by Misti Sanders

I thought this was an interesting read and found that I too have had some of these thoughts when contemplating where God is calling me. Here is an article by Diane Paddison titled “4 Myths that Are Getting in the Way of Your Calling.” Do any of these lies sound familiar?

Because of the nature of my role at 4word, I spend a lot of time speaking to women about their calling. What I’ve discovered over the years is that many women have an incredibly difficult time discerning what that calling is. For these struggling women, certain myths about calling are getting in the way of discovering what God truly has for them. In order to move forward in one’s calling, it’s important to identify and remove those myths from the discernment process.

If you’re feeling lost trying to discern God’s calling for your life, consider these myths that may be tripping you up.

Myth #1: It’s About You

The process of discovering your calling may necessitate some serious self-reflection, but make no mistake: it’s not really about you. Calling is not about self-fulfillment. Calling is submission to and fulfillment of God’s will for your life. Many people experience a special sense of satisfaction that comes from exercising their God-given gifts, talents, and passions, but that sense of fulfillment is a byproduct of being in God’s will, not the goal.

To discern what God’s will may be, you do need to look inward. You must seek to “know yourself” in order to discover God’s unique creation in you. But you are not a perfect interpreter of God’s work. And so you must also look outward, pouring into your relationship with God through prayer, Bible study, and communion with other believers. You need to cultivate deep relationships with peers and mentors who can enter into prayer with you and speak truth into your life.

Myth #2: If It’s Uncomfortable, It Can’t Be Your Calling

Figuring out your calling isn’t an instant ticket to a smooth life and career. Knowing what you are meant to be doing is really just the beginning of what may be a long and arduous journey of hardship and defeat. Some of the most successful inspired people throughout history have weathered crushing failures in pursuit of their paths.

For most of my career, I was called to the business world. I felt confident about that calling, but certainly not always comfortable. I faced plenty of hardships and failures at work and in my personal life. These challenges helped me grow and learn more about God and more about how God created me to serve him, eventually leading me to start 4word for working Christian women. And even in this season, God continues to challenge me and stretch me beyond my comfort zone.

Even the most decisive calling might not feel good at all. Your calling could be a stretch assignment. Moses is a great biblical example: he had no doubt about what God wanted him to do. In Exodus 3, God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, giving him clear marching orders about his next steps.

Isn’t this what we all kind of wish for when we’re searching for our calling?

But Moses’ calling didn’t sound all that great to him, asking “But who am I that I should go?” Moses questioned God, voicing the fear, I’m not important enough. But God answered, “I will be with you.” Then in chapter four, Moses continued pressing back, asking, “What if they do not believe me?” I’m not impressive enough!In response, God provided him with miraculous signs. But it still wasn’t enough for Moses, who came back with the worry, “But I am slow of speech and tongue.” I don’t know what to say.God assured Moses that he would speak through him.

Moses was called to a task God designed for him, but it clearly didn’t feel good. He tried every way he could think of to convince God that he was the wrong man for the job, and then finally, when that didn’t work, he came right out and asked God to “please send someone else.”

In pursuit of your calling, you might just find yourself asking God the same thing. But discomfort doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re on the wrong path.

Myth #3: Choosing Wrong Can Thwart God’s Will

I know women (and men too) who seem to agonize endlessly over every major choice in their lives, calling included, because they’re afraid of choosing wrongly. It’s good to want to make the best choice you can, but at some point you just need to make a choice and go from there. If you find yourself worrying excessively about your calling, ask yourself whether this is really about discerning God’s will or whether you may be trying to control God’s will.

Your choices are important, but no choice you can make is outside of God’s sovereignty. And even if you choose “right,” you don’t know where that path ultimately leads. If you had asked me 20 or 30 years ago where I would end up, I never would have foreseen the course my life would take. From losing a “dream job” at the top of my corporate game, to launching a nonprofit, let alone running it full time, I now look back and am just amazed by God’s providence over all of it.

Myth #4: Your Calling Is Settled

Discovering your calling isn’t something you do once, or even twice. It’s not something you get to check off of a list and move on from. The life of a Christian entails a constant process of discovering your calling. Just because God has called you to a particular purpose at a particular time doesn’t mean his plans for you are static.

Looking at my own life, I can see God shaping and shifting my calling over the years. First, my calling was to be a daughter who helped her parents run a farm and positively affect my coworkers, friends, and fellow students. Then, I was called to develop professionally. God continued to call and lead me through the end of my first marriage and into my remarriage. Through this journey, God called me to be a mother to children and stepchildren. Next, my calling was to start 4word, shifting my career more toward consulting and board membership as my kids started to “leave the nest.” And finally, my current chapter, working with 4word full time, keeping up with corporate board work, and caring for my adult daughter Annie as she fights a debilitating illness. In every phase my calling has looked and felt different, but God has been a consistent foundation throughout.

