You Have a Part in God’s Story

by Rachael Adams | Oct 20, 2026 | The Love Offering Podcast Show Notes

Sometimes a calling begins with a quiet desire that keeps returning.

You notice a need and wonder whether you could help. You imagine opening your home, starting a business, leading a Bible study, or encouraging someone who is walking through something you understand. You think about the faith you hope to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Then come the questions.

Is this something God is inviting me to do? Am I equipped? What if I misunderstand Him? What if I try and fail?

On this week’s episode of The Love Offering Podcast, I’m joined by author and Bible teacher Paige Allen to discuss her Bible study, Matriarchs. Through the lives of Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel, we explore what it means to embrace God’s promises, live with purpose, and trust Him with the influence He gives us.

These women played vital roles in the unfolding story of Scripture. They also struggled with fear, impatience, rivalry, and the temptation to take control. Their stories offer encouragement and wisdom as we consider our own next steps of faith.

Recognizing That Your Faithfulness Matters

Paige’s interest in these women grew as she reflected on God’s identification of Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. She began looking more closely at the women whose lives were also woven into that family’s story.

Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel were part of the generations through whom God was forming His people. Their choices mattered, and their lives belonged within a story far greater than they could see.

Our place in that story is different from theirs, but their experiences invite us to take everyday faithfulness seriously.

The child you are raising, the person you are mentoring, the work you are doing, and the neighbor you are loving all deserve your prayerful attention. You may never know the full reach of those ordinary acts of obedience.

A life of purpose can unfold through years of showing up for the people God has placed before you.

Sarah: Learning to Wait Without Forcing the Outcome

Following God often involves a gap between taking a step of faith and seeing what comes from it.

Sarah knew the pain of waiting. She also knew the temptation to arrange an outcome herself. Her decision involving Hagar brought lasting hurt into their family.

As Paige reflected on Sarah’s story, she challenged us to consider the ways we try to speed up a process we have entrusted to God.

Perhaps we sense an opportunity and begin pushing for it before we have sought wise counsel. Perhaps we become so attached to our plans that we struggle to receive a different direction.

Sarah received a specific promise from God. As we consider our own hopes, we need to distinguish between what Scripture promises and the outcomes we deeply desire. We can bring both before Him honestly, asking Him to shape our desires and guide our decisions.

Waiting well can include preparation, learning, and faithful work. It also involves surrendering our timetable and allowing God to redirect us.

Rebekah: Seeking God’s Direction—and Continuing to Depend on Him

When Rebekah experienced the struggle of the twins within her, she sought the Lord. She brought Him the question she could not answer herself.

That is a helpful beginning for anyone considering a calling.

We can ask God for wisdom before we know what the next season will require. We can admit our confusion and seek direction through Scripture, prayer, and trusted counsel.

Later, Rebekah’s actions reveal how easily concern can become manipulation. She used deception to secure Isaac’s blessing for Jacob.

Paige’s discussion invites us to examine how we handle the people and responsibilities entrusted to us. We may begin with a sincere desire to help, then gradually become determined to produce a particular result.

Living our purpose requires ongoing dependence on God. We need His wisdom when we begin and when the process becomes complicated.

We can ask: Am I acting with honesty? Am I respecting the people involved? Am I willing to let God correct my approach?

Leah and Rachel: Resisting Comparison Along the Way

It is difficult to nurture what God has entrusted to you while constantly measuring it against someone else’s life.

Leah and Rachel understood the ache of wanting what the other had. Leah longed for Jacob’s love. Rachel longed for children. Their desires became tangled in competition.

Comparison can shape the way we think about calling, too.

Another woman’s ministry seems to be growing faster. Her opportunities look more exciting. Her family appears to have the closeness we desire. We begin questioning the value of our own work because hers looks different.

Paige draws attention to Leah’s words of praise when she names Judah. Within a painful family situation, Leah turns her attention toward the Lord.

We can practice that same turn of attention. We can acknowledge what hurts while thanking God for His care. We can celebrate another woman’s opportunities while remaining attentive to our own responsibilities.

Rachel’s story also reminds us to consider where we place our dependence. People can encourage and support us, but they cannot provide every answer or carry the weight of our deepest security.

As we pursue a calling, our confidence needs to remain rooted in God rather than in approval, recognition, or another person’s ability to open a door.

Discerning Your Next Step

During our conversation, I asked Paige how a woman can discern whether a desire is something God is inviting her to pursue.

She encouraged us to slow down, pray, and seek counsel from trusted believers who know Scripture and know us.

That counsel matters. A persistent idea deserves prayerful examination. People who love us can help us notice our gifts, consider our motives, and recognize practical responsibilities we might overlook in our excitement.

They can also encourage us when fear makes us hesitant to act.

You may not receive a detailed picture of the future. You may receive enough clarity to have a conversation, volunteer, make a plan, or begin learning a skill.

Faithfulness grows as we respond to the direction we have and remain open to further guidance.

Letting God Refine Your Understanding of Purpose

One of the most memorable moments in our conversation was Paige’s account of mentoring a young woman early in her ministry.

They met regularly to discuss Scripture and theological questions. Paige believed she was helping. Then the young woman told her that, although Paige seemed to have answers, she did not feel loved.

That painful conversation led Paige to examine her heart. She recognized that she had become focused on changing this woman’s beliefs and had begun treating her like a project.

Their relationship eventually took a different form. They began running together and training for a race. Paige learned to walk alongside her with greater humility and trust God with the work of changing her heart.

Her experience reminds us that pursuing a calling includes allowing God to shape the person carrying it.

We may need to apologize. We may need to listen more carefully or change our methods. We may discover that our understanding of success needs to mature.

Love must remain at the center of what we do.

Taking Your Place with Courage and Surrender

Perhaps you have an idea you have been afraid to explore. Perhaps you are in a season of waiting or rebuilding after a mistake. Perhaps your purpose feels quiet and largely unseen right now.

Bring that season to God.

Ask Him to clarify your next faithful step. Seek wisdom from people who will encourage you and tell you the truth. Pay attention to the opportunities to love that are already in front of you.

Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel remind us that God works through real people with complicated lives. Their stories invite us to learn, repent, trust, and move forward in faith.

The reach of your obedience may extend beyond what you can see today.

Listen to my conversation with Paige Allen on The Love Offering Podcast for encouragement to embrace God’s promises, prayerfully pursue your purpose, and trust Him with the legacy of your life.

Paige Allen