A Purpose Fully Lived
“To know who you are is to know what you’ve given yourself to, what controls you, and what you most fundamentally trust.” —Tim Keller, “The Prodigal Prophet”
I believe each of us is born with a purpose — a calling planted deep within us by God. A purpose uniquely designed for us, woven into our personalities, into the very fabric of our being. And when we discover it, we find a deep sense of comfort and joy, as if we were finally stepping into the life we were meant to live. This purpose allows us to make an impact, to touch the world and the people around us in ways we could never have imagined.
I hope to share more reflections on the power of purpose in future writings, but for now, let’s linger on one beautiful dimension of it: a purpose aligned with vocation. Perhaps it shows up in your occupation, or maybe in your avocation — but it always lives in your true vocation, your calling.
Many of us hand over our lives to a job — something that expects us to show up each day and crank out tasks. We often dream of a vocation, that place where we get paid to do what we feel called to do, where our passions and gifts come alive. But too often we settle into a rhythm that feels safe. We wake up, go to work, keep busy, and collect a paycheck. We tell ourselves this is enough, that this is all there is to life. We hop from one job to another for a little more pay or better benefits, or we stay because staying is easier than stepping into the unknown.
It reminds me of those shimmering schools of tiny fish you see in ocean documentaries. They move together, darting and weaving, creating the illusion of knowing exactly where they’re going. But do they really? Perhaps they’re only trying not to get eaten by a bigger fish. And maybe, in some quiet way, many of us do the same.
But what if we dared to ask deeper questions? What if we wondered: Could I be missing something larger happening around me? What if my life is part of a grander story that calls me beyond my daily checklist? Have you ever been part of something bigger than yourself? Something that stirred your soul and made you feel truly alive, because it lined up with your deepest purpose and allowed your gifts to breathe? These are the questions that don’t just graze the surface of life; they reach into the depths of your soul and whisper, "there is more".
When I was young, I played in the school band during middle school and played sports well into college. In both, I discovered what it meant to belong to something larger than myself — a team, a shared rhythm, a purpose greater than that of a single person. My small individual purpose found a home within a collective one, and it changed me.
I believe we’re invited to explore these questions together. But for today, let me share the story of a man who found his purpose and lived it with quiet, steady devotion.
Roger Morigi was born in the fall of 1907 in Bisuschio, Lombardy, Italy—a village near the Swiss border, steeped in a tradition of stone carving that dated back to Roman times. His father, Luigi, was a master carver, shaping stone into beautiful, enduring works of art.
Roger began apprenticing under his father at the age of eleven. By twenty, he and his family had moved to New York City, where he kept honing his craft. At twenty-five, he left for Washington, D.C., carving details for buildings like the Supreme Court and the Justice Department.
In 1950, Roger joined the Washington National Cathedral as a stonecutter. The cathedral had begun construction in 1907 and wouldn’t be completed until 1990. Roger worked there for decades, chiseling angels and saints, each stone telling a story of patience and devotion.
By 1956, he was named Master Carver — a title he carried with humility and fierce commitment until his retirement in 1978. He was known for his quiet perfectionism, always insisting on the highest quality. Perhaps his most incredible legacy was how he mentored the younger sculptors, passing on not just skills but also the spirit of the work.
Roger passed away in 1995. I don’t know if he lived long enough to see the final stones set in place. I hope he did. But the beautiful truth is this: he spent 28 years working in an unfinished cathedral, knowing he might never see it completed. Yet he carved each piece as if he could already see the whole, trusting he was part of a story much larger than himself.
His carvings still stand in the National Cathedral today, alongside the work of those he mentored. In this way, Roger’s purpose evolved — from craftsman to master, from master to mentor — and his impact quietly grew beyond what he could have imagined.
Journaling Questions:
Who are you beyond your job title or daily routine? How would you describe your true self in a few simple, honest words?
What have you truly given your life to — and does it align with your deeper sense of purpose and your core values?
Are you swimming with the school, moving busily from task to task, without knowing where you’re truly headed?
What "cathedral" might you be called to build — a work you may not see completed in your lifetime, but that is worth every faithful, patient stroke?
What legacy are you shaping, even in the unfinished corners of your life?