My Call to Ministry

For many years, since my twenties, I have prayed to God to reveal His purpose for my life and to show me how I could serve Him in ministry. I often felt lost and disappointed when His answer seemed to be for me to stay at home as a parent. Being a stay-at-home mom was not the plan I had envisioned for my life. My dream had always been to work as a scientist, perhaps for NASA, as a volcanologist, geologist, or astronomer. Yet, despite my constant pleading for a new mission or a different calling, God’s direction was clear: stay at home.

Even though I knew this was His will, I struggled to embrace it. I never felt equipped for the role of a stay-at-home mom. I wasn’t raised in an environment that taught me how to excel in household responsibilities. My mother returned to work when I was seven and never had the opportunity to teach me how to cook or clean effectively. Frankly, she wasn’t skilled in these areas herself. This left me feeling inadequate and frustrated in the role I believed God had chosen for me.

It wasn’t until 20 years after giving my life to Jesus that I truly understood my calling to ministry. This realization came through a season of profound brokenness and healing. For many years, both before and after becoming a Christian, I wrestled with addictions and compulsive behaviors. The most destructive of these was a sexual addiction that led to an affair. Two and a half months into this sinful and painful relationship, I cried out to the Lord for deliverance because I could not break free on my own. Just a few days later, my husband discovered the affair when he checked a late-night text, thinking it was from our daughter. This revelation sent our lives into a tailspin.

In the midst of the chaos, my husband sought the Lord for guidance. God’s response to him was simple yet profound: “Just love her.” Despite his disbelief, my husband obeyed. His unconditional love became a reflection of God’s grace, and it marked the beginning of my journey to healing and redemption.

From that point forward, the Lord lifted me out of my despair and held me close, much like a father cradling his toddler. For an entire year, I experienced His love, compassion, and the filling of His Spirit in ways I had never known before. During this time of healing, God began to reveal His plans for my life. He placed countless ideas and impressions on my heart: a ministry to support and encourage married couples, an Upper Room ministry in our home, creative projects like a photo spread and a painting theme, a blog to share my testimony, a mobile app, and even two inventions. I felt overwhelmed and asked Him where to begin. His answer was clear: “Start school.”

Today, I am obediently pursuing my Master of Divinity in Pastoral Ministries through Liberty University Online. As I navigate this path, I am reminded of God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” His faithfulness has never wavered. Every step of my journey, from the struggles of stay-at-home parenting to the depths of addiction and the heights of redemption, has been guided by His sovereign hand.

Through this process, I have discovered the freedom that comes with submission to God. Embracing His plans—even when they differ from my own—has brought me joy and purpose beyond what I could have imagined. My story is a testimony to the transformative power of God’s grace, the healing found in obedience, and the hope that springs from trusting in His perfect plan.