It got me thinking about what a 'calling' is.
Someday I would love to have a ministry working with women who have been abused/ feel like they have no worth. I'm not sure what exactly that is going to look like- but I have thought about it..a lot. I have a name for this ministry, I have steps I want to take to get there. God has given me a passion for this. He has given me a passion to speak value into peoples lives. I want people to know they are special- that God created them specifically and beautifully. You could say I feel called to this type of ministry.
I wonder what my life would look like if I hadn't taken on responsibilities that didn't exactly line up with my calling. During my time with YWAM Haiti I have worked in housekeeping, office communications, FCC and DTS staff, translating, dance camps, youth group, if you were my daughter and prison ministry. On the surface, none of those things look like 'working with women who have been abused/ feel like they have no worth'.
The truth is, these ministries have everything to do with what I am called to. I have learned how to communicate with honor and respect, discipleship, how to practically take care of things and clean with excellence, how to lead a bible study, how to clearly translate from english to kreyole (still a working progress), how to see people in prison through God's eyes, how to love people even when I don't agree with them and SO much more.
We are called to love. To love God and love others. Out of real and true love comes discipleship, honor, respect, kindness, patience, selflessness, correction, humility and so much more. That is my calling.
I could have been asked 'Hey, Kristen, will you work in housekeeping?' and said, no, thats not a part of my calling.
And I have a feeling God would have asked me something along the lines of 'Can you love, respect, honor, show value, and be kind to people through housekeeping?'
Yes, I can.
Maybe you don't feel called to a certain people group or maybe you are being asked to help with something that doesn't seem to fit with what you want to do with your life. If God has put you there, I promise he is working it out for your good. God knows what we need and He knows where to guide us.
I know we can all love God and love others in any and every place that He leads us to.