I listened to God, will you?

Tomorrow I start my new secular job at a bank...


I still remember that summer. I was 14yrs old amongst 200 other teens and at a summer youth that my youth pastor took me to in the mountains of South Carolina. I clearly saw a vision of me talking to thousands of people and I heard God say, "Ministry". That night forever changed my career track because before that I wanted to work at Disney. A lot of my friends laughed at me and told me that God wasn't in it because there was no money in ministry. I needed a back up plan in case I heard wrong. I listened to God.

Fast forward to my senior year in high school. I had three paths that were open: internship with a traveling evangelistic youth ministry, internship at my home church, or go to ECU. After months of debating and praying, God told me to be a part of the traveling youth ministry. It was pretty tough raising intern money and being a part of the organization, but I learned so much about the meaning of integrity and administration. When I told people that God told me to leave home to go to Tulsa, nobody quite understood why...but God did! I listened to God.

A year later God pointed me back home to ECU and a ministry at our church that my mom started. It was a brand new preteen ministry that she had started and was on the brink of explosion. Guess what...it exploded! Nobody thought a busted up double wide trailer could host future leaders and challenge their parents. Those doors provided leadership opportunity for me that I've never had before: plan for weekly worship and the lessons. Challenge accepted! Lives were changed included my own! But then it happened again, God's voice. I was to move to Tulsa and go to ORU. I listened to God.

Never being on the campus of ORU before I was pretty nervous but I knew this was what God wanted. My buddies laughed at the thought of me going back to Tulsa, but I kept saying it was a God thing. Because I listened to God I took deep theology courses, my Biblical knowledge grew, and my faith stretched beyond points that I never knew existed. I met my wife, worked at a television studio, 2 internships (one with a large church and another with a mega church), and made deep friendships in the dorms. Upon graduation I was in the 30K's of college debt and within a year or so I was able to pay it off! I listened to God.

My senior year at ORU I needed a job. God opened the doors in Tampa to be a full time youth pastor and make that the launching point with my new wife. There were other churches asking but this was one the that God laid on my heart. People thought I was crazy for not going back home and for being a part of a denomination that I didn't know anything about...but God said to do it. During two years there I learned what volunteer leadership was all about and how a simple vision of transforming a condemned house into a youth outreach center would shape the lives of hundreds of middle school kids. Circumstances arose and they proved to be the confirmation...God was speaking again! I listened to God.

Every one of my friends wanted to know why in the world we were leaving the beaches of Tampa to move to San Antonio, TX. It was simple...God said go. We arrived at a church that had volunteers ready to make an impact. The youth ministry grew both in numbers and spiritual depth in ways I had never encountered before. Schools were opening up to our ministry, kids were bringing multiple friends, and discipleship took deep roots. We began to have our own summer camp and forming our own curriculum. It was a great season with the youth...then it happened. Circumstances happened and God was speaking through them. I listened to God.

I took another position, but this time as a children's pastor. My heart was motivated for the younger generation after holding my son with CF in the NICU. Life was to short to wait to change the lives of teenagers, instead reach them before they become that teen! God placed a lot of joy in my heart and I was surrounded by incredible leaders both paid and volunteers. I learned some tough lessons about management and expectations. We were able to lead a huge VBS which is something my wife and I had never done before. We began to see the kids discipleship getting deeper and our leaders leading with confidence. But yep...you guessed it, God was speaking to me yet again. I listened to God.

Now here we are. In less than a week's time I was interviewed and offered a package at a bank. That normally doesn't happen. God has opened doors again! I'm starting a new job outside of the church. I'm excited because this will be a new level of ministry that I haven' been a part of for 10yrs now. I will be on the front lines working with people facing tough financial decisions. Will I get paid for preaching? No. Will I stop preaching? No. What will be next as far the ministry goes...I don't know. I do know that doors are opening in areas that I have only dreamed about years ago and we will see what God says. I will listen to God.

I'm writing this testimony to you because I want to encourage you. You can hear God's voice. It's true. He wants to be the one typing the address into mapquest, not you! Sometimes it's an answered prayer and sometimes it out of the blue. Sometimes He tells you to change it up when things couldn't be better. Sometimes He tells you to change it up when thing are horrible. What I've learned is to always listen and be obedient. When man tells you that it's crazy, still listen to God. Man can only see the present and not the future like God can. Ever since I listened to God at summer camp at age 14, He has never steered me wrong. Has everything He has told me to me do been easy? No. Has it been worth it? Yes. I'm 32 and still listening and waiting to hear what's next.

So Monday morning is the beginning of yet another example of God working in my life. What will it be for you? Will you be able to say: I listened to God?