Embracing the Call to Ministy

My story about answering the call is similar to many others that I have heard and read about. In fact, I propose that most of us initially resist the call; we tend to run away from it. We hesitate, asking ourselves, "Who am I to be called?" and "Why me?"

Several scriptures in the Bible address these questions. I've come to realize that we are all called and chosen from our mothers' wombs, created and selected for a purpose. However, not everyone understands this, and even when some do, not everyone embraces their calling right away.

I won't bore you with details about my parents or my background story, as I usually find that uninteresting. Here are the facts: I was born on October 8, 1997. My early life was rocky; I was a sick child, and my family feared I wouldn't survive. They turned to various witch doctors, or "sangomas," who are believed to have special gifts and can communicate with ancestors. Unfortunately, none of that helped. What did work, at least temporarily, was a change of location. We moved, and that seemed to make a difference—for a little while.

Until the sickness resurfaced, my parents were understandably stressed. They turned to various sangomas for help, and eventually found one who was said to specialize in children's diseases. After seeing her, my life changed—I was healed. It's odd to think one person held such power over the health of so many children. After that, I rarely got sick, not even during flu season, except for one incident when I was hit by a car at about five or six. After months of healing, I returned to my playful self.

This may seem like a happy ending, right? But, my friend, this is just the beginning; it's the foundation. This is the marvelous work of God. This foundation sets God's plan for my life in motion. I used to despise it, but now I understand what Paul means when he says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" in Romans 8:28.

And God has surely worked everything out for His good. A lot has happened between then and now, and I will share more in upcoming posts. After a whirlwind of trying different things and being saved (accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior) multiple times, one fateful afternoon, after work, God directed me to the book of Ezekiel 3:16-21. In the New King James Version, it reads as follows:

"(16) Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, (17) "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: (18) When I say to the wicked, "You shall surely die," and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. (19) Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. (20) "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. (21) Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."

And that, my dear, is the beginning of my story with God. Every day, in unique and special ways that only He can provide, God continues to teach me about His call and consistently delivers my soul. I cannot say that I have fully embraced the call, nor can I say that I haven’t. I am learning to love some parts of it while also learning to steward other parts. Most of the time, I find myself battling with it. Recently, I am trying to honor it and do justice to it in ways that I can manage.

I often find myself asking God at night if He is really sure of me. As I type this and reflect on my journey, I can’t help but tear up. It has really been a difficult one for me, but God, in His mercy and grace, has carried me through it. My hope in sharing this journey is to bring light to someone who may feel lost or uncertain about their own calling.

With this blog, I aim to invite all those who feel called to join me, as I journey into fully working for the body of Christ and using this call for its intended purpose. This will not be an easy path, but please, come along with me. Let us allow God’s good work to guide us.