My life didn’t always look like it does today. After several years of practicing law as a litigator, I stepped into full-time vocational ministry. Today, I’m a mother of three beautiful girls and the women’s minister at my church, where I teach God’s Word, write curriculum, and travel as a speaker and Bible teacher.
But this journey of how God would use me in the world didn’t happen all at once. It’s been a process of discovery, surrender, and trust in the Lord’s timing. I hope aspects of my story will be an encouragement to you as you seek Him to find confidence in your own calling.
Seeing Calling as a Wheel, Not a List
I’m a visual person, and when I think about my calling, I picture a wheel. At the very center of that wheel is my identity in Christ. That’s where everything begins. I’ve noticed that people often jump straight to asking, What am I supposed to do? What’s my purpose? But before we can truly understand our calling, we must first be grounded in who we are.
If you don’t know the identity of something before you use it, you might misuse it, underuse it, or abuse it. So, at the center of my life’s wheel is my identity in Christ: I’m an image bearer of the living God, a co-heir with Christ, and His ambassador on the earth. That’s your identity, too.
From that center flow the spokes of my personal callings. For me, there are three: marriage, motherhood, and ministry. Each one is a way I live out my universal calling of knowing Jesus and making Him known.
- In marriage, God has used my husband as one of His greatest sanctifying tools. Marriage has exposed areas of my heart that needed to change, and through that process, I’ve learned to look more like Christ.
- In motherhood, I’ve come to understand the Father’s heart in a deeper way. As I parent my children, God is parenting me. And my daughters are my first disciples. I’m discipling them, and at the same time, showing others what that looks like.
- And in ministry, I serve the local and global church by teaching, writing, and proclaiming the gospel. Whether I’m writing curriculum for women in my church or teaching at a conference, every opportunity is another way to know Jesus and make Him known.
What I love about this “wheel” visual is that it reminds me everything is connected. There’s no sacred versus secular divide. As God’s children, all of it is sacred. Every spoke—marriage, motherhood, ministry—flows from the same center: my identity in Christ.
Discovering Calling Along the Way
When people ask how I discovered my calling, my honest answer is that I discovered it along the way. I’m still discovering it. I’ve learned that confidence in our calling is really about confidence in the God who calls us. Confidence comes from trusting His character, believing He’s not hiding His plans from us, playing peekaboo, or making it a guessing game.
If you don’t have all the answers yet, that’s okay. Keep seeking Him. Keep walking with Him. He will make it clear in His timing.
I also believe God uses both personal reflection and the people around us to help us discern our calling. The Book of James tells us if we ask for wisdom, God gives it generously. That’s a promise.
So, ask Him:
- What passions have You placed in my heart?
- What gifts have You given me?
Then ask people who know you well what they see in you. Sometimes others recognize in us what we haven’t yet seen in ourselves.
Your Universal Calling Drives Every Personal Calling
Our universal calling—to know Jesus and make Him known, every believer’s call—should be the lens through which we evaluate every personal calling. That means regularly evaluating, How am I using my time, my talents, and my treasures? Are they helping me grow in the knowledge of Christ and advance His kingdom?
Sometimes that reflection can be sobering. How we spend our time and money says a lot about our priorities. But it can also be encouraging because it adds dignity to the ordinary moments that don’t feel “spiritual.” I’m in a diaper-changing season right now. It’s not glamorous. Sometimes it’s literally dirty work, but it’s sacred work because I’m stewarding a soul. I’m discipling this little girl to become a woman of God.
Maybe you’re in a different season. Perhaps an empty nest or retirement. Your calling doesn’t end; it shifts. Ask God how to steward this season for His glory.
Lately, I’ve been ending each day with a short reflection:
- Did my actions align with my values today?
- Is there evidence that I’m living to know Jesus and make Him known?
That simple practice helps keep my eyes on what matters most.
Balancing All the Callings—Or Learning to Dance
People often ask how I balance my different roles—wife, mom, minister, and child of God. Over time, I’ve realized that balance might be the wrong word. It’s more like a dance. Each season has its own rhythm, its own choreography. Some seasons move fast; others are slow and gentle. In each one, I’m learning new steps as God leads me. There will be times when something has to give, but one thing that can’t is my ministry at home. That comes first.
I’ve also learned that God gives grace for your race. When you feel like you’ve run out of grace for a certain responsibility, that might be a sign to evaluate: Am I trying to hold onto something God isn’t calling me to right now? Maybe it’s not “no.” Maybe it’s just “not yet.”
When It’s Time to Take the Next Step
I’m often asked how to know whether to go to seminary or take a next step in ministry. For me, I was actually recruited to seminary right before I decided to go to law school. I had a big decision to make and ultimately chose law school. I practiced law for several years before God called me into full-time ministry, and later, I did go to seminary.
Looking back, I see God’s hand in both paths. My time as a litigator prepared me for ministry in ways I couldn’t have imagined. In both law and teaching, I’m making a case, presenting truth and calling people to respond. God used my legal training to shape me as a communicator of His Word. If the desire remains in your heart and God opens the door, walk through it. It’s not always an either/or. Sometimes it’s both/and.
A Word to My Seasoned Sisters
To the women who’ve been walking with the Lord for decades—please hear me: your time is not over. If you feel like there’s no place for you in your church, speak up. At my church, some seasoned women did that very thing, and it’s made such an impact.
Now we have gatherings just for our widows and intergenerational Bible studies where older and younger women connect. It’s helping everyone see the great value of wisdom that only comes from walking with Jesus over time. You have gems to offer, truths forged through experience, pain, and faithfulness. Don’t underestimate the power of your voice.
Confidence in your calling doesn’t come from having every detail figured out. It comes from knowing who called you. When your identity in Christ is your center, every spoke—marriage, motherhood, ministry, career, or any other calling—finds its right place.
So, keep walking with Him. Keep seeking His face. Keep asking for wisdom. You may not know every next step, but you can be confident of this: The God who calls you will guide you, equip you, and waste nothing along the way.