My Calling
Discovering My Calling
I have no doubt that God has called me into ministry. I felt this call pretty early on in high school, but ignored it for a long time because I felt the need to get "a real job." I loved youth group growing up. It was always the highlight of my week. The reason I loved it so much was because of the community of leaders and peers who pushed me to love Jesus and others better. I knew that I wanted to be able to provide that same love and community development to students in the future. As I was applying to Biola University, I applied as undeclared but halfway through the summer before my freshmen year I realized that I couldn’t see myself doing anything else, so I declared as Christian Ministries. As I've continued to take classes and be involved in ministry, that calling has been confirmed in me.
Specific Calling in Ministry
I was first drawn to youth ministry specifically because of how much God changed my life being a participant in it. Then right after high school I got involved with Sonshine Ministries, a houseboat summer camp. I was on staff working with junior highers and high schoolers and I fell even more in love with that age group. I continued to work with Sonshine for the next two summers, and with every church that came up and every new student I met, I felt progressively more confident in my love for students. Being around them feels so natural and comfortable. I find myself desiring and enoying to be around junior high and high school students. I have also been in two internships with high school youth groups and I felt like I was thriving there.
One important thing that I learned about my specific calling through these different ministry experiences is that I enjoy long-term ministry. Building relationships with campers for a week and then not knowing if I would ever be able to see them again was so hard for me. I wanted so badly to go home with them to follow-up and be involved in their lives. Being in the internship I am at right now, I have been with these students for six months now, which is the longest I have ever done, and it feels so much more life-giving and beneficial to me. I desire to invest in students. It seems harder for me to follow the Great Commission of “making disciples” (Matt 28:19) if I am not doing life with the people I am serving.
Desired Career
Given the passions, skills, and experience God has given me, my career aspiration is definitely in youth ministry. I am open to what that could look like specifically, but the goal right now is to be working in a youth group at a church. I have chosen this path because it seems to be the best way to be with a group of students long-term and walk through the discipleship process with them.
Summary
God has called me to work in long-term youth ministry, possibly in the church, but I am open to wherever God decides to lead me.
