Yesterday’s Forward Movement meditation asked a pertinent question in my life: Is God inviting you to serve in a new way, one different from where you want to serve? How will you respond?

I’ve been in a year-long discernment process as I prepared for my retirement from full-time employment. “When should it occur?” More importantly, “Why should it occur?”

The “when” part of the question became clear with the pandemic and I retired from full-time healthcare employment on August 10, 2020. What wasn’t as clear: “What has God called me to do with this scheduling change?”

I am by nature a “planner” with my instinct to anticipate future opportunities and sort through them in a logical, non-emotional analysis. But this time is unique: the pandemic has introduced the knowledge of the uncertainty of life. The only certainty that I can claim is that I must put all my trust in God.

In the past few weeks, I keep being exposed to the issue of food insecurity.

·      The New York Times Magazine from last week provided a photo journey, including a reference to ‘Migrant Mother’ by Dorothea Lange from 1936. I was familiar with the photo as we had a Dorothea Lange exhibition at the Frist Art Museum here in Nashville in 2019.

·      I stumbled upon a Facebook page for the Bellevue Food Bank. They help families in five zip codes, one of which is the area where my church is located.

·      At a recent leaders’ meeting for my church’s neighborhood group, I suggested that we investigate the work of the Bellevue Food Bank as a potential ministry opportunity. The Food Bank is seeing double the number of families coming each week to pick up food since the pandemic began.

·      As we start a church-wide study of the Gospel of Mark, I was connected with a person at church who I had not met. A quick conversation yesterday revealed that she has volunteered for many years at a food bank before moving to Nashville.

How many signs does God need to send to me before I see? 

The Scripture verse from yesterday fits well: Romans 14:4 Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

For you, and for me: Is God inviting you to serve in a new way, one different from where you want to serve? How will you respond?

Blessings, my friend,
Agatha