For All of the Long-Time Singles -- What Have You Found to Be Your "Calling" or "Mission Work" From God?

[seoulsearch]

Hey Everyone,

This is a discussion for all the people who have been single for a long time -- which is for each person to define for themselves -- I'm not making any cutoffs or requirements here. And yes, this will be a long post, and many of posts are known to be.

For me, I was married at 23, he left for someone else at 25, and I have now been single for decades -- which is my definition of being single for a long time. My avatar picture is from around December 2025, but people usually think I'm a bit younger than what I actually am (all but one of my married peers have grandkids.) I'm at a point where I think I can truly "look back" at my life and summarize a few things I've learned.

I have a small group of single CC friends I met here, have known for 10+ years, and have met in person, and I was telling them about some recent situations in which I think God specifically placed me in order to help.

I was telling them, as I was a bit discouraged, that I know the church and many other "Godly" people would not consider what I was doing to be "real" "mission work", or a true "calling of God," but with the intensity, stress, and energy it entails, it sure does feel like it.

And so, we were talking about what "counts" as a "true" calling or "real" mission work in the eyes of God.

I have attended churches in which the parking lots have signs facing drivers as they leave with the statement, "You Are Now Entering Your Mission Field," and it's stuck with me ever since.

I think a lot of churches often set us up to think we're going to have some huge calling -- like Moses parting the Red Sea, or leading a world-famous ministry in front of thousands of people. This is great for those God has called to do so, but most of us know it won't be us.

I had a long time during my single life where I was at church nearly every night of the week for some sort of learning, ministering, or serving. I was burning out to the core, and I prayed to God about everything I both loved and loathed when it came to serving other people, and what He wanted me to do, because I had nothing left to give.

My friends and I were talking about how much of what we do might get dismissed by others, but how much do they count to God? After all, Jesus said that even if someone gave a cup of water in His name, it does not go overlooked by God.

In my prayers and talks with God after talking to my friends, I have come to a place of peace in that my "calling" and "mission work" are all the small mundane things, little by little, day by day, that God has placed in my life.

I thought back to the myriad of co-workers God put in front of me who needed a listening ear, meal to share, or praying for or with them. I remembered the day my dad broke down crying in a phone message because my parents had an emergency and were across the country and alone, and it broke my heart. I told God, "I can't stand this," and God opened the door to where I now never live more than 20 minutes away from them so I can always hopefully be there if something happens.

Many years ago I was part of a prison ministry that wrote to inmates with only paper letters, as it was long before the days when inmates could receive email. Last week I met up with the one friend I made during that time -- a 23+ year friendship in which God blessed me by allowing me to witness His power by completely turning around the life of someone whom society had dismissed as a statistic.

I know the "mission" I'm on right now to help a friend is from God because He put it on my heart for 18 months, then provided the funds, vacation time, and open door to make it happen.

And I've said all this to say:

To all the singles out there -- my calling isn't flashy. God isn't calling me to part the Red Sea, slay giants in front of an audience, or do miracles for the world to see. My "mission work" isn't anything tradtionally promoted by churches, but I've had a few invitations to go to other countries, so I'm praying on God's will regarding those opportunities.

Instead, my "calling" and "missions" consist of things like going to visit someone at a maximum security prison whom others have forsaken (to listen, not to preach,) cleaning someone's bathroom because they're too sick to do so, listening to a single mother at work who is frustrated that her toddler refuses to be potty-trained, trying to say something encouraging at work when the boss has just ripped everyone's heart out...

Does it count to others? Probably not, or so I've heard throughout my life. No, they say, you (I) have to be this, do this, achieve that (such as marriage and a family) in order to "really" please the Lord. I've had some people tell me my single life doesn't really count and is always second best to whatever standard they tell me God has.

But I'm quite used to all of this, as I am adopted, and all my life, have been told in either subtle or blatant ways that I and my life is second best, if it even counts at all, because biological offspring is (almost) always seen as better than adopted. And yet, God Himself says that He has adopted all of us -- so being told I'm inferior doesn't really phase me, and I've grown very used to it.

What really counts is what God thinks of me, nothing more.

And if the things I've been told or have been implied are all true, I'm sure God will be the one to let me know Himself. I often pray that if I'm headed down the wrong path, put up a roadblock and whatever redirection is required.