Who knows what the next chapter of life will bring?

Everyone’s calling is going to look differently—and each season will bring a new process of discernment. Just remember, God is in control. He loves you and me, and his will for us will always bring us closer to him. May you begin your discernment journey with courage and humility.

by Trina Riley

Of the 50 plus books I’ve read over the last two years, Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives, by Wayne Muller, truly stands out and is one I will return to again and again… to remember, to learn, and (hopefully) practice even a portion of the great wisdom and revelation found throughout the pages.  I encourage you to get this book and do the same.  I share with you only a sample, so as to whet your appetite for all that Muller offers when defining and exploring Sabbath. It just may change the way you view (and even do) life.

In the relentless busyness of modern life, we have lost the rhythm between work and rest.

All life requires a rhythm of rest.  There is a rhythm in our waking activity and the body’s need for sleep.  There is a rhythm in the way day dissolves into night, and night into morning.  There is a rhythm as the active growth of spring and summer is quieted by the necessary dormancy of fall and winter…

We have lost this essential rhythm.  Our culture invariably supposes that action and accomplishment are better than rest; that doing something – anything - is better than doing nothing.  Because of our desire to succeed, to meet these ever-growing expectations, we do not rest.  Because we do not rest, we lose our way.  We miss the compass points that would show us where to go, we bypass the nourishment that would give us succor.  We miss the quiet that would give us wisdom.  We miss the joy and love born of effortless delight.  Poisoned by this hypnotic belief that good things come only through unceasing determination and tireless effort, we can never truly rest.  And for want of rest, our lives are in danger.

…Our lack of rest and reflection is not just a personal affliction.  It colors the way we build and sustain community, it dictates the way we respond to suffering, and it shapes the ways in which we seek peace and healing in the world.

…How have we allowed this to happen?  This was not our intention…

I suggest that it is this:  We have forgotten the Sabbath.  Before you dismiss this statement as simplistic, even naïve, we must explore more fully the nature and definition of Sabbath.  While Sabbath can refer to a single day of the week, Sabbath can also be a far-reaching, revolutionary tool for cultivating those precious human qualities that grow only in time.

by Dave Underwood

For my birthday this year, my wife and boys bought me a radio controlled powered glider. I like RC airplanes (especially when I’m adequately in control), but as I fly this new bird over the farm fields near our home, it’s been teaching me some parallels on life, the church, and the principles of momentum and efficiency. Maxwell has well said, “With momentum, leaders look better than they really are. Without momentum, leaders look worse than they really are.” It takes a lot of energy to build momentum, especially in the church, doesn’t it?

Back to the powered glider.
When I launch, the motor works hard on the nose, towing the glider up to altitude. Within 3 minutes, a glider with a 57” wingspan looks no bigger than a seagull 500’-600’ above. When I shut off power, the spring-loaded propellers collapse back into the fuselage, and the powered glider is now… soaring. Without a sound, it now soars for the next 15 minutes.  3 minutes of work— 15 minutes of play. Don’t you wish we could get more of those ratios out of everyday life?  I sure do!

Another example.
At 211 degrees, an old locomotive is completely stationary. At 212 degrees, the steam-powered locomotive weighing 160 tons starts moving. Just one degree more.

As we think about CTK and the church, we are at work— good, hard, necessary work. And without good hard work and energy, water won’t heat to 212 degrees and gliders won’t climb to realize their ultimate purpose— to soar. CTK is on an ascent, and the temperature is rising. We labor in Christ’s Kingdom. We climb alongside others when they can no longer stand. We give sacrificially for Jesus’ sake, and we sweat and persevere to occupy a building we hope and pray will bless this community— as we have been blessed.  But a day will come when Christ will unleash us to further understanding our destiny.  Let’s call it what it is: SOARING. The apostle Paul put it this way: “Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not grow weary.” (Gal. 6:9). Are we tired? Sure. Are we uncertain of the future? Yep. Will there be a day of harvest and soaring? Oh yea. And it will be worth all the labor and sweat and inconvenience and questions and speed bumps we encountered all along the way.

So, keep up the hard work and patience and all the loving and giving with eyes fixed intently upon Jesus. With each sacrificial act, we ascend to new vistas and patiently await the Master’s words in His good timing. “Good morning church… let’s soar today."

by Shon Sanders

I thought this was such a great and simple article by Susie Larson that speaks to serving others. Hope you find it valuable. 

