’s cause for me.”

Throughout the book he gives clues to what and how we are to find our purpose in life, filled with real life examples of those who have. The emphasis is that our cause is not tied to success or the accumulation of things but, “…marrying our passions, interests and abilities with the needs of people.”

One of my favorite examples of someone finding their purpose is the story of Alena Jackson. Alena’s child contracted a infection that caused her to remain in the hospital for 18 months. During that time they shared a hospital room with another child, with serious medical issues, who was abandon by her parents. After hearing that the child was not going to make it, Alena felt God telling her to take the child home and let it her die at Alena’s house. After much arguing and fussing with God, Alena gave in to God’s will and today Alena has served in her home over 170 children with medical problems.

Another story that challenged me was Sally and Craig Kinart who, in their 50’s, felt God telling them to simplify their lives, sell what they have and move to “The Dream Center” to help serve people. Today that couple is serving as houseparents in the men’s discipleship program and also overseeing the clothing distribution ministry.

If you want to be challenged, encouraged, blessed and even put under conviction this book is for you.

One more story. Matthew felt that God wanted them to do something for the children of the homeless families staying at the Dream Center. He got in touch with the girl who was in charge and said meet me at the “Build-A -Bear” in Hollywood. Expecting 15-20 kids he was shocked to find 50 kids showing up. As they began to build and dress their bears, Matthew came over to a little girl who had a male bear. Matthew wondering why she did not have a girl bear and dressing it as a princess, questioned her. She said, “I’m making a Pastor Matthew Superhero Bear. I am making this for you.”

This book may help you in finding that one thing that you were created to do.