The Call...

My Dad and I after we sang in the ordination choir together...incredibly blessed!

Another blog post from my hotel last night (since I am too cheap to purchase an Internet connection!):

As a young girl, maybe even as young as 6 or 7, I had a special kind of bond with my Dad that I am not sure all kids had growing up.  He was a Pastor (and still is), and for some reason, I was drawn at an early age to following him around, watching what he did.  I watched as he spent time in his office studying, preparing for his sermons.  I watched as he poured out what seemed to be endless hours listening to people.  I watched him make hospital calls and quickly learned that while I was scared to death of hospitals, I still had this desire to care for the sick, and so I would tag along with my Dad.  As a young kid, I had no idea that I would someday do the very same things that my Dad would do.  I just knew that he was following God with everything inside of him and I wanted to do the same.  And so, thanks to both my Mom and Dad, who were not only amazing parents, but incredible spiritual leaders in our home, I tried to do just that.

Fast forward to tonight, 25+ years later.  Tonight, I stood side by side with my Dad, at our District Ordination Service, as we sang together in the “ordained minister’s choir.”  While that may not seem like a big deal, and may not even mean anything to most people, tonight, as I stood next to my Dad, I was overwhelmed by God’s grace and his story for our lives.  As a little girl, I had no idea that I would one day have the privilege to answer the call of full time ministry that God had prepared my heart for, just like my Dad.  I had no idea that I would get to answer that call and then have my Dad alongside of me as not only my mentor, but one of my biggest encouragers.

I have spent a lot of time “venting” to my Dad lately.  While I wanted so badly as a little girl to give God everything, just like I had watched my Dad do, I had no idea what came with a fully surrendered life, or what came with a life-long call to ministry.  I had no idea that there would be a lot of days where bright spots (as my Dad calls them) would be hard to see.  I had no idea that there would be days where people, who you thought you had finally reached would turn around and decide to go the other way.  I had no idea that hospital calls could be some of the hardest days of ministry.  I had no idea that while you could wind up spending all day with people, at the end of the day, you could still feel alone.  I guess I just had no idea.

Last week, after a venting session on the phone with my Dad, he wrote me an extensive email with his “thoughts” and encouragement.  While I won’t get into the details, he wrote this at the end, “Ministry isn’t easy, but the calling is to be faithful.  Let’s stand together at the ordination service and be reminded of the call.”

As I stood next to my Dad, I felt overwhelmed by God’s grace and tears formed in the corners of my eyes.  We have been commissioned to preach God’s word.  God has chosen us, despite our insecurities and lack of confidence (and yes, my Dad and I share very similar weaknesses), to preach the hope that has changed our life.  We have been graciously invited to be extenders of his compassion in places where compassion has not been felt.  We have been called to “not give up, not grow weary, and to press on and finish the race and tasks that God has given us.”  We have been called and we get to stand together.  Wow.

My grandfather (my Dad’s Father) was also a Pastor.  He modeled what it was like to love God with everything inside of him for my Dad.  God got a hold of my Dad’s heart and he answered the call.  Every night I tuck Biruk into bed, I find myself praying.  “God, would you help Biruk to know how much you love him and know all that you have for him.  Will you call him to something great.”  Do I think Biruk will stand next to me one day in the ordination choir?  I have no idea!  But it’s my prayer that whatever God calls him to do, he would follow it with all of his heart and he would finish all that God has for him.