A calling {even when it's boring!}

Thursday, June 26



I'll admit, the last few days i've been viably restless with this season i'm living in right now…mainly, that i'm in grad school {sound familiar?}. In the last week, a few friends have emailed me some very glamorous job opportunities that literally looked like perfect jobs for Kev and I. One was in Uganda doing really great work with an awesome company, another "required" world travel (as if that isn't the best thing EVER!) doing inspirational work with water all over the globe. I felt a shade depressed that we couldn't just pick up and GO. I tried to reason with God, asking him why I wasn't done with this masters program sooner, because "hello God, this is the perfect job for us, and NOW'S THE TIME!". {cue the Good Lord and his bemusment!}

Not to mention, the world cup is on now and all I want to do is WATCH SOCCER. And then there's the beach, and family reunions, and all my taped "House Hunter International" shows that I still need to watch, and i'm like "why am I in school again??, because everything else looks so much more fun!". And instead, i'm slaving away reading textbooks, discussing in online forums, and punching keys to write papers.  Today I sat sentimental in Kev's lap, and asked him "what am I doing?".

He laughed. And I did too.

Because at the bottom of all of this restlessness, I know without a shadow of a doubt that i'm living into my calling. That i'm fulfilling a dream that God has set deep inside of me. And sometimes our calling requires hard work. Dedication. commitment. And boring days.

I really do believe we were all made for something great. Something full of meaning and purpose that fills our soul with an energy from the one who created LIFE itself. God has given each of us a slice of his Kingdom that we get to bring to earth through our actions and love, kindness and peace.

But sometimes our calling is boring and there's no confetti.

Sweet Jesus was given the greatest calling of them all, to come to this world and love the heck out of us crazy people, die on a cross to bring us ultimate healing and relationship with God, and then reign. He had the most epic of callings,

and yet,

he labored as an obscure carpenter under his father for years. boring. 
he sat at the temples and learned scriptures hours upon hours. boring
he walked around in a desert for 40 days. boring. 

And yet all these boring things prepared him to live his calling. The calling that saved me, saved you. And while these seemingly insignificant tasks were monotonous, yes, and boring, they were life changing for the world, for my very soul.

If you are in a place that you find incredibly boring or routine, take heart! This might be part of the training grounds for some epic calling God may have on your life. I worked a non-profit job for many years that at times was incredibly routine and monotonous (and I may or may not have speculated that my eye balls were going to fall out of my head if I had to look at the computer screen for one more minute!) the experience I gained was the exact skill I was asked to perform over in Nepal for the aftercare home. And that was not boring, but brilliant. But I needed that training before hand to equip and prepare me for something greater.

And so as I labor to gain my masters degree in marriage and family therapy, and become a counselor, I remember that this is my training grounds for something God is stirring deep within my soul. I know that He has something prepared for me that is life altering, that is useful and productive, and that is kingdom building. But for now, my job is to trust him and work hard. To allow Him to pour into me, so that I may pour out love to others.

lean into your calling with hope, expectancy, and faith,
even when it is boring.

Happy day friends!

"set a fire down in my soul, 
that I can't contain, 
and I can't control. 
I need more of you God, 
I need more of you God" 

39 comments :

  1. Absolutely love this! So often, we question why God's plan isn't our plan, but we should focus on the fact that our plan should always be what God is calling us to do! thanks for sharing! xo

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  2. Wow this spoke right to my heart this morning, especially the part about falling out eye balls from looking at a computer screen :) Thank you for your honesty. And encouragement. And reminding us that there is a season for confetti. But more importantly also a season for hard work!!

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  3. Thank you for sharing this post. I can totally relate and needed it this week - I'd much rather be traveling around the world instead of doing extra classes in summer school now! Press on, Katie; He is preparing you for great things. xx.

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  4. Your wisdom amazes me every single time you post, no matter what the topic. This is encouraging for me as I tackle graduate school as well!

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  5. Katie, I can't tell you how much I love this. It's truth through and through. Last night Heshan and I served a Peruvian feast to our small group. One of my friends expertly carved the chickens in like 2 seconds. She learned it while working at Boston Market 15 years ago in high school and we joked how even that job prepared her for today. It's amazing how the Lord works to prepare us for our futures in ways we never expect. Thanks for the refreshing reminder!

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  6. Wow. I really needed this this morning. Thank you for the encouragement and for sharing from your heart.

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  7. Beautifully written. I can definitely relate to you on this. This is the first summer in seven years I haven't been serving in the Philippines, & it is killing my soul! Summer school is definitely not my dream world for this season.

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  8. Love this post, sweet friend! I'm so encouraged by it. I can totally relate to it and wanting to do more "exciting" things than what God has called us to right now!