In the meantime, I have an idea of what God is calling me to do next, about a year away. We'll see what doors He opens.

It makes me sad to see people saying they're not doing anything for God just because they're living out their lives and doing their best to provide while serving their families and churches.

What if the very people around you everyday -- your family, friends, co-workers, church members, coffee clerks you run into daily -- ARE your "calling" and your "mission field"?

When I was younger, I never envisioned my life turning out as it has. I thought I would have a full house, and when I had kids, I figured part of my "calling" would be to welcome their friends into our home to provide food, encouragement, and laughter to those who didn't have good home lives. Some of the people I most admire are the ones out there doing this very thing, not even realizing the vast mission field they are harvesting that others could never reach.

So if I may conclude with this: please don't think you're not doing anything for God just because you're single, or working, or taking care of your family, or haven't given up all your earthly positions so that you can become a missionary in a country no one's ever heard of. For those who are called and can do this, I have nothing but admiration.

But as was said before, Jesus said that God values even giving a cup of cold water to someone who needs or could use it. How much more will He bless our giving and doing what we can, even if it's just a kind word, to those we encounter every day?

And now, I would like to know about you!

* What do you believe is your "calling" and/or "mission field" in your life? How did God show you what it was?

* If you don't know what your calling is, what do you think it would take for God to show you what it is? Would some big event have to happen to "really show you this is it," or would you pick up on what He was saying through small, everyday clues over time?

* What "mission work" (whether what the church promotes or in unconventional ways) have you done that's brought you the most joy in the Lord?

And I'm not meaning this as a brag fest or chance to boast in ourselves -- I choose to share and like it when others do too because it gives me more ideas of what's out there. I have no way of knowing about different kinds of awesome ministries out there unless others tell me their experiences with them! Many of the things I've participated in are because others have been open and honest about the pros and cons of they've done, too.

* Does your calling seem to change over time? How do you know, and how do you adjust?

One thing I've been really thankful for is that God seems to "switch things up" in my life so that I don't get bored. Some people might want and be built to repeat the same thing over and over, but I've found I enjoy taking my core callings and applying them in different ways or settings.


In this thread, I'm striving for a discussion that encourages and uplifts others to both find and fulfill their own callings, no matter what their status in life might be!

I'm looking forward to hearing your stories, and thank you in advance.

 

[passion84god]

First, thanks for telling us some things about yourself. You said that you've been single for decades, and that began at age 25. I don't know how old you are, but you don't look that old in your profile picture.

Second, as someone who has been mentioning my very real fear of missing out on my true calling lately, I just want to say that I would never seek to trivialize what you called "the small mundane things." Paul said that we fulfill the law of Christ when we bear one another's burdens, so there is real value in that. Just today, at my exceedingly horrible job, a female employee who is very petite and very short asked me for my assistance, which was pretty interesting since she doesn't speak English, and I only know about three dozen words in Spanish. She basically led me to a freezer and pointed to a ladder, while looking at a heavy box on top of a stack of boxes up on a shelf. I got it down for her and carried it to where she needed it. No big deal for me, but she seemed appreciative. I do believe that those small things matter to God.

Having said that, I do still truly believe that I am in grave danger of missing my calling if I don't make some drastic changes in my life. My primary problem seems to be my job, which consumes way too much of my time. I was truly contemplating quitting today, without even having a new job yet. That's how bad it is. What scares me is that I've been in that line of work for some time now, and it is only recently that I realized how harmful it is from an eternal perspective. I am actively seeking employment elsewhere so I can have more time to seek God's face to ultimately fulfill what I believe to be my real calling. Basically, a fisher of men in whatever capacity God desires. Whether it is eunuch sitting alone in a chariot, or whether it is a large gathering of people. Before anything can happen, I need to spend more quality time in prayer. Jesus did, and I am certainly not greater than my Master.​

 

[Lanolin]

When I was first starting out with Bible studies in a group I remember one of the studies was centred on Abraham, how he was called by God to go to leave his home and family behind and go to an unknown land that God showed him. If he obeyed he would become the father of a great nation and would be blessed.

