Sisters in Spirit is a series of essays by a group of women who felt a spiritual perspective lacking from the steady stream of daily news. They each agreed to carve space monthly on their blogs for a spiritual conversation. The topic this month is: our calling and purpose.
Have you ever met someone who knew what he wanted to do professionally from childhood? The future judges who drew gavels and scales and first grade craft time. The athletic superstars who started playing their chosen passion before they could read. The photo of Bill Clinton shaking JFK’s hand when he was a teenager attending Boys’ State.
Some folks know. Some wander. Some fall into careers as a matter of survival. A door opened, they walked through it to take care of their family’s immediate needs, and looked up 40 years later.Some never attach their life purpose to a career.
I am participating this year in a virtual Bible study. We are reading the “One Year Bible” and discussing it as we like, online. Each day, we read a bit of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and a Proverb. In reading the New Testament in particular, I am struck by how many folks were willing to drop what they were doing to follow Christ.
There were fishermen who left their nets in the sea. Women who left their water at the well. As the word grew about Jesus’ teaching and healing, many were willing to lay at His feet and grab at His robes, hoping for a new beginning.
I imagine the 12 disciples felt they had a purpose before Jesus shook up their social calendars. I’d guess they all thought they had life figured out. Fishing. Providing for their families. Worshipping God and the commandments Moses had given the people generations prior. And then Jesus, in his dusty sandals, wandered into town with the ultimate purpose and gave their lives a new meaning.
My calling? I have always wanted to be a novelist, wife, mother and explorer. I can only hope I’d have the courage to follow Christ the way the disciples did if given the chance. I do know the more I study the Bible, the closer I feel to God – which brings me comfort. I’ve recently considered attending seminary, although the doubts of my many imperfections are keeping me from applying. Shouldn’t one feel “called” to be a minister? Have a specific sign? A feeling in the gut?
I’m not sure. For now, I can only hope my life is purposeful in loving others, with Christ as the example.
~K
I hope you continue this conversation by reading and commenting other perspectives on Christianity with my other Sisters in Spirit. Become part of the conversation:
Sarah is municipal attorney, mom to a toddler boy, and United Methodist’s pastor’s wife. (She does not play the organ.) She is a life-long Missouri girl with a heart for hospitality and social justice. Sarah enjoys cooking, running, knitting and embroidery, reading, and playing in the sprinkler. Sarah blogs at www.beautyschooldropout.net
Bianca is a Navy wife from the great state of Texas (where she coincidentally currently resides), and she and her husband welcomed their first child in the fall of 2012. She has a passion for serving others, asking hard questions and sharing The Gospel with both her words and actions. Bianca loves Jesus, her hubs & her son, authentic friendships, traveling, making lists of all kinds, and trying new recipes which she blogs about on BecomingBianca.com