Everybody has a calling.

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of attending Parkway Heights for worship service. (I forget how much I love the Methodist church.) The subject for the sermon was doubt and how to deal with it. The minister talked a lot about how we tend to doubt ourselves in different situations and completely lose our faith when we can't really see what's next. What an excellent sermon to hear as I embark on a brand new journey in life. This message made me think of a lot of different things in life, as new beginnings are all around. And, of course, I immediately thought of an episode from Oprah.

As I stated in a previous post, I really admire Oprah and will be referencing her a lot throughout my blog. She ended her show after 25 years this past spring, and I visit her website quite frequently to view videos from previous seasons in order to fill the void. On the very last show, she wrapped up the final minutes with how people can make a difference in their own lives through her “What I know for sure” segment.

In this segment she talked about how everyone is called to do something in life. No matter how large or small, everybody has a calling. Here’s a little from the transcript:

What I know from this experience with you is that we all are called. Everybody has a calling and your real job in life is to figure out what that is and get about the business of doing it. It lights you up and it lets you know that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be, doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing.

Each one of you has your own platform. Mine is a stage in a studio. Yours is wherever you are, with your own reach. However small, however large that reach is. Maybe it’s 20 people, 30 people, your family, your neighbors, your classmates, your classroom. Wherever you are. That is your platform, your stage, your circle of influence. That is your talk show. That is where your power lies.

In every way, in every day, you are showing people exactly who you are and letting your life speak for you. When you do that, you will receive in direct proportion to how you give.

So, as we take on new roles and identify new responsibilities in life, remember that you have a calling. You may not know what it is at the moment, but you are called to do something. Moreover, you must remain confident in yourself when figuring out what that calling is and stray away from all doubt.

Finally, I’d like to share a poem written by a Jewish prisoner from a Nazi concentration camp that was presented to the congregation on Sunday:

I believe in the sun

even when it is not shining

I believe in love

even when I do not feel it

And I believe in God

even when He is silent.

Take care, friends.