I used to think huh does that mean God is always calling us to travel to unknown places and leave our families behind. Is this what is called mission? Well my mum already did that when she left Hong Kong for New Zealand but she also eventually got all her siblings to come here for a better life. But it wasn't like she was like going to create an entire nation again.

Anyway as a daughter of an immigrant parent, and second generation immigrant. I'm kind of like, why would God call me somewhere else when my family gave up so much to come here to live? The first immigrants had to learn a new language, they had to work hard to survive, and fit in with the culture here, and start new lives and maybe new traditions instead of following old ones that were thousands of years old. New Zealand, because it was NEW is really like a promised land for so many migrants and refugees.

For many, it's the ends of the earth. Save Antarctica. Its only really had 600 years of human habitation and 200 something years of European settlement, the Dutch surveyed it, but the English annexed it, and fought the Maori who were the first to migrate here They called it the Land of the Long White Cloud, because that's what they first saw on their wakas.

People used to call Australia New Holland. And the Americas were called the New World. The Old World was Europe and Asia and the Middle East. Anyway, just saying there's kind of a 'manifest destiny' type belief that Christians ought to be discovering new lands, making Christian nations and converting everyone they see.

When I studied a missions course, think it was called 'Perspectives' this was pretty much the agenda. But actually the reality is, people migrate for different reasons and not always God given ones that Abraham had. So I had a bit of a problem with the whole missions ethos of the church meaning you had to go globetrotting and staying, maybe where you are not even wanted! Then that country would be obligated to host you while you tried to impose your religion or culture on them. Way to trojan horse/annex a country!

I mean I really liked that some churches say the mission field was the moment you stepped outside the church. That it was more about...showing Gods love to the people around you. Because I can't afford to go swanning off overseas all the time, some people can, but its just...I think my ancestors and all the 'kiwis' that live in NZ came here for a better life, some with no thought of ever returning to their homeland, because they couldn't, I mean back in the day you got on a ship for months at a time, and if you didn't die on the way here you'd better be thankful you reached dry land.

Maybe I talk about actual ministries in another post.

 

[Lynx]

I have been called to be a nerd.

Grandma always took issue with this, as she thought I was putting myself down. But I love being a nerd! It's very handy. There are just so many situations where having one nerd around can make a massive improvement. Whatever you are trying to get done, I can probably find a program or device that will help you. And it will be a solution tailored to fit what you need, not a one-size-fits-all solution that I think everyone should use.

And if you don't think being a nerd is a calling, throw away your smartphone. You will quickly find out how helpful we nerds are. =^.^= I definitely consider it a calling. I am using the ability God gave me to help people around me.

I have been called to be a henchman.

You do not want me being a leader. I don't care enough about where we are going to make that decision, and I don't understand people enough to make them go in that direction. But if you have decided the direction, I can make it happen. I am very good at evaluating what needs to be done, the tools and resources available to do it, and getting the job done. I also have a bachelor's degree in not giving the leader grief if he decides it needs to be done a different way than how I think we should do it. As long as it gets the job done and you're happy with it, that's good enough for me.

There sure are a lot of people who God has called to be followers, but they want to be leaders. A group usually only needs one leader, but a lot more followers. A follower's life gets a lot easier when he finally realizes he is not meant to be a leader.

 

[seoulsearch]

First, thanks for telling us some things about yourself. You said that you've been single for decades, and that began at age 25. I don't know how old you are, but you don't look that old in your profile picture.

Second, as someone who has been mentioning my very real fear of missing out on my true calling lately, I just want to say that I would never seek to trivialize what you called "the small mundane things." Paul said that we fulfill the law of Christ when we bear one another's burdens, so there is real value in that. Just today, at my exceedingly horrible job, a female employee who is very petite and very short asked me for my assistance, which was pretty interesting since she doesn't speak English, and I only know about three dozen words in Spanish. She basically led me to a freezer and pointed to a ladder, while looking at a heavy box on top of a stack of boxes up on a shelf. I got it down for her and carried it to where she needed it. No big deal for me, but she seemed appreciative. I do believe that those small things matter to God.

