Call to Ministry

Call to Ministry

Thinking back over the years, I would never have guessed the final destination of the journey that God is taking me on.  I never thought I would end up studying at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas, halfway across the country from my family and those I love.  God knew what He was doing, and it was by divine intervention that I heard about LETU.  I went to a Christian college fair in southern Pennsylvania and it just happened that LETU was having an alumni reunion and informational meeting that night!  Through a series of events, God brought me to LeTourneau to study Aeronautical Science, Mission Aviation.  To understand how I came to this point, we need to jump back and take a look how God provided and lead me over the years.

God has truly blessed me on my journey and has provided many amazing opportunities.  My journey began in 1988, when I was born into a Christian family.  My mother and father decided to home school me all the way through high school.  When I was seven years old, our family went to Gabon, Africa, for three months to help out at a bush hospital.  Both of my parents are in the radiography field, and the missionaries in Gabon needed training on new x-ray equipment they received.  As a seven year old, I experienced another culture that was radically different than America. This trip sparked my interest for missions and has been kindling in my heart ever since.

When I was ten years old, my father started a church plant called Lords Valley Community Church.  This was a growing experience for my whole family.  The church body began meeting in the basement of a house, then moved to the basement of a restaurant, and then finally to a store front space in a shopping center.  I often found myself helping out around the church in any way I could.  For example, I helped with installing carpet, painting, cleaning, and setting up chairs to name a few activities.  As a teen, through our church youth group, I was able to go on several short term mission trips with an organization called Adventures in Missions.  Our group went to inner city Philadelphia twice, and rural West Virginia.  These trips taught me a great deal about ministry.  Our team did everything from cleaning up trash on the street, to feeding the homeless, to painting and fixing up a church, to hosting a vacation Bible school for the kids.  The trips further fanned my interest and passion for helping people both physically and spiritually.

I became interested in aviation through an organization called Civil Air Patrol (CAP).  My brother, Dave, had been involved for many years; I heard about all the cool stuff he got to do.  As soon as I was old enough, I joined up as well.  CAP is the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force.  The main missions of CAP are: Aerospace Education, Emergency Services, and the Cadet Programs.  CAP can be thought of as a military version of the Boy Scouts but with an emphasis on aviation and search and rescue.  As part of the aerospace education program, cadets are able to take orientation flights in CAP airplanes.  These orientation flights sparked my love for flying.  Before long, I started to take flight lessons, earned my private pilot’s license, and received several flying scholarships through Civil Air Patrol.

During my nine years as a Civil Air Patrol cadet, God blessed me with one opportunity after the next.  I worked my way up the rank system, and made it to the second highest rank, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel.  In the whole nation, at that time, only 1,727 people had made it to this rank.  I learned and matured so much during this time.  With higher ranks came more responsibility.  I advanced up the chain of command and served in every leadership position at my squadron.  At the peak of my CAP career, I was the cadet commander and in charge of scheduling meetings and training events for the members.  On the state level, I was on command staff for several training activities.  On the national level, I had the chance to go to Cadet Officer School at Maxwell AFB in Alabama.  On the international level, I participated in an International Air Cadet Exchange in the United Kingdom.  During this trip, I met with people from all over the world: Japan, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands.

            God used these activities I was involved with, to shape who I have become and my desire to be involved in ministry.  God taught me so much about leadership, character, and dedication during my time in CAP.  As I said before, the spark for my interest in ministry began when I was in Gabon, Africa.  As I matured in Christ, I went through many ups and downs and stagnant periods with my walk with Christ.  The summer after my freshman year at LeTourneau, I had the chance to visit Mission Aviation Fellowship’s base in Lesotho, Africa.  This trip was part of a course at LeTourneau called a Vision Trip.  Before this trip, I was always interested in mission work, but never knew for sure if I was called.  I believe this trip confirmed my calling to serve the Lord with my passion for aviation.  I see mission aviation as a great way to reach out to both the physical and the spiritual needs of people throughout the world.

After this trip to Lesotho, I recognized how all my gifts, skills, and abilities could fit together in ministry.  I took Kinghorn’s personal inventory for spiritual gifts and discovered that my gifts were: serving, giving aid, shepherding and administration.  Back in my Cornerstones class, I took the Strengths Quest assessment and found out that my strengths were: activator, communication, responsibility, restorative, and connectedness.  I believe a lot of these gifts and strengths point towards a natural leadership ability and desire to serve.  God is calling me to be a servant leader in the field of aviation.

This past semester I have moved into the role of president of a student group called LeTourneau University Mission Aviation (LUMA).  LUMA exists for networking and training students as we prepare to go into mission work.  This is just one more experience that God has blessed me with.  I love helping people and furthering fