While we tend to paint the stories of God speaking to people in scripture with glitter and glam, listening to and answering the call of God can be pretty risky. Samuel experiences this at a tender age in 1 Samuel 3:1-20, and we all experience call shifting, evolving, and challenging us in every stage of our lives.

Here’s a link to some information about the beautiful if overplayed hymn, “Here I Am, Lord.” (I won’t post a link to a video of it being performed, because it will change the image on the post.)

“Calling” by Steve Garnaas-Holmes. Get all of Pastor Steve’s poetry, reflections, and prayers at UnfoldingLight.net.

More about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s call to be “creatively maladjusted,” and where that may have come from in his own life.

Barbara Brown Taylor’s Leaving Church, which has a lot to say about the evolution and discernment of specific call, including the grief of leaving an old understanding of call behind.

If you are perhaps feeling the inkling of a call to pastoral ministry, here’s a link to more information about how to become a pastor in the United Methodist Church. The first step is always to talk to your local pastor so they can be in prayer and discernment with you!