Having said that, I do still truly believe that I am in grave danger of missing my calling if I don't make some drastic changes in my life. My primary problem seems to be my job, which consumes way too much of my time. I was truly contemplating quitting today, without even having a new job yet. That's how bad it is. What scares me is that I've been in that line of work for some time now, and it is only recently that I realized how harmful it is from an eternal perspective. I am actively seeking employment elsewhere so I can have more time to seek God's face to ultimately fulfill what I believe to be my real calling. Basically, a fisher of men in whatever capacity God desires. Whether it is eunuch sitting alone in a chariot, or whether it is a large gathering of people. Before anything can happen, I need to spend more quality time in prayer. Jesus did, and I am certainly not greater than my Master.​

Thanks for saying I don't look that old. I get that a lot. People often dismiss me because they assume I'm a little girl with no life experience. Now I'm definitely not the brightest bulb in the bunch, but I'm not the youngest, either! I have been in some situations where people wanted donations but they brushed me off as a kid -- and that's perfectly fine with me. I prayed a long time ago that God would send me to the people who know how to treat everyone as a someone, no matter what their eyes see.

I don't like giving my exact age for the sake of privacy, but if you're ever in live chat, the profiles there give out ages and I haven't figured out how to override it. I often say now that it's not too long in which I will have to show my ID at stores not to buy alcohol -- but to prove I'm old enough for the senior discount. I consider myself in a pre-retirement phase right now. We'll see what God does in the next few years.

Sometimes people have implied that I'm catfishing or posting a very old picture, but anyone in doubt can always ask Lynx, Cinder, or RodB651, as I've met them all in person, even though we all live very far away from each other. (They've seen my gray hair and wrinkles up close!) And I had the honor of spending some time with Cinder last month.

I have read several of your posts about your job and I truly hope you find one that isn't as stressful and suits you better.

You said your calling is to be a fisher of men - do you ever think that your job settings, whether this one or the next, are the sea that God has placed you in?

I was at a job for about 13 years and was able to talk to many co-workers over the years about faith (after taking a while to get to know them first, even if it took years.) A Christian co-worker who became a friend and I made it our mission to invite and take people to church, and we saw two people go from non-church goers to regulars over that time. (I never say that someone got saved or judge whether or not they truly are because I believe only God knows.)

From what you've said in your posts, such as your struggles to restore the company's dignity when other salesmen have left it in ashes, I think you're doing a great job of witnessing just through your integrity.

I know at the time it doesn't seem like much -- it's very slow going, if one sees any change or progress at all -- but even if things seem the same, I'm sure your honest and driven work ethic makes an impression on those you talk to. It also puts those who chose dishonest means to shame.

And even if no one else in your workplace chooses to care, the fact that you want to uphold the "fair weights and measures" that "God delights in" will surely be noticed by the Lord. After all, no one listened to Jeremiah but God called him on, even if no one paid attention to him. We do the best we can in the sea, river, or ocean God places us in.

Please keep us posted on how things go, and best wishes to you!

 

[seoulsearch]

When I was first starting out with Bible studies in a group I remember one of the studies was centred on Abraham, how he was called by God to go to leave his home and family behind and go to an unknown land that God showed him. If he obeyed he would become the father of a great nation and would be blessed.

I used to think huh does that mean God is always calling us to travel to unknown places and leave our families behind. Is this what is called mission? Well my mum already did that when she left Hong Kong for New Zealand but she also eventually got all her siblings to come here for a better life. But it wasn't like she was like going to create an entire nation again.

Anyway as a daughter of an immigrant parent, and second generation immigrant. I'm kind of like, why would God call me somewhere else when my family gave up so much to come here to live? The first immigrants had to learn a new language, they had to work hard to survive, and fit in with the culture here, and start new lives and maybe new traditions instead of following old ones that were thousands of years old. New Zealand, because it was NEW is really like a promised land for so many migrants and refugees.

For many, it's the ends of the earth. Save Antarctica. Its only really had 600 years of human habitation and 200 something years of European settlement, the Dutch surveyed it, but the English annexed it, and fought the Maori who were the first to migrate here They called it the Land of the Long White Cloud, because that's what they first saw on their wakas.

People used to call Australia New Holland. And the Americas were called the New World. The Old World was Europe and Asia and the Middle East. Anyway, just saying there's kind of a 'manifest destiny' type belief that Christians ought to be discovering new lands, making Christian nations and converting everyone they see.

