EP 87: Mission Driven Stories: Richard Paul Evans

"The power of believing in a personal mission is a principle that had had an impact on my own life..." ~Richard Paul Evans Richard Paul Evans is a true believer not only in a loving God but in God's desire to communicate and guide us in our personal life missions! In fact, the principle of life mission has so radically transformed his own life that Evans travels the globe sharing the message of life mission everywhere he goes. And, wanting to reach an even larger audience, Evans shared his insights about life mission in his book The Four Doors.  Not surprisingly, Richard Paul Evans is himself a perfect example of a mission driven life - having lived the 7 Laws of Life Mission without even realizing it! His story is replete with profound spiritual experiences, a strong focus on self-discovery, an on-going submission to truth and principles and a love of learning that were the perfect preparation for the powerful influence he's had in the world. With 38 million copies of his books in print, translated into 24 languages, Evans has earned a gigantic platform from which to share God's love - and he does it beautifully.  From his difficult childhood experiences to his failed businesses in his 20's, Evans is no stranger to loss and suffering. Yet, he has used his solid foundation to overcome his challenges and sacrifice immensely to realize his God-given missions. The hope and healing he has provided to millions is an amazingly inspiring legacy. Listener's Guide: Use the time stamps below to skip to any part of the podcast.  1:40  The impact of Richard's story on Audrey  3:30  Richard's difficult childhood   6:16   His mother's depression 9:21    His grandfather's spiritual power 13:30  Other childhood challenges 14:50  Youth and young adulthood 18:15   Marriage and fatherhood 21:44  Business and politics 24:28  Evans and the 7 Laws of Life Mission 33:47  Turning his will over to God 38:43  Loving truth and humanity with his whole heart 40:40  Favorite quotes from Richard Paul Evans Quotes from this episode: “I believe in God…I believe in an all-loving, purposeful God who is willing to give us hard things so might spiritually progress…In addition to my belief in God, these principles comprise the core of my personal belief system and I believe are, to a large degree, self-evident.” “Few things promise more excitement and joy than learning, self-discovery, and self-improvement.” “The power of believing in a personal mission is a principle that had had an impact on my own life and has led me to achieve things that I would have never dreamed possible…My personal belief in a divine life mission has brought me hope, understanding, and meaning throughout my life.” “As a believer in Divine intervention, I also believe that we are sometimes given specific direction to fulfill our missions…Implicit in our belief in a divine life mission is the importance of listening to those internal voices that may direct us for good.” “Fame and greatness are not the same thing. There are great people in this world—people of great accomplishment and service to humanity—who are not famous…In most cases, true greatness is a silent and lonely affair…To be of value to others is a far greater ambition than the vain hope for the world’s fleeting applause and fickle admiration.”  “The work of spiritual liberation is the work of God. Asking for Divine assistance to free ourselves from destructive and flawed mental maps is a powerful and, arguably, necessary first step…This principle correlates with six of the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.” “To magnify our lives is to take those talents and gifts unique to each of us and with them, utilizing imagination, risk, work and consistent effort,