Calling?

Apparently Merriam Webster (whoever that is) thinks the word "Calling" means; A strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence or the vocation in which one customarily engages in." Man, Marriam Webster sure does sound like a professional individual. I personally would define calling as "Picking up the phone and dialing numbers," but that's just me.

I have never claimed to be "called" to youth ministry. By that, I mean...if my husband was not doing ministry, I would not be doing ministry (for a living at least). Had I not married him I would probably not be working at a church full time and being in "ministry" as a vocation. Because, it isn't my vocational calling. I know some married folks who are called to ministry together. They work together, they live together, they raise a family together, they do church events together because that is their calling. I say to them... Go get 'em. Good for you! But that is not how our family is wired.

When I think about what my "calling" is, I have to admit the fist thing that comes to mind isn't that I am called to ministry, but rather that I am called to be my husbands helpmate, confidant, prayer support, and friend. For me that would be my calling no matter what his vocation was. If he was a plumber (which by the way would have come in handy last week) I would be "called" to support him in that. Whatever that means.

I remember when we were interviewing at a church before we got hired at our current church to be the youth pastor there. The church board wanted to ask ME a series of questions. My husband politely declined their request and said you would be hiring HIM not my wife. I was SO thankful. That question was one of the main reason we called that pastor that next morning and told him we didn't think that church was the right fit for us.

While I am not "called" to ministry, I am passionate about seeing the ministry that my husband does succeed, so...I fully support and try to engage as much as possible to see him succeed. I guess that is my real calling. Is that ok? I am a pastors wife who isn't called to ministry. Well, it appears God is using us, so it must be!

By the way, Merriam Webster's third definition of calling is; "the cry of a female cat in heat" for whatever that's worth.