A Life Not Wasted

Keri Unsworth’s Story

When life is going your way, it's really easy to think you are responsible for it. I was the breadwinner in my household and took pride in that. I reached nearly every goal I set for myself. I was well on my way to a position as vice president of marketing in the utility industry with a six-figure income.

By man's measures, I was living the good life. And my husband and I built a lifestyle committed to that income. I was losing focus on the greatest blessing ever: my family and the daily experiences shared. Attached to my phone, I was consumed with trying to control a corporate environment for my betterment. It was all about me.

I was living for me - for my name, my reputation, and my abilities.

At age 9, Jesus became my Savior, and I knew deep down that I was called to serve others just as Christ did. I just didn't know how or what that meant yet.

Somewhere between my parents’ divorce, the poor influence of my peers, and my own selfish ambition, I lost sight of God's design and purpose for my life and went the other direction. I was living for me - for my name, my reputation, and my abilities.

Then God went to work in my life to clean up my mess.

God was not first

In the summer of 2010, Perry Noble preached a message making it clear you cannot worship both God and money.  I looked at my actions. I was not tithing. God was not first in my finances. And in most cases, I was not even giving Him what was left over because I had very little left after my shopping sprees and egotistical giving to the needy.

Nothing I could say or do would justify me continuing down a path that the Lord was commanding me to leave. I knew the fulfillment I was looking for was not in a promotion or a raise, but in accepting the call on my life to follow Him on faith to wherever He was going to send me.

I told my husband, and resigned my job that night in 2010. I could not see what was in front of me nor could I really make any logical sense out of the situation, but I knew God commanded me to leave my career and step out in faith.

A new direction

It's now been two years since I've taken those steps to obey God, and it has been an incredibly fulfilling journey. God has so much more planned for my life than I could have ever dreamed of for myself. He has taken my marketing and business skills and used them for his glory.

I have started a non-profit company that helps change lives and grows the kingdom of God every day by ministering to, serving, and supporting others. I was living for me, and now I'm living out my life calling.

It's amazing what happens when God commands us to do something and we follow through. He will never lead us astray. He takes us where we are, with what we have, and leads us to where we are supposed to be. We just have to listen and step out in faith.