Watch an interview with Christin Taylor, author of Shipwrecked in L.A.: Finding Purpose in a Life Adrift!
Christin Taylor, author of Shipwrecked in L.A.: Finding Purpose in a Life Adrift, a great memoir with helpful insights on the power of community and discovering our place in this world.
Christin shares about finding your purpose and overcoming the quarter life crisis so many in their twenties seem to experience.
Here’s the Foreword I wrote for Christin and her book:
“One of life’s greatest struggles remains discovering our place in this world. Our parents, our culture, our friends, our teachers, and so many others try to help us in this journey of self-discovery. Community can be a powerful part of the process, but often their well-meaning efforts only help us become more confused about who we are and what we should be doing with our lives.
The pursuit of purpose remains a noble and challenging one. Personally, I have been inspired by Christin as I have seen her pursue her dreams in Los Angeles firsthand and now as I read the rest of her story in the pages of Shipwrecked in L.A.. Christin brings authenticity, insights, and hope for those of us facing a quarter-life crisis, a mid-life crisis, or any crisis for that matter. As she shares her stories and her discoveries, you will find help for yourself and for others you may be helping through their struggles. Like a sherpa who has scaled the highest peaks and traversed the scariest terrain, Christin offers to be our guide on our treacherous journey and Shipwrecked in L.A. can become our map.
There is real power in discovering your identity. Having had the opportunity to help others in this pursuit as part of the team at Mosaic in Los Angeles and now at Gateway Church in Austin, I have often asked questions trying to help people find their passions and uniqueness knowing this is so critical. Using assessments dealing with personality (MBTI), strengths (Gallup’s Strengths Finder), and even an in-depth career assessment (the Birkman Method), the key has always been helping people apply what they’ve discovered.
Throughout the Scriptures, we see God calling people towards specific tasks or situations. In addition, those who follow Christ are described as having unique ways to contribute using our spiritual gifts. The Bible makes it clear: we are created to be different and to make a difference.
So once you discover your identity, then what do you do when you know who you are, know what you are here to do, and know where you are going?
In the midst of genuine self-awareness, Jesus chose to serve.
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13:3-5).
Jesus not only offered this example to us to follow, He also promised that as we lose our lives in serving others, we will find our lives (Matthew 10:39). Christin gives us a front row seat into this transforming experience in her life. As a result, she helps us become who we were created to be by helping connect us to those around us and to the One who created us for this perilous and exciting adventure.”
