What I Want to be When I Grow Up

When I was about 8 years old, 

I distinctly remember a time when I was looking out of our house's front window into our neighborhood and dreaming about being a nun or a nurse when I grew up.

I am not from a Catholic background, but maybe I got the idea from my name being Teresa and hearing about Mother Teresa all the time. I don't know.

I just remember wanting to help people and take care of them. I was (am) a very quiet and private sort of person, so I never remember sharing this nun-desire with anyone. As I grew up I realized I wasn't Catholic, so the idea of being a nun was replaced by just being involved in our local church, and I just couldn't handle all the necessary gore involved in being a nurse. As I neared time for college, I had no direction in my life. I was at a loss about what to pursue.

My dad pushed me to go to Bible college for one year and then decide what to do from there. He didn't stop at that. He told me he thought I would marry a pastor. I can still see the twinkle in his eye.

And he was very serious about his prophecy for my life! I told him I would NEVER (Oh, yes, I did say the 'never' word!) marry a pastor. I was not pastor's wife material. I didn't fit the bill. And besides, how do you go about setting a goal like that? Put an add in the paper? "Wanted: pastoral student for marriage partner"? Yikes!

Bible college was life-changing, and I needed changing!  It was there at Moody Bible Institute that I fell head over heels in love with a guy named Dave. And he was studying to be a pastor! Sure, dad. "Just go to Bible school for one year," he said. My dad must have been doing some heavy duty praying.

God knew I didn't need to have a distinct plan for my life, because He had something in mind for me that I didn't qualify for. I believe He put the dream of being a nun (or, at least the legitimate parts of that) in my heart when I was very young.

Now I am not your typical piano-playing, administrative-party-planning pastor's wife, so I have struggled all these years with feeling totally inadequate and unprepared for this calling. But now, at my age, I am embracing Hebrews 6:10,

"For God is not unjust, He will not forget your labor of love--the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them" 

(T.I.K.J.V. Teresa International-KJVersion).

At my age, I feel like everyone's Mother Teresa, and I know of no better direction for my life.