A question from a friend
Yesterday, my friend Jane said to me:
"Did you ever think about becoming a minister yourself? I bet you'd be wonderful at something like that."
I'd been telling her that work is really on the back burner for me these days, I am just so much more passionate about my church life and spiritual growth. (Not that I couldn't enjoy both church and work, of course...many people do! But although I have worked in accounting for 20 years, it has never been a passion, is just something I fell into during my twenties when I had not the least clue what to do with my life. And I am now settled in government with a decent supervisory position...a job with stability that pays well, which is a situation for which I am grateful, especially in today's economic climate. But being grateful for my job does not translate into being passionate about my job.)
I had also said to Jane that I rarely even bother checking into professional development opportunities in the corporate training calendar anymore because why take yet another classroom session in, say, public speaking when I can instead get actual experience in my church, such as doing prayers, like I did a couple Sundays ago, or singing a solo (I'm sure the energy around public performance comes from the same place, whether speaking or singing.) Not to mention our corporate calendar rarely offers any useful courses in the first place, at least none that I haven't already taken.
Anyway...back to Jane's question: "Did you ever think about becoming a minister yourself?"...when I read it, I turned to Dave and said: "hey, Jane just asked if I have ever considered being a minister, she thinks I'd be good at it." He replied without hesitation: "yes, you would be." (Dave seems to believe I can do anything, and I must say his unshakeable confidence in me is very strengthening and inspiring! ♥)
I figured I may as well be honest, so wrote back that yes, actually the idea has crossed my mind, and I don't think I've ever really shared that with anyone before. Although, come to think of it, that isn't quite true, I have shared it in a very oblique sort of way at least once...
I remember mentioning to Valerie, a while ago (couple years maybe?), that suggested career paths for my personality type were ones like teacher, psychiatrist, clergy, writer, etc...I went on to say ok, maybe it is ridiculous to think of me as a minister, but I could see myself as a writer. Valerie quickly agreed about the writer, but remained silent on the minister idea. I took her silence as an indication that she agreed it was a ridiculous notion (being certain that if she didn't, she would have said so.) Perhaps I misinterpreted her silence, but...I never spoke of it again...and ever since then, when the idea of ministry crosses my mind, the word ridiculous trails behind it.
But I will admit, it is a path that appeals greatly to me, however ridiculous it might seem to someone else, even if that someone is both a minister herself and my closest friend! :) So having both Jane and Dave express words of encouragement is really uplifting. (I don't think it's that they believe in me more than Valerie does though, I think it's just a case of different people seeing different possibilities in me. Which reminds me of a quotation Barb recently posted by Anais Nin: "Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.")
Now, having been asked the question, I find myself wondering if this is a door I would ever seriously consider stepping through, or if it's just a pipe dream...is there a whole new world out there waiting for me, I wonder?








