I grew up in a very traditional Bible-believing church. As I child, I remember hearing testimonies from visiting evangelists and global workers describing their “call to the ministry.” Naturally, I assumed that if I should someday serve God in this way, I would hear a very unmistakable call. 

In the meantime, I dreamed of becoming a lion tamer. I spent hours on our front lawn wielding a wooden chair and a homemade whip, but our cat Solomon was too passive to act the part of a ferocious lion. My junior high goal to become a jockey and win the Triple Crown fell apart when I hit a growth spurt and was suddenly half a foot too tall to find success in the saddle. In high school I set my sights on becoming a famous journalist or author, neither of which I’m doing today. 

During those years of big dreams, God put a desire in my heart to work in global ministry, something that our traditional church emphasized greatly. This was also a “come-to-the-altar” church, so I do remember an evening when I went forward at a mission conference. I suppose some people might consider this my calling, but to me it was more of a declaration of my willingness to serve the Lord overseas if he opened the doors. (I admit I was a bit disappointed that I hadn’t heard the actual voice of God himself announcing his plans for my life!) 

Today I can look back and see that God put desires in my heart and talents into my hands, and He used those elements to direct me into a life of global ministry. But my actual calling is the same as yours - we are called to be God’s holy people (1 Cor. 1:2), and to live in fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:9). As Paul announced to the Romans, and by extension to us, we are privileged to be among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. 

This is a calling that none of us can miss, because it is spelled out very clearly in His word!