What is a calling?

A call is an urging to go in a certain direction or do a certain thing.  It is often something heard or felt deep within.  A call is an instructing to follow in which obedience is expected.  It can be related to when a mother or father calls their child to come to them.   However, there are also spiritual callings in which our Heavenly Father calls us to do His Will, His purpose, for His glory.  Have you heard His call?

My first call was to Christ and to follow Him as my Lord and Savior.  As a young teenager, His Word became a joy to my soul and a light for my path.  I read His Word joyfully, began to learn what it meant to follow His commands, and began to grow and change in order to be more like Him.  This changing of my heart, mind, and actions to reflect His is a gradual, life-long process.  As imperfect and sinful, His call to me was sure.

In starting my walk with Christ, my next call was to prepare to teach.  Before Christ, I do not think it is what I would have pursued as a career.  Having had no prior experiences with children and my long history of being extremely shy, quiet, and reserved, I think I surprised my family by going to college to pursue teacher training.  I could relate well to Moses’ response to God in Exodus 4:10 when he was called to lead the Israelites out of the land of slavery…

Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

But then, in Exodus 4:11-12, God reassured Moses and gave him strength to follow, just as He did for me!

So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?  Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

Yes, ‘slow in speech’, I could and can relate well!   Due to my weaknesses, I often doubted that call, but again and again, God reassured me.  Although challenging, I knew preparing to teach His children was what God desired for me to do.  As a young believer, His call was sure and I obeyed.

My next call was much easier for me to say yes to.  I was called to marry my high school sweetheart!   Sadly though, I wasn’t prepared for what this call involved.  Even after 18 years, I am continuing to grow and learn how to faithfully fulfill this call and my role as helpmate, supporter, etc.  As young, inadequate, and naive as I was, there is still no doubt that my husband is the one God placed in my life to marry.  The call was, once again, sure.

Then came the call to motherhood.  I don’t think I looked at becoming a mother as a calling, but looking back, it definitely was! At first, having children was just a giving up of career, time alone, and pursuit of outside interests – just something I was expected to do. (And, my husband reminded me, I thought I would be soooo bored!  Ha!)  Gradually, as our first child became a toddler, I began to see the need for and opportunities for learning at home – both academically (a carry over from my professional training) as well as spiritual and Biblical training. As I began to instruct our first child, God placed a great desire to pass on His words to her through Bible memory at a young age. It is around that time, that I began to view my role as more of a calling. With each year and with each additional child God has given us, the importance of discipleship and training has intensified. This is my in-home ministry and call to embrace for His glory!  And, yes, the call is sure.

Linked to the call and many roles within motherhood, is the call to share His Word.  That is why the Joyful Heart Tunes (Bible Memory in Song) and the preschool curriculums were created and are now available on my website.  It is also why I have a blog.  Certain blog posts, such as ‘Mom, Mama, Mommy’, ‘On the Front Lines’, and ‘God’s Word Will Not Return Void’  were written even when I didn’t think I had the time because I just could not ignore God’s urging me to stop and write what He wanted me to share.  Each writing also helps me to solidify and reinforce what Christ has been teaching me.  This is another sure calling.

It is encouraging to look back and see how God has orchestrated everything in my life!  Now, I am beginning to sense another call.  In part 2, I’ll share about this new urging that is gradually building from my Lord.