When I studied a missions course, think it was called 'Perspectives' this was pretty much the agenda. But actually the reality is, people migrate for different reasons and not always God given ones that Abraham had. So I had a bit of a problem with the whole missions ethos of the church meaning you had to go globetrotting and staying, maybe where you are not even wanted! Then that country would be obligated to host you while you tried to impose your religion or culture on them. Way to trojan horse/annex a country!

I mean I really liked that some churches say the mission field was the moment you stepped outside the church. That it was more about...showing Gods love to the people around you. Because I can't afford to go swanning off overseas all the time, some people can, but its just...I think my ancestors and all the 'kiwis' that live in NZ came here for a better life, some with no thought of ever returning to their homeland, because they couldn't, I mean back in the day you got on a ship for months at a time, and if you didn't die on the way here you'd better be thankful you reached dry land.

Maybe I talk about actual ministries in another post.

Excellent descriptions and details in this post, Lanolin!

I have long been in churches that pretty much made it sound like if you weren't going to remote places and learning to communicate with them, you're certainly not a missionary and not even a real Christian, or at least, not a high level one.

The older I get, the more I beg to differ. Now for the people who ARE called to do those things, I have nothing but admiration and respect for them. I know someone on this site who spent 10 years doing this and I love hearing her stories and perspective.

But for many of us, our "mission field" is right where God has placed us in our everyday lives. I was at a dinner with my Grandpa once for WW2 vets, and a couple of other veterans were trying to talk to him and share experiences. None of them could hear each other very well, so I would repeat things back and forth to each of them in a louder, more clearly enunciated way.

It was after this that God told me, "THIS is your calling. You are built to be a bridge between people." After wondering all my life and never fitting in, I suddenly knew why I was ALWAYS in-between, and never fit into any one side. I'm always between races, cultures, classes, perspectives...

And God was trying to make me realize that my job is to try to help people understand each other better. I don't have to go to foreign countries to do that, though I have single friends who are asking me to go with them on overseas trips.

I say all this to try to encourage others to know that they might have some grandiose calling a church might have made them feel like they would have.

Rather, the very important work God has called them to do might be right in front of them in their everyday lives, using the talents and skills they have unknowingly been honing all their lives.

And I personally believe God credits and values their work just as much, according to the talents He knows He's given them.

But that's just me.

 

[Lanolin]

Acts 17:26 He hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation,

I often thought about this verse when I started questioning God, where do I live? Why am I living here? Why do so many people ask me, where am I from (sometimes it seems like they are questioning my very existence) and then I have to recount my mum's story over and over and over again until people realise I'm a native born kiwi, even though I don't look like a bird with no wings.

So like you @seoulsearch He kind of made me stand out a little from the rest, like I was transplanted from somewhere else, like how a lot of garden plants are moved from one land to another and become naturalised and then produce their own little plants. Nobody then takes these plants and moves them back to the lands their parents came from.

I am not a bridge though between two worlds because I don't go back and forth between those worlds. I'm not trying to impose my beliefs, culture or values or way of life on others. I'm just being me learning to get along with others just like everyone else who comes here. So anyway what has this to do with anything. Maybe I am put here on earth to learn. I really don't know anything, and it seems like I have to find things out for myself. I was afraid that I'd be like the silly women of the Bible, always learning, never coming to the truth. But then she discovers Jesus, who is the way the truth and the life.

I guess it's like a child with Santa Claus, who at first believes what adults tell them, there's a man with a snowy beard living in the North Pole who gives out gifts magically to all children simply because he loves them. And then the child finds out it's not quite like that, its people who are being Santa to each other because of Jesus. It's learning the goodness of God and tasting and seeing He is good.

So anyway what I'm getting at that all life is a miracle. I am not saying I'm a miracle maker but I get to take part in Jesus miracles. Its like..when I was a librarian in school and see the wonder of children discovering things for the first time, that they can read, that they can find out things, how things are made, that there's other things out there and that every one just wants to live and they want to know the truth and the way. Because its beautiful and they want to be a part of that, but nothing gets done unless you work behind the scenes and do it. You do the homework. You read and you learn to write or draw and put things together to make a story that means something.

