Called Conference: Preparation for God to Speak
When I think about my relationship with the Lord, I think first about the all encompassing grace and mercy He has showered upon me. It is unwavering, unrelenting, and too beautiful for me to fully comprehend. The second thing I think about is how he consistently calls me into complete dependence on Him through clear paths, opportunities, and open doors that I could not walk through on my own. Whether I think I can or not, God knows where He wants me to go and does not shy away from leading me into those spaces.
In just under a week, the Boldly Seeking team will be making our way to the Called Conference in the Twin Cities. This is an all-women, Christ-centered, ministry-driven two-day conference focused on calling.
WHO is God calling me to be?
WHERE is God calling me to go?
WHAT is God calling me to do?
Last year’s conference was so special to me. I felt a strong pull to attend, even all by myself. In responding to that call, I not only learned so much from the speakers, breakout sessions, and relational conversations, but I also got connected to the Boldly Seeking team in a way that has now continued into beautiful community. The Lord is good and He knows exactly what we need.
As the conference is fast approaching, I find myself preparing my heart to be ready for what the Lord has in store this year. My life looks completely different than it did at last year’s conference and I am excited for how the Lord is going to work in my heart in those two days.
After reflecting on calling in my own life, I’ve found myself thinking about and returning to two women in scripture who were called by God in very different ways: Deborah, in the book of Judges, and Esther, in the book of Esther. These two women have strong stories that I have gleaned from in the past, and whose faithfulness I look to to model.
In the book of Judges, we meet Deborah. She was a prophet and judge whom God raised up to lead Israel during a time of war and uncertainty.
“Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. ”
People came to Deborah for guidance, but before she led others, she was first a woman who listened. When she called Barak into battle, she did not speak from her own personal ambition but from what the Lord had commanded. Her confidence never came from her own strength, but from trust that God had already gone before the people of Israel and His plans were just. I love the moment in Judges 4:14 when she questions Barak “Has the Lord not gone before you?”. I have found myself on both sides of that conversation, in Barak’s shoes when I am nervous about the future and my worldly plans, and in Deborah’s shoes when I trust in the Lord’s guidance. Deborah reminds me that calling begins with faithfulness, listening, and stepping forward when God makes the path clear.
Scripture shows a different picture of calling through the story of Esther. Unlike Deborah, Esther’s calling did not start with a position of spiritual leadership, but instead in circumstances that she could have never predicted or planned. She ended up living in a palace as a leader she never planned to be, and faced challenges that required a tremendous amount of courage.
Esther was a part of the Jewish community exiled within the Persian Empire. When her people were threatened, Esther didn’t immediately step out in boldness to help. She knew that if she were to step forward, it could cost her life. It was Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, that spoke with Esther and encouraged her to step forward.
“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Before taking action, Esther turned to dependence on God, asking her people to fast and pray with her. Even though she was afraid, she chose obedience.
Deborah and Esther had different paths, but both reveal the same faithful God. Sometimes God calls us through clear direction, asking us to step forward with confidence in Him. Other times, He calls us through placement and circumstance, asking us to trust that He has provided for and positioned us with purpose. In both, he is inviting us to trust that He has positioned us with purpose.
I believe that I find myself coming back to these two women for a reason. God is intentionally reminding me of obedience and the belief that the Lord knows the way my path should go. I want to listen and lead like Deborah, and I want to trust and step forward as Esther did.
Although I have only touched briefly on the complexity and nuances of these stories, , I encourage you to read them on your own, or to spend time in another story in Scripture that God places on your heart. The Lord has beautiful things in store not only for this weekend, but for every moment of our lives.
As the Called Conference approaches quickly, I realize that my preparation is looking less like having it all figured out, and more like complete surrender to the Lord. I don’t know the ways the Lord will move, or the conversations He will put me in, or the opportunities He will open, but I do know that He is the same God who called Esther and Deborah.
So, I am walking into this weekend with open hands and these words on my heart:
LISTEN.
TRUST.
OBEY.
STEP OUT.
BELIEVE.
CALLED.
