Callings, Careers & Questions.

"You must wait and listen for the sound of the genuine that is within you. When you hear it, that will be your voice and the Voice of God."

- Howard Thurman
American author, civil rights leader, and theologian (1899-1981)

Waiting sucks. I've always said that I'm the most patient with people, the least with everything else. And this past year, waiting for an answer on calling and career has been a difficult one. How does one stay sane when waiting and listening for the "Voice of God" when the answers come in coming in second for job after job in careers you thought were your calling.


I have believed that my calling was in ministry. Now through a series of disappointment in finding a position to utilize my skills at a church, I'm grasping for truth in the wreckage of a life of service. In a down economy, church jobs are few and far between. And my other field of expertise, technology, is littered with unemployed applicants with more recent job experience, albeit similiar to mine.

Left with a horrible paying, yet ultimately fulfilling, non-profit job at YouthCare as a Life Skills Coach and Youth Counselor, my hopes in finding a career are again in the balance, while many questions remain. Do I continue to search for positions in ministry or technology? Do I work and wait for a ministry opportunity to plant my own church down the line? Do I "settle" for the fact that my ministry is better served as a lay person with a Masters in Theology? Do I enroll in school to persue teaching?


Teaching is where my future could be. Others have mentioned they have seen the gift of teaching in me. Is that the Voice of God speaking through them? Have I ignored those pleas to teach long enough? My current position teaching Life Skills classes has ignited a spark towards the craft of teaching within. A lot of school in prerequesite classes and tests remain. The time of waiting and listening has almost come to an end. It's now time to act. Although I'm still listening.

"God, I abandon myself into your hands. Do with me whatever you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you. I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures. Into your hands I commend my spirit. I offer it to you with all the love that is in my heart. For I love you, Lord, and so want to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands, without reserve and with boundless confidence. Amen."

- A prayer of Charles de Foucauld

back in black.

This has been a crazy past year and a half, with emotional highs and lows that I never thought I'd see. So I've decided to start writing again my thoughts in devotion and theology of life, love and faith. Today, we start with a simple verse.

Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate asked him, "What is truth?"

- John 18:37-38

The best part about the truth Jesus is speaking about is that God's Spirit of truth lives within us as the Holy Spirit (if you want to learn more, please read Acts 3:1-10). Jesus throughout his time as a human on earth was continually misunderstood, especially when Pilate and others were compelled to call him "king."

But the part that we take as comfort is that Jesus says here that "everyone who belongs to the truth" will hear God's voice if they listen. This means that if you have faith in God, that God will speak to you in that faith. God's voice can come through in our lives in many ways (which we won't get into now), but take hope in that the Spirit of God is with you. Are you listening?

Response: Chris' Blog [Week 7]

Oh, it's on, Chris! Now you've gone and started a conversation. Oh, wait, that's probably the goal of this whole internets exercise. Okay, then touche, Bolger. Touche.

Of course, I agree that the Great Commission without a solid foundation in faith is not an ideal situation. The Great Commission should be paired with the Great Commandment in ever step of ones spiritual journey. The great commandment is loving God with everything that belongs to us-the heart, soul, and mind. Furthermore, the great commandment of loving God with your heart, soul, and mind therefore reduces to the great commission term, "go". The obedience of the command "go" depends on the love you have for God; just as Jesus said written, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15).

Along the same lines, we must be sure to prepare ourselves for mission in prayer. Whatever mission we are called to or find ourselves in, from working hard at our job to flying to Africa to help kids, prayer can aid our efforts. Like a spiritual tag team, the Holy Spirit is ready to tag in into the match. And now, like me, you'll picture the Spirit as Mr. T to my Hulk Hogan.