What was a great idea now seemed to be just another thing to do in our busy schedule. Our small group had decided to volunteer for an outreach project. We would drive to the inner city, meet at a church whose home was an old warehouse and package food for a developing country.

My husband arrived home after a long day at work. We looked at each other with that same sense of weariness, just wanting to stay home and exhale after an exhausting day. But we hopped in the car and headed downtown.

We pulled up to the old building and entered through the side door. There were two tables with bags of grains, measuring cups and a small scale. The staff person led us over to our workstations and assigned us each a task. Within minutes, we were working in rhythm with praise music blaring in the background.

After about two and a half hours of work, we looked at how many boxes of food we had prepared. Each of us had paid $20 for the food we packaged. Each volunteer gave about four hours of our time. And our little investment provided more than 3,000 meals to hungry people!

On the way home, my husband and I talked about the multiplication factor. We had given so little and that little had accomplished so much. My husband and I were no longer weary from a long day. We left energized and deeply convicted to live with the awareness of the needs around us. And we felt closer as a couple.

What does it mean for married couples to give a sacrifice of love? Look around and you will find that most marriages are stressed out and overcommitted. We all get so busy that it's hard to find time to serve or invest in people in a significant way. And yet this is what we are called to do.

Christian couples have something to offer, even though we feel otherwise at times. We have our hearts, our time and the wisdom God has given us from life experiences. Going into a cocoon isn't healthy for our marriage, our family or the body of Christ.

We are called to love and influence the world by helping others. Here are a few ways you can get involved in your own community and make a difference as couples:

• Join a small group. Find a common bond that draws you together, but beware of the tendency to get too exclusive with your group. Be open to new members, invite your unchurched neighbors and do outreach together. This will keep your group balanced and life-giving.
  
• Become a mentor to someone younger. Ask God to show you a couple or single person you can take under your wing. Have dinner with them and get to know their dreams, fears and concerns. Use the wisdom God has given you to strengthen and encourage them. When you help someone grow, you grow stronger, too.
  
• Engage in community service. Serve together at a food pantry. Deliver groceries to a shut-in. Visit a widow, an elderly person or a prisoner. Help a single parent by caring for her children and/or helping with house maintenance.
  
• Stay connected to your extended family. Be intentional about making plans with family members, and approach family get-togethers with a heart to serve and love.
  
• Be involved with your church family. When life gets busy, it can be tempting to disconnect, yet cutting yourselves off from the body of Christ will only hurt you.
  

by Dave Underwood

As summer starts, it’s a good time to consider getting some things started now so they are in full swing by fall and the inaugural occupancy of the new facility. I have listed some things for which CTK could really use some prayer and assistance: 

•It would be great to have 6 new small groups started by Sunday September 6th. It’s great that you may want to join one, but we need at least 6 more leaders to step up to the plate and lead one. Do you need training? That’s cool. Let’s chat. Do you need a place to have it, because you’d rather teach it than host it? That’s cool. Let’s chat. Want to discuss options or studies or curriculum? I’m all over it. I have way too many people asking to be a part of a small group and not enough options to send them. Would you pray about your potential role in leading a small group? Sweet. 

•Before we move into the new facility, I’d like us to ramp up the usher ministry by 75%. Devin is doing a great job, but when we move in, we need more servants helping. We’ll have more visitors and more questions and more people to direct to more locations and more money and more counting and more hospitality and more opportunities for ministry. Why don’t we prepare now? Let’s build the usher team to 10 persons by August 23rd, have some training BBQs in September, and be ready to rock when we move in by fall. Any takers? 

•Finally, I’d like to talk to those of you with the gift of hospitality and the ability to follow up on our MANY visitors. This is a ripe ministry to be involved in. Frank and his team are doing a good job, but they need more help, and we need to give it some fresh vision and thought prior to moving into the new facility. What if we had four teams of two persons each? That’s just eight persons more than we have now. That way, every week, two of you could go bonkers to love and care and follow up on these dear people who come to CTK to meet us and discover more about us. Just think, 8 people more, and we can NAIL this ministry... Any takers? 

Summer isn’t always a great time to kick stuff off, but it is a good time to pray, to talk, to dream, and to prepare for the fall--- and to prepare for everything God has for us in the future. Do you have a ministry? Great! Keep at it. But if you don’t currently have a place to serve, and one of these areas is in line with your talents and gifting, let’s talk. A bright new different future awaits us. Let’s get in line to serve the King.