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My journey to serving in the Church was certainly not a straight one!
For those that knew me growing up, it was clearly known that I was pursuing the medical field. Both in my high school and undergraduate studies, I focused heavily on the sciences and on math, which led me to pursue a Biomedical Engineering degree from the University of Michigan with the intention to apply to medical school. However, it seems God had different plans!
While I enjoyed my studies and they seemed impactful, I would often reflect on
the ultimate impact that they would have. I thought about it in this way: engineers work to build structures or devices that improve daily living, but to what end? Maybe some people can’t afford it, or it only benefits a specific group of people. Doctors work to improve people’s health and people’s lives. But again, to what end? All of us will one day perish away no matter the treatment we receive from doctors and physicians. But service to the Church… this is different. To me, I realized the chance to minister in God’s
Church is the opportunity to work towards something which has eternal impact. The chance to change someone’s life both in this world and in the world to come. Of course, this can only be accomplished by Christ, but we have the opportunity to be an instrument of Christ’s work in this world. A chance to be a physician of the soul!
That should never mean that the world does not need good doctors and good
engineers, God forbid! The world would fall apart! But at least for me, the thought did not seem to be random or a coincidence, but rather a calling for me to pursue a life of ministry in the Church.
Nonetheless, my journey was still not very straight! I never really understood a clear path of how to pursue serving in the Church. I also waivered a lot, constantly looking back at what I knew and was familiar with - medicine.
I even went as far as taking the MCAT exam and submitting my application for
medical schools! But all the while, in my prayers I would constantly ask God to help me and reveal to me what He had in store. And He answered! But… the way He answered is almost too difficult to describe in words and was truly grace filled! Imagine this: It had seemed as though all the perfect doors had closed just as the new, proper door had opened. Things that I wanted to happen a certain way, didn’t go my way! But supported
by prayer, this was the intended path designed for me. God had engineered a path for me, and I just needed to trust and walk with him and do so in His timing. At the time, I didn’t really know where He was leading me, but looking back now, it’s clear that it was Christ who was working all things through His divine providence.
I know I am speaking in vague terms; the full story would take up many more
pages. But I can summarize in this way: seven years ago, I had no idea that I would be where I am today, serving as a deacon in Christ’s Church. Yet I have no doubt that God has been the real Engineer in my life to guide me to where I am today. He answered my prayers, even when I didn’t think He heard me. He took away opportunities and replaced them with better ones. He placed people in my life that brought me peace and clarity to understand what I needed to do. And even the heavy-duty roadblocks that were in my way, He helped me navigate around and eventually clear them off the road.
All that to say, even as a clergy, I don’t have all these things figured out, but
Christ will always work them out for me, and I know He will do the same for you!
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