An Invitation

"He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purples and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers--all of them master craftsmen and designers. So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded." Exodus 35:35-36:1



Yesterday, I received my first-ever invitation to a paid ministry position as pastor to young adult families with children. It's not as simple as it may seem. I don't just accept and I'm gone tomorrow. There is a long process. I have to offer my availability. I have to interview with the lead pastor and I have to interview with the church board and the church. There are a lot of steps. It takes time. But the first step is my offering my availability, my willingness to fulfill the position.


This invitation is a huge deal for many reasons! It's my first call! Which means, someone read MY resume and liked it! Someone read MY resume and thought I could perhaps fulfill a need. There are so many emotions that come with that. But to be perfectly honest, it's mostly, fear and doubt. You know, did they read the right resume? There's part of me that is telling me that I'm not ready for this, that my family isn't ready, that my husband isn't ready. We just aren't ready. And of course, I could give you a list of all the reasons, if I had to. You don't need to tell me that this is just Satan trying to tear down God's stuff, I realize that this. Fear is not of the Lord. (For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7) But it's a reality for me and I have to deal with it.


Also, this is huge because it would constitute a completely change of life, including moving. I never imagined that it would be this hard to just say, "Yes I'm interested!" Somehow if it were just a little more northwest instead of the slight southwest that it is, I wouldn't even consider location as something to consider in my availability. It would be that much easier to say sure, if it were in Idaho or at least in a state where I knew someone.

Discerning whether or not it is God's will that I open my availability to this position is a hard thing. It's going to take a lot of prayer and time in the Bible. Things would have to just fall in place because there would be a lot of issues, like a job for Rob, selling our home, moving, the transition of it all. There's just a lot to consider. Of course, soon I will transition to worrying about those I serve here and those that God might be calling me to serve there.

Rob's, first response, and mine too a little, was a reaction to the location of the position. However, we can't simply so "no" because it's not ideally where we would like to be, but that is also not a reason to assume that our answer should be "yes" simply because it is out of our comfort zone and that's what God requires. So we are praying about it. And we are asking God to make it abundantly clear to us what to do .

Pray for us as we consider all these things.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4