I often smile at the path my life has taken. Working for a company that did commercial heating and plumbing, I would have laughed out loud had anyone suggested that one day I would be a pastor of two churches. (And so would most people who knew me!) I can assure you that while standing in a sewage pit fixing a pump, the thought of being a preacher was the last thing on my mind. And yet, here I am—proving beyond a doubt that God’s word is true, nothing is impossible with God!

Some people have that “at the bottom of the pit with no hope, when the heavens opened up and a light ray struck me while God spoke” experience. The truth is, though, God usually doesn’t make that kind of appearance. He usually makes himself known through many and constant blessings, and through answers to questions that we may not remember asking him. In short, he reveals himself to us in ways that we, individually, can see and understand. He was with me in many situations that I only realized afterwards.

So how may he call you? It’s hard to say.

It may be that you find the words to say to a friend or family member when they really need it. It may be in a sudden and unexplainable feeling to act on a cause or to help a person in need. It can be in answering a question asked by a child, or by giving a ride to someone you never thought you would.

It’s important that you don’t panic. God calls us all to be ministers but not preachers; and He calls us to be friends, neighbors, mentors, parents and simply someone who is there to help.

Just as important as hearing a call is answering it. God may call anytime and anyplace. And it may be to do something that you never thought you’d do. But He is faithful and He will not call you to do something and just abandon you. He will be at your side from beginning to end.

The amazing thing is that He has chosen to have us serve Him in the simplest ways, and yet so many people find this terribly difficult. How does God want us to serve Him? By serving His people. That’s really it. When you call an older neighbor to check up on them, you’re serving God. Give some extra cans of food to someone who needed it? You served God. Take time to listen to that person on the street that everyone else walks by? Yep, you’re serving God! Not really that painful is it? God calls us to do what we are able to do, only we need to do it for the glory of God not ourselves. And that way we are doing what God calls all of us to do!

Pastor Darryl Miller

Sand Lake UMC

65 W. Maple, Sand Lake

South Ensley UMC

13600 Cypress,

Ensley Township