In high school, I was very active in my church and my youth group. I had an amazing passion for Jesus. It always just came naturally for me to believe. Being raised in a God-loving family, I was taught about Jesus' love from a very early age. And I have always felt such a genuine connection to Christ. All that being said, during my 9th grade year of high school, I felt such a strong calling to full-time ministry. So much so, that I decided to declare it to my family, my youth minister, and my church family. At that point in my life, I had no idea what full-time ministry was going to look like for me. I loved singing and worship--and felt that may be the path I was going to take. I thought about attending a Christian college and majoring in music. But as my senior year of high school wrapped up, I knew in my heart that I was going to major in education. I was going to be teacher.
Going to a Christian college, I had so many of my amazing friends who, what I felt at the time, were TRULY going into full-time ministry. Majoring in Christian studies to become preachers, women's ministers, and missionaries. And something in me always felt like-because I wasn't choosing to do something of that sort- that I was letting God down. Somewhere along the line, I made up in my mind, that to be in full-time ministry, I would have to become a missionary who traveled the world, or a worship leader, or a preacher's wife. And my little teaching path just wasn't going to cut it.
It is amazing how we can believe lies for so long.
This past year, I finally accepted that my full-time ministry is teaching. It doesn't have to have a certain label or standard. In my heart, God has shown me that teaching is one of the greatest ministries there is. Caring for His children, shaping their little minds and hearts, teaching them what it means to love and forgive, letting them know that there is such a thing as unconditional love. That right there--that is my ministry. And the ways God has used teaching to heal so much of my heart. It is so beautiful that it brings me to tears sometimes.
When we choose to love and follow Christ, aren't our lives full-time ministries?
It doesn't matter what our job title may be. Whether you are a teacher, a stay at home momma, a physical therapist, an engineer--whatever it may be--you have the chance to make it your ministry. We all walk down certain paths in life, meeting and serving different people. And when we start looking at our "jobs" with purpose, that is when we truly see God. That is when people start seeing Jesus.
Be Blessed!
