This past Sunday, in my first message at my new appointment, I preached on Genesis 12 which is the account of God calling Abram to leave his country, his kin, and his father’s house to go to the land that God would show him. In order to answer the call, Abram had to walk (literally) in faith. There was no map or GPS to guide him to his destination. He left his old life behind to embrace a new life that God revealed to him step-by-step.

In arriving in a new appointment, my call to ministry has been on my mind. I was ten years old when I first discerned that God might be calling me to ministry. I thought it was to be a missionary- which makes because I was listening to a missionary speak at church camp. When I was in my teens that call was refined as I pursued Youth Ministry. I had the opportunity to serve a church as Youth Pastor for nine years. It was fruitful ministry.

In the course of serving as Youth Pastor, my call continued to evolve as I pursued Ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church. Truth be told, I wanted to stay in youth ministry. But what I want and God’s plans are sometimes two different things. The journey to ordained ministry and leading a church (not just the youth) has been a faith stretching experience for me that has led me back to the church where I began as youth pastor.

I write this because God continues to call. God calls me. God calls you. God calls us to great endeavors and God calls us to do “small things with great love.” The challenge for us is to answer the call of God and to take steps of faith to pursue that call. It may not make sense at the time and the steps may not be clear- but like Abram we have to put one foot in front of the other each day and go where ever God leads us.