When I'm gardening I watch things grow. I get to take part in making a garden beautiful, shaping it, bringing plants together. You don't see me always doing it, I'm often incognito. But its a wonder because each plant has their preferences and grows and has a purpose, even the weeds. And you get to know a bit more of Gods creation, because He not only created us humans, he created animals and plants. Just because He loves doing it and wants to see them be good and used how He wants them to be. And it's a miracle that plants even grow, when you see them trying to reach for water, for light, and believe me a seed would do anything to grow as long as it gets water and light and a little warmth. But gardens are not made by sitting by singing how beautiful and sitting in the shade. Again you do the work to make it happen. You care for the plants and help plant them where they like to grow best. Then you shape them and keep them trim or you harvest them and put them to good use. And thats the joy of gardening. You get to take part in God's creation.

It's learning to speak a language, or to sing, or things like that, it doesn't always come naturally you need to practise it and do it. But when you do it its like a miracle too. Because when you hear it, it's beautiful and when you read it, its fun and gives you joy, so things like that. And God gifted that to us too. Anyone can speak, any one can sing but its the miracle that they can do it. I love the English language for helping express those thoughts and feelings and how when you find the words to speak and it flows, you can have fun with it, and then it's like singing. It's inspired, but where do we get the inspiration from? We get it from God. And the joy is that we get to do it. You can't always teach that, it comes from above thats a miracle too.

Sorry I had no idea that I was going to write all this. I thought that it was gonna be like my calling is what other people want me to be, or what others call me, or to be kind to others or a giver or an evangelist or something like that. Or I was meant to be an actress or a comedienne even though I'm not and people find me funny or amusing and make jokes and laugh at me. ?! Or I'm this super do-gooder hero type that saves people's lives as many people believe Christians to be. It's really got nothing to do with me, it's all God doing things for His pleasure and sharing it with us.

 

[Texasgal]

Ive been single since my late husband passed. That was almost 20 years ago. Now im getting married again, so I hope im the one going first this time. Losing your soulmate for a second time would be just too much.

 

[Texasgal]

Thanks for saying I don't look that old. I get that a lot. People often dismiss me because they assume I'm a little girl with no life experience. Now I'm definitely not the brightest bulb in the bunch, but I'm not the youngest, either! I have been in some situations where people wanted donations but they brushed me off as a kid -- and that's perfectly fine with me. I prayed a long time ago that God would send me to the people who know how to treat everyone as a someone, no matter what their eyes see.

I don't like giving my exact age for the sake of privacy, but if you're ever in live chat, the profiles there give out ages and I haven't figured out how to override it. I often say now that it's not too long in which I will have to show my ID at stores not to buy alcohol -- but to prove I'm old enough for the senior discount. I consider myself in a pre-retirement phase right now. We'll see what God does in the next few years.

Sometimes people have implied that I'm catfishing or posting a very old picture, but anyone in doubt can always ask Lynx, Cinder, or RodB651, as I've met them all in person, even though we all live very far away from each other. (They've seen my gray hair and wrinkles up close!) And I had the honor of spending some time with Cinder last month.

I have read several of your posts about your job and I truly hope you find one that isn't as stressful and suits you better.

You said your calling is to be a fisher of men - do you ever think that your job settings, whether this one or the next, are the sea that God has placed you in?

I was at a job for about 13 years and was able to talk to many co-workers over the years about faith (after taking a while to get to know them first, even if it took years.) A Christian co-worker who became a friend and I made it our mission to invite and take people to church, and we saw two people go from non-church goers to regulars over that time. (I never say that someone got saved or judge whether or not they truly are because I believe only God knows.)

From what you've said in your posts, such as your struggles to restore the company's dignity when other salesmen have left it in ashes, I think you're doing a great job of witnessing just through your integrity.

I know at the time it doesn't seem like much -- it's very slow going, if one sees any change or progress at all -- but even if things seem the same, I'm sure your honest and driven work ethic makes an impression on those you talk to. It also puts those who chose dishonest means to shame.

And even if no one else in your workplace chooses to care, the fact that you want to uphold the "fair weights and measures" that "God delights in" will surely be noticed by the Lord. After all, no one listened to Jeremiah but God called him on, even if no one paid attention to him. We do the best we can in the sea, river, or ocean God places us in.

