Living on Mission at City Hall (by Brendie Heter)
God laid the groundwork for my mission field many many years ago. I was a strange child who watched CSPAN and volunteered on political campaigns. What can I say? I loved Jesus and politics!
I had no trouble deciding a major in college and signed up for Political Studies at the Master's College. While I loved my classes and professors, attending Master's really messed with my mind as a "career-minded" female. I became depressed because the other girls had lofty and clear "spiritual paths".
Most women were on serious missions to nab a pastor as a husband but I had actually made a vow never to marry a pastor when I was 11....I saw how hard it was on my sisters and wanted no part in professional ministry. Satan would constantly remind me how "lacking" I was and how often I had failed. I felt constantly under attack and "spiritually naked" surrounded by these women. Basically, I was confused about how I could serve the Lord while NOT married to a pastor. I couldn't sew, knit, and knew I wasn't called for full-time ministry ....so how could God use me?
I continued my passion for politics and worked on Capitol Hill in DC and then landed a great job with the City of Santa Clarita my senior year. Within the first week of my new job at City Hall, it just "clicked" and I knew I was in the right place. My co-workers encouraged me, pointed out gifts I didn't know I had, molded, and mentored me for advancement. HERE, I finally belonged!
I felt like an outsider in the Christian community but felt uplifted and loved at work.
Sadly, I focused more on this career then I did my relationship with the Lord. I will admit, I fell many times and damaged my testimony. I had an image of a proper "Christian Woman" and I just couldn't be her. And then...started believing I couldn't serve the Lord the "right way".
It was my roommate, Kellie Espino (then Kellie McDonald) who told me to make City Hall my mission field. We were sitting in our old apartment and I will never forget how stunned I was. It was a concept I never heard of and it was SO RELIEVING. I lost a HUGE burden off my shoulders. If she was right, God had actually placed me in this mission field and I wasn't somehow an outsider???
City Hall is challenging for many reasons. It's an amazing place to work but also easy to get distracted with career goals rather than living purposely. Sometimes I speak to the most difficult, rude people on the planet. Sometimes their self-inflated sense of entitlement makes me want to either laugh or scream. However, I have to be very careful in how I react to these people because I know I'm being watched.
Lately, opportunities have come from talking to co-workers about the biblical view on marriage. Going through the engagement process at work was interesting because the marriage "advice" started coming almost immediately. I was able to share the beauty of the gospel to friends by explaining God's "advice", His view on marriage.
My job has also opened the door, to the "social scene" of Santa Clarita. There are HUNDREDS of non-profit in towns but sadly believers are pitifully represented. These people are amazing, generous, kind and for the most part don't need recognition. They are serving the community passionately but are empty. This is a particularly hard mission field since they are amazing on their own strength and seemingly they don't need anything. Volunteering along side unbelievers has provided great opportunities to explain why I volunteer and who I ultimately serve.
The series on "Living on Mission" has been so powerful for my life. I've been challenged and encouraged. A few weeks back Brian read: "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ...God making his appeal through us!" I Cor 5:20
As a political nerd, this verse struck me because "ambassador" is a term for a high-ranking government official. Ambassadors are chosen very carefully. It takes a LOT of work to become one and he/she has been given a serious task. The Lord's Ambassadors are expected use their position to further the Lord's kingdom not their own.
I have been called to be an Ambassador for Christ in City Hall and through out Santa Clarita Valley. It's not glamorous and often frustrating. But it's exactly where the Lord has me and I'm grateful for the opportunity.
I had no trouble deciding a major in college and signed up for Political Studies at the Master's College. While I loved my classes and professors, attending Master's really messed with my mind as a "career-minded" female. I became depressed because the other girls had lofty and clear "spiritual paths".
Most women were on serious missions to nab a pastor as a husband but I had actually made a vow never to marry a pastor when I was 11....I saw how hard it was on my sisters and wanted no part in professional ministry. Satan would constantly remind me how "lacking" I was and how often I had failed. I felt constantly under attack and "spiritually naked" surrounded by these women. Basically, I was confused about how I could serve the Lord while NOT married to a pastor. I couldn't sew, knit, and knew I wasn't called for full-time ministry ....so how could God use me?
I continued my passion for politics and worked on Capitol Hill in DC and then landed a great job with the City of Santa Clarita my senior year. Within the first week of my new job at City Hall, it just "clicked" and I knew I was in the right place. My co-workers encouraged me, pointed out gifts I didn't know I had, molded, and mentored me for advancement. HERE, I finally belonged!
I felt like an outsider in the Christian community but felt uplifted and loved at work.
Sadly, I focused more on this career then I did my relationship with the Lord. I will admit, I fell many times and damaged my testimony. I had an image of a proper "Christian Woman" and I just couldn't be her. And then...started believing I couldn't serve the Lord the "right way".
It was my roommate, Kellie Espino (then Kellie McDonald) who told me to make City Hall my mission field. We were sitting in our old apartment and I will never forget how stunned I was. It was a concept I never heard of and it was SO RELIEVING. I lost a HUGE burden off my shoulders. If she was right, God had actually placed me in this mission field and I wasn't somehow an outsider???
City Hall is challenging for many reasons. It's an amazing place to work but also easy to get distracted with career goals rather than living purposely. Sometimes I speak to the most difficult, rude people on the planet. Sometimes their self-inflated sense of entitlement makes me want to either laugh or scream. However, I have to be very careful in how I react to these people because I know I'm being watched.
Lately, opportunities have come from talking to co-workers about the biblical view on marriage. Going through the engagement process at work was interesting because the marriage "advice" started coming almost immediately. I was able to share the beauty of the gospel to friends by explaining God's "advice", His view on marriage.
My job has also opened the door, to the "social scene" of Santa Clarita. There are HUNDREDS of non-profit in towns but sadly believers are pitifully represented. These people are amazing, generous, kind and for the most part don't need recognition. They are serving the community passionately but are empty. This is a particularly hard mission field since they are amazing on their own strength and seemingly they don't need anything. Volunteering along side unbelievers has provided great opportunities to explain why I volunteer and who I ultimately serve.
The series on "Living on Mission" has been so powerful for my life. I've been challenged and encouraged. A few weeks back Brian read: "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ...God making his appeal through us!" I Cor 5:20
As a political nerd, this verse struck me because "ambassador" is a term for a high-ranking government official. Ambassadors are chosen very carefully. It takes a LOT of work to become one and he/she has been given a serious task. The Lord's Ambassadors are expected use their position to further the Lord's kingdom not their own.
I have been called to be an Ambassador for Christ in City Hall and through out Santa Clarita Valley. It's not glamorous and often frustrating. But it's exactly where the Lord has me and I'm grateful for the opportunity.
Labels: Living on Mission, Testimony
posted by copperhill at 11:02 AM
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