Calling: How do I know?

I know I might not be an expert on calling but it is something that I have been thinking about a lot lately especially this weekend and I will tell you why later on. I had always been taught that God had a calling on my life and although knowing that was comforting, there was a sense of discontentment that came along with that. How would I know what my calling was? What if I missed it or did the wrong thing?

From personal experiences and help from some adults I have talked to, I have a couple guidelines that I used to figure out my calling and to help me pick my major for college (which I have changed twice since  being in college for almost two semesters.) Once in a meeting with my home pastor he asked me what my passions were/ What were the things that got me fired up, either negatively or positively? This was a couple years ago and at the time I told him one thing that broke my heart was teen pregnancy because I was starting to see it more and more at my school. This is still true about me today but I have been able to expand on his question as I am going in my faith and learning who I really am. I have a passion for teenagers and the issues they face in daily life. I believe that if you can get to kids because for they get older and too ingrained in their own ways of thinking, you can bring more people to Christ and the teens themselves will live better lives. Adolescence is a crucial stage in anyones life. Most adolescence face heartbreak for the first time, are exposed to drugs and alcohol, go through their parents divorces, death of grandparents or sudden deaths (which are often times the worse, from personal experience.) This is a very hard time in life and that is where my passion is, therefore that is where my calling is.

Not to say that everything you are passionate has to be your career. I have a heart for hurting children overseas. I am going on my first mission trip this summer but as of now I do not intend on being a full-time missionary. Although I believe I could benefit from being a full-time missionary that is not where my heart is fully set. God calls us all to different areas of ministry because no one can do everything on their own. Being a missionary can be a part of my Youth Ministry calling. For example, this summer I am going on a mission trip with the youth group that I work with. Not only will I be helping the people of the Dominican Republic but I will be helping the kids in my youth group, the ones that I invest so much time and love into.

The reason I have been thinking about calling so much lately is because on Saturday I went to the CPYU Hope and Healing for Broken Kids seminar in Monroeville with one of my ministry classes. I did not expect the seminar to have the effect that it did on me. We discussed topics like self injury, which I have never really been exposed to, and suicide, which after the loss of my friend two Christmas seasons ago to suicide, touched home for me. The speaker read journal entries from teens dealing with depression, anger, and self injury. I felt myself taking on the burdens of the kids I was learning about. I just wanted to cry out and hug them. I was so effected by this conference that I began to question my calling. I began to think of the future and how every day the lives of the teens I worked with would weigh heavily on me. It would hurt like I was hurting now, maybe even worse because I would know these teens personally. Could I handle this? Was this really my calling?

Romans 8:28 

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

I was learning about passion. What it means to really care. God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him. My heartache was good. My passion will make my ministry stronger and more affective. Without heartache, how could I help teenagers going through such devastating times in their lives? Rather than turning away from my calling this weekend has brought me that much closer to it. I can see vividly the work that I need to do to aid these broken kids. I know now that I have to reach these kids. God has appointed kids just for me to talk to, just for me to love on. I may be the only person that loves that teen on earth, and its my responsibility to show them that not only do I love them but there's a God who made them and loves them so much.

Challenge of the Day

Think about your passions. What drives you? What gets your blood boiling? What makes you happiest? When you can figure some of this out you will be so much closer to your calling and figuring out what God has for you to do. It will not always be easy but it will be worth it. You will get satisfaction of a good job here on earth and satisfaction knowing that you are making your Father proud. He loves you so much that He has given you passion. Do not get discouraged when your heartbreaks. It is a sin of passion.

Love in Christ

Until later Bloggers,

Court

God's Script

It isn't even noon today and already I am ready to blog. This morning God proposed a question to me. If God were to write a script of what my day should look like, what would it be like? If I could live out this day exactly like God would have it, who would I talk to? Who would I meet for the first time? What would I do with my free time? How much time would I spend reading His word or praying? How many lives would I bring to Christ today?

Oh, how I wish God would hand me the script for the day. I feel that none of my days have reached their full potential. How sad is that? I believe that God has a great calling on my life, therefore in His plan for my life there shouldn't be any days wasted? With that being said then what makes up a productive day?

"His one requirement is so simple and yet so profound: Whatever God says to do, do it"

"What Happens When A Woman  Says 'Yes' To God"  page 20

In this book "Say Yes", Lysa Terkeurst describes how when you wake up in the morning you should immediately say "Yes" to God, before He even asks anything from you. In doing this, you prevent the chance of missing one of God's appointments for you. 

Today over lunch my friends and I were discussing how little faith we really have in the Holy Spirit. I shared with them that a couple years ago during a worship service I missed one of God's appointments. I was on the worship team as a singer but always had a strong desire to play the piano. At my church, we had two keyboards set up but only one keyboard player. In the middle of a very Spirit filled service, I felt led to walk over to the unused keyboard and play. The set up of the stage made this easy for me too. I was the closest singer to the empty keyboard it was only maybe three steps from my microphone. I felt God telling me, "You can play this keyboard without training because I know how to play" I debated with my self for the whole course of the song we were singing and before I knew it, it was too late. I missed my chance to show my faith in God and let the Holy Spirit work through me. To this day, I am convinced it was God speaking to me. 

Why else would I think about that day so frequently? That day in my life showed how little faith I have. I pray that the next time God has an appointment like that for me I won't miss it. I cannot afford to miss anymore opportunities to do the work of God.

My challenge for you today is this:

Think about the script of your day. Try to focus on what God would have you do with your day. Take EVERY chance you have to witness to people. Don't be afraid! The worst thing that could happen is they don't listen to you. Force yourself to step out of your comfort zone and do things for the Kingdom of God so that tomorrow you can look back on today and not see it as a day wasted.

With the love of Christ

Until later Bloggers,

Court