The following post is from Rob Lee, a student at Appalachian State University and one CBF’s Collegiate Congregational interns (CCI) at FBC West Jefferson in N.C. This is the first in a series of posts from CCI-ers who will share about their summer experiences. 

Parker Palmer in his book, Let Your Life Speak, offers these words, “Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about, quite apart from what I would like it to be about, or my life will never represent anything real in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions.”

“Telly Ticket” aka Rob Lee at FBC W. Jefferson’s Vacation Bible School

Never have these words been truer for me than Vacation Bible School week at First Baptist Church, West Jefferson. 

If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent an enormous amount of time trying to run from and begrudgingly articulate your vocational and ministerial identity. The complexities of our existence are that we are faced with tough, life-changing moments that force us into a new and different realm.

At Vacation Bible School here in West Jefferson, I have had to yell, shout, scream and effectively make myself look crazy for the program we have. While this is certainly not in my nature, I’m finding more and more that Jesus’ reminder that the kingdom of God belongs to the children is something I need to be authentic about.

Our collective and individual callings are all about God’s game-changing voice speaking to our stories. How have we been written into the story of the congregation or organization we serve? How have they been written into our story?

This constant struggle of trying to articulate and listen to the heart of God is risky business, for sometimes we find ourselves transposing our voices over the heart of God for the sake of clarity or explanation. The God I’ve come to know is much more interested in how the very heart of Christ can be transposed into our voice, not the other way around.

When all has been said and done with my time here at this church, I am confident that I have heard the song in the heart of God. I have been transformed from cautious observer to disciple, based on the challenge this church and its God have given me to get out of the boat.

I’m much more comfortable with other things in the life of the church, sometimes words like ‘children’ and ‘youth’ are daunting, but for this season that is precisely where God has called me. The old saying goes, “God comforts the challenged and challenges the comfortable.”

When all has been said and done, I want to be a disciple who got out of the boat. That’s not for bashful pride or wishful thinking; it’s an authentic wish to be true to my vocational calling and myself, even if that means I risk drowning.

Whatever risk I might take, I’ve found consolation that Jesus was there outside of the boat. Jesus was present bidding us to say yes. Even though we may run (or even drown), it’s really hard to say no to Jesus, and I’m really thankful for that.