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  9. Ohh! I can related so. much. Really. I am struggling so badly sometimes with still going to university, when everyone around me seems to be working/having babies/etc. I know that it's a really good thing that I'm finishing my studies, even if it seems like it's taking me for ever b/c we moved cities... But I come back over and over again to the fact that this is where the Lord wanted us to be, so this thing with university, too, is what is best. And to be honest, I'm glad my husband has a lot more logical approaches to these things than I do, because I would have given up a thousand times over. So there's that, too! And there are so so many times when I know for certain that this is where I'm supposed to be at in life, and that really helps carry through those down-times, too.

    Sorry this is so long! Ha! But I really can relate so much. Love the fact that you're listening to what the Lord is telling you, even if it (sometimes) isn't what you want to hear right at that moment.

    xx Gabriella

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  10. Wow I really needed this blog post today. Thanks so much for sharing. I recently switched jobs and am a little bit disappointed in where I ended up. It appears to be a great opportunity on paper but I feel bored and unfulfilled a lot of the time. I keep on asking God what I should be doing because I feel so lost. My husband told me to be faithful and grateful (basically what you just said). I know God has a plan for me and even though I may feel a little lost, there is something great in my future if I just hold steadfast.
    Thanks for being so true to your self in all your blog posts. You are inspiring.

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  11. This is a great post, Katie! It can be so hard to not get ansy and impatient in "boring" seasons :)

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  12. beautiful, Katie. so very true!!!!!!!

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  13. this right here... "But sometimes our calling is boring and there's no confetti." <--you have no idea how much i needed to read that!
    girl i just want to curl up in two chairs with something warm to drink and pick your heart and brain for hours.
    (too creepy sounding? hahaha)

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  14. As usual, such a wonderful post :)

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  15. Katie girl, this is so So SO where I've been for the last 2+ years! It is BORING! But you are right, it is still a calling. Thanks for sharing!

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  16. Beautiful post--so glad I stopped by :)

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  17. I echo all of your feelings - in grad school, wishing I could be back abroad...so I really needed to hear this! Thank you!! :) xoxo

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  18. So proud of you sweet friend!! Praying into your dream!! And thanks for this reminder. Needed it.

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  19. Ooooh girl. This is GOOD. Definitely a reminder I needed!

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  20. I have been/am exactly where you are-even though I live overseas, I don't feel like I'm living out my passions. I love my baby and am so thankful I get to stay home with him, but it's hard not being able to do medical work or the things I know God has gifted me for. But you're right - this season's calling is preparing is for the future!
    I actually just wrote a post on this exact topic a few weeks ago if you want to check it out!
    http://www.journey-mercies.com/2014/06/when-todays-calling-is-not-your-passion.html

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  21. I needed to hear this today. My job has it's boring moments, but these past couple of weeks I've felt like I've been trudging along through the mud. I know I'm in the right place doing the right thing, but I keep asking God "Why???" I just need to trust that He knows best and this is part of His bigger plan!

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  22. loved this post, katie. can so relate! thanks for writing it. xoxoxoxo

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  23. Ah, Katie!! I love this perspective. I've never thought about how boring a lot of what Jesus had to do to live his calling would have been. And I'm so with you that sometimes parts of our calling (especially the prep parts) are boring. Thanks for sharing this post, sweet girl!

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  24. this is really encouraging and insightful, Katie!

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  26. I saw a quote that made me think of this today- you may have seen it. It said "Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in faith." Thank you for your encouragement!

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  27. This is so encouraging Katie! I can definitely relate to this, but it's so awesome to rest in the fact that God has the biggest adventure in store for us. And every step is part of the amazing journey. :)

    xo, gina

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  28. God be with you during this season. I am going back to school and dreading it, even though it's interesting and will totally pay off in the long run. I can commiserate! Love the parallel with Jesus quite life for his first 30 years. I think there is so much grace to saying yes to God's calling in the daily grind with joy. God bless.

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  29. everytime I read your blogs I am continually inspired! with my trip to Nepal at its year anniversary and me approaching my final year of college, I find myself in the same spot. Itching for God to present these incredible traveling opportunities to serve him in a greater way. But your blog truly reminded me to stay content in HIM and his plan. Thanks babe!

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  30. This post was certainly a God-thing. Thank you so much for speaking from your heart. I am in a similar position - life just being really monotonous. I do try to enjoy the small things and be grateful for everything I have, but it is SO easy to wish for new things and to be somewhere else, etc etc.
    I have shared this on Facebook as well, because I am sure that we are not the only ones!!
    Thank you again :) xo

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  31. I had to laugh because I'm where you are at! It wasn't until this past month that I just finally surrendered to accept that God has me right where he wants me. Sometimes I think the mundane and 'slow seasons' are ones that Jesus is extra near.

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  32. Great post. This is so important to remember. Also, I love the song you quoted at the end. :)

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  33. I needed this! Thanks for the sweet reminder, friend.

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  34. so beautifully said. so glad to catch up on your blog. hope you are having a fabulous time with family right now and so thankful kevin is healed and doing great! miss you!! xox

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  35. "Living into my calling" Love your take on that!

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