Last week I got a phone call from a member of the bishopric to come in for a meeting the next evening. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this isn't the first time or the last time I'll get one of those calls. It usually means 1 of 2 things: releasing from the current calling or being given a new one, sometimes it's both. In the LDS faith our callings, church jobs, are all volunteer based and we don't get paid to do them. I've held different callings since I was 12 and in the Young Women's program. I've held some that I truly enjoyed and others that have been a struggle, but full of learning a growth for me spiritually as well as personally. So when I went to meet with the counselor from the bishopric I wasn't quite sure what to expect only that I just knew I was going to be released from my most current of callings. I'd actually known it was coming for a few months now as we'd just had a new Bishop put in and had told Jay, my husband, all those months earlier that I just had a feeling I wouldn't be in that calling for long.
My calling was one that I struggled with, but knew it was where the Lord needed me even for a short period of time. I was the Activity Days leader, basically our 8-11 year old girls would meet with me twice a month to work on their Faith in God books. I did this program when I was that age and it really helped me to gain a testimony and prepare me for when I did enter the Young Women's at the age of 12. As I met with the counselor and we chatted for a bit I wasn't sure what all was going to happen, but trusted in the Lord that He did. Sure enough I was released from this calling, but not given a new one. This was a bit of a surprise, but not enough to cause me to wonder what was going to happen. I know the Lord has something in store for me, something big. I'm not sure what, but as I've spent the last week pondering that meeting and praying for guidance I know whatever is coming will be a life changer. I can just feel like. At this same meeting I was also asked to speak in church in 2 weeks.
So Sunday during Sacrament meeting I was released. I feel a bit of relief at no longer holding this calling. I always felt awkward and unsure of myself with this calling. In some ways I find it funny that you can ask me to speak in front of the ward for 15 minutes and I'll gladly do it, but ask me to be crafty and help girls 8-11 years old develop their faith and spirituality and I freeze up. I've always felt unsure of myself around kids, some days even my own. It is an area I know I struggle with and so that calling was out of my comfort zone. It was also the shortest calling I've held at just 5 months where most of my callings have gone a year or more.
With this change in callings there are other changes coming to. I'm not sure how I feel about the other changes coming except that they are part of life. Jay's almost done with school, his current job is about to change, and we've got kids about to go back to school. Then there's my job. Oh how I love what I get to do. I wake up excited to get into my work, but make sure to take the time to study the scriptures first. I need that in my day or it doesn't seem to go as well. Life is exciting, challenging, and known to throw curve balls at you when you least expect it. I think that is where I'm at right now with life. I know big things, no huge things are around the corner. I don't know what they are or what will come from them, but I can just feel there are some incredible changes happening and coming my way. All I can do is embrace them as they come and smile through the journey. Yes, smiling is a must or how else can I show that no matter what happens I'm ready and willing to accept them?
Even speaking in church on Sunday is a bit of a curve ball. For the first time ever, and I've been giving talks since I was 12, I don't have an assigned topic. I was instructed to pray about what I should speak about and go from there. Is this a challenge for me? Sure, I like knowing exactly what I am supposed to speak on, but being given the opportunity to pray and receive that answer for myself is something I welcome. Today that was part of my focus was on seeking that direction for my talk. I feel like I've got it narrowed down, which is improvement, but knowing me I wont even have that clear answer until Saturday night. For some reason I work really well under pressure and some of my best talks have been written out the night before or the morning of. I'm kind of excited to see what comes from this one, it will be exciting to see what my topic ends up being that is for sure.
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