Called from the Pews - Unraveling My Story to Pastoral Ministry {{ part two }}
In part one of this series ( Called from the Cradle ), and encouraged by my education at Calvin Theological Seminary, I have been exploring who God has redeemed me to be—a process of ever-growing sanctification. I shared how God's call began to work in my life through the providentially powerful, and at times painful, experiences of living among the fellowship of believers, particularly in the small-town church where I spent the first decade of my life. Leaving that church wasn't easy, but my dad's new gig as a pharmacy owner required our family of five to relocate to a new town about 25 miles northeast. In our new suburban/rural town, my sister and I were still very much "country girls" (as my late Uncle Mel would endearingly refer to us). However, when we first visited what would soon become our new church home, it didn't feel as homespun. My 12-year-old self was watching and curious. I noticed first how fancy and fraternal everyone seemed to be. I have now...
