woman learned utter dependence on
God as we prepared the soil, fertilized, planted, and then waited for
rain, sun, and growth. I lived the
cycle of life, death, and resurrection in the animals and the fields. I
learned gratitude for the bounty of
God’s gifts. My experience taught me
and shaped me in ways I cannot even
name.
I have done many things in
my life, yet every job I held, every
relationship I had, everything I went
through prepared me for my role
today. Consider nothing as wasted.
If you learn and grow, you build a
foundation for whatever comes next.
Enter #127 at VocationMatch.com
cific vocation path, there are several
steps you can take:
1. Be a learner. Anything you do can
teach you important things, and often the lessons are essential for your
next steps in life. As Jesus worked
with wood as a carpenter, he likely
learned vital lessons in patience,
tolerance for imperfections, respect
for the strengths and weaknesses of
materials, and much else that was
helpful in his later mission.
I also speak from personal experience. I am a liturgy and bereavement consultant. But my bachelor’s
degree is in dairy science—yes,
cows. I married a dairy farmer when
I was 19, and I thought I would be
on a farm the rest of my life. I was
wrong, yet the lessons I learned in
working closely with the land and
animals were vital for my eventual
path. For instance, this in-control
2. Be a follower. Mentoring is the
process by which someone older,
wiser, or more experienced takes
you under his or her wing, gives you
advice, and helps you grow. I have
found mentors to be invaluable gifts
in my life.
Mentoring can take many forms.
Find a good spiritual director, or at
least a spiritual companion—
someone who helps you see how God
is working in your life and who
challenges you to grow in your faith.
Meet with and pray with this person
regularly. Talk about your faith journey and your search for God’s will.
Find another mentor in whatever life
path you are considering.
If you feel a possible calling to
religious life, find a priest, sister, or
brother who can be honest about his
or her experience, both the joys and
the difficulties, and who can guide
you in your discernment process. If
you are considering marriage, build
a friendship with a married couple
in the same way. Read everything
you can. Get recommendations from
book reviews, friends, your spiritual
director, and other reliable sources. If
Enter #162 at VocationMatch.com
14
VISION 2009
For more features go to VocationGuide.org