Please keep us posted on how things go, and best wishes to you!

I’m catfishing. My pic is at least two years old.

 

[cinder]

I guess I'm also catfishing, I don't really look like a celestial star cat.

 

[RodB651]

What do you believe is your "calling" and/or "mission field" in your life? How did God show you what it was?

I don't know if it's my calling or just where I am right now. My Mom has dementia. I've been watching over her and taking care of her as best I can.

My other thing that I do is help one of the local churches feed people. I really look forward to those Saturday's.

Several years back, I asked my former Sunday school teacher/pastor a question. I asked, "You know, everyone in our old Sunday school class (1992-1994) is in the ministry but me. I wonder if I missed something somewhere?"..
He told me that " Someone has to be a Dad. That's your place"..
I had never thought about it like that before.

 

[passion84god]

From what you've said in your posts, such as your struggles to restore the company's dignity when other salesmen have left it in ashes, I think you're doing a great job of witnessing just through your integrity.

I know at the time it doesn't seem like much -- it's very slow going, if one sees any change or progress at all -- but even if things seem the same, I'm sure your honest and driven work ethic makes an impression on those you talk to. It also puts those who chose dishonest means to shame.

And even if no one else in your workplace chooses to care, the fact that you want to uphold the "fair weights and measures" that "God delights in" will surely be noticed by the Lord. After all, no one listened to Jeremiah but God called him on, even if no one paid attention to him. We do the best we can in the sea, river, or ocean God places us in.

Believe me, they couldn't care less about things like integrity. All they care about is money. In fact, the top trainer and salesman in the company has six different mugshots online. I know. I've seen them. Among his felonies are a fraudulent check-cashing spree. Thanks for trying to encourage me though.
​

 

[passion84god]

I have read several of your posts about your job and I truly hope you find one that isn't as stressful and suits you better.

The retailer that I am doing my current roadshow at is hiring. I spoke to the Assistant General Manager and another Manager this morning, and they both said that they would be willing to hire me. However, the final decision belongs to the General Manager, and he won't be back until Monday. It might not be the ideal solution, but it would cut my weekly work hours down by more than 30 hours, and that's definitely a step in the right direction. I came as close to having a panic attack on my ride home tonight as someone could probably come without actually having the attack. It took everything within me, plus prayer, just to make it home. It's a scary feeling when your spirit is determined to do something because there is no other viable option and your body is shutting down on you out of utter exhaustion. I definitely need a career change, and fast.​

 

[seoulsearch]

The retailer that I am doing my current roadshow at is hiring. I spoke to the Assistant General Manager and another Manager this morning, and they both said that they would be willing to hire me. However, the final decision belongs to the General Manager, and he won't be back until Monday. It might not be the ideal solution, but it would cut my weekly work hours down by more than 30 hours, and that's definitely a step in the right direction. I came as close to having a panic attack on my ride home tonight as someone could probably come without actually having the attack. It took everything within me, plus prayer, just to make it home. It's a scary feeling when your spirit is determined to do something because there is no other viable option and your body is shutting down on you out of utter exhaustion. I definitely need a career change, and fast.​

I pray that God will lead you to something much more suitable, and soon!!

Thanks very much for the update!

 

[seoulsearch]

Believe me, they couldn't care less about things like integrity. All they care about is money. In fact, the top trainer and salesman in the company has six different mugshots online. I know. I've seen them. Among his felonies are a fraudulent check-cashing spree. Thanks for trying to encourage me though.
​

I understand this very well.

But you never know is watching or listening, and how it might affect them -- most especially God.

I understand though.

So many times we get caught in no-win situations, and God is the only one who can see us through.

 

[seoulsearch]

Ive been single since my late husband passed. That was almost 20 years ago. Now im getting married again, so I hope im the one going first this time. Losing your soulmate for a second time would be just too much.

Congratulations @Texasgal!!!

Here's to a wishing you a very long and happy union with your beloved.

 

[seoulsearch]

I don't know if it's my calling or just where I am right now. My Mom has dementia. I've been watching over her and taking care of her as best I can.

My other thing that I do is help one of the local churches feed people. I really look forward to those Saturday's.

