For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

The past 2 years of the pandemic has been challenging and disruptive for nearly everyone. For me, it has caused me to increased my involvement in ministry and accelerated my moving into the calling that I have had on my life since a very young age. I have had a lifelong desire to be a Priest/Pastor, but had never pursued it. Often I would think about it, but it seemed impossible.

My life until now has been in the Church, but not serving in the church. My career was in sales management and I now believe God gave me that career so that I would experience life similar to those that I would one day be serving, so that I could relate to them and meet them where they are.

Over the years I have done several spiritual gifts assessments and personality tests and they have remained pretty consistent as they should.

My top spiritual gifts are Shepherding, Administration, Teaching and Mercy-Showing.

When the Covid pandemic gripped the world in early 2020, the church I called home was Life.Church, an Evangelical Covenant Church based in Edmond Oklahoma. Life.Church had already build a worldwide online platform and presence. And with the shutdowns we were able to accommodate all the new online visitors that grew weekly as homebound people sought out worship and spiritual teaching online.

I quickly volunteered to lead an online Life Group to connect people with Christian community, fellowship and pastoral care. Soon I led several groups meeting weekly on Zoom, as well as communicating on GroupMe for private groups and individuals. God has also used me to serve others through the ministry of Biblical Counseling.

God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called.

It just so happens that God, in all his wisdom, led me in recent years to take seminary level online courses in theology, pastoral care, preaching, sermon preparation and Biblical counseling. My desire to serve God has now become the only option for me. God has repositioned me to turn my focus away from my sales career and to transition into a ministry vocation. Now I am also studying church planting.

Knowing what my spiritual gifts are gave me the courage to step out into this new calling.

The truth is we are all called and given spiritual gifts to serve God.

I am very grateful and excited to be on this path to do the works that were planned in advance for me to do. (Ephesians 2:10)