Several years back, I asked my former Sunday school teacher/pastor a question. I asked, "You know, everyone in our old Sunday school class (1992-1994) is in the ministry but me. I wonder if I missed something somewhere?"..
He told me that " Someone has to be a Dad. That's your place"..
I had never thought about it like that before.

I personally believe this is spot on.

I have grown disheartened that the church seems to only recognize certain actions as callings or missions. I strongly disagree.

I heard a sermon once by a pastor who said he met a guy to whom the Lord wanted the pastor to say, "You are My pastor." But the guy he was talking kept insisting that he was NOT a pastor.

Then the pastor laid out what he thought God had showed him -- this man was regularly holding things like cookouts at his home for the guys he worked with, knew at church, was neighbors with, etc. They would watch sports games, have snacks, and talk about all the things they had going on in their life (relationships, marriages, work, etc.) and he would offer them words of Biblical counsel and encouragement.

The pastor told told this man, "God wants you to know, you are His Casual Pastor."

How many more people are right in the middle of what God has called them to do or be in their everyday lives, especially when caring for their own families?

After all, the Bible says that believers who do not care for their own families have denied the faith and are worse that an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8.)

 

[Texasgal]

Congratulations @Texasgal!!!

Here's to a wishing you a very long and happy union with your beloved.

Thank you so much .

I thought this never would happen to me again, but it did.

 

[cinder]

Oh I should probably give a proper answer to this thread. In certain Christian circles, it seems like there's the idea that everyone is going to have a great leadership calling from God. You're always the next Moses, or Joseph, or David. You're never the next Naphtali, or Hushai, or Arioch. And you're certainly never one of the nameless background characters in the crowd in the Bible. Similarly when we talk about parts of the body of christ, we all talk about people being the hands, feet, eyes, ears, mouth. But there's the liver, spleen, kidneys and fat cells in the body as well. I also think that at least for us westerners, it's hard to feel significant for things other than what we do, so if we want to be significant in God's eyes, we think it requires us to do something for him.

I remember a great passage in a book I read about the Christian life (and now I can't find the passage back), but it was about someone sitting in a conference where the speaker was encouraging them to be radical for Christ and that was in some very narrowly defined way ( foreign missions, political activism, etc) the author of the book leaned over to his companion and said " I know a woman with a special needs child. She spends every moment of every day attending to his needs and trying to understand what his inarticulate grunts and groans are trying to communicate. That's about as radical and subversive an action for Christ as she can manage".

As for me, I thought I was gonna be a career missionary because that's what God needs most. But my first 3 year sort of long term venture left me burned out and unable to feel the joy or importance of knowing that in part due to my efforts some people were getting the first bits of bible in their language ever. So I had to admit that I wasn't cut out to be what God needs most and wonder why when I stepped out in faith he didn't magically make me that kind of person ( and discovered the genre of the failed missionary story and read a few of those). Now my ministry involves being on the prayer team at church and praying for people, running the computer so people can see the words to sing songs at church and see the sermon slides, taking the 10 min or so to pop through the websites every month to financially support my missionaries of choice, and swinging by starbucks every once in a while to say hi to a friend who works there and is so busy working and taking care of parent that she doesn't have time to actually do anything fun or hang out. Oh and adopting and caring for a dog that was difficult to place and requires some extra understanding to keep giving her an environment where she can have a happy life and thrive.

Sometimes I daydream about eternity and that God will come walking up with people saying hey I want you to meet this person because .... and it's some little thing I did like giving to one of my missionaries or the story project I did overseas helped them come to know God or maybe it was an encouraging word or prayer that helped them hang on one more day when they wanted to quit this whole God thing. And some days I feel like an invisible servant in the castle and it seems everyone else has special missions and duties to perform and I'm just there and kind of useless. But I try to comfort myself with the thought that for every Paul mentioned in scripture there were hundreds of normal everyday people in the churches he planted just living out of the life Jesus had placed in them in very mundane circumstances that seemed of no long term value. And the faithfulness of those people to do the godly thing day after day, year after year, somehow changed the world and built the kingdom. And as our world is not further gone than ancient rome, our faithfulness in the everyday may change the future in ways we cannot imagine.

 

[Lanolin]

The catfish wants someone to take his photo as their avatar. What does God call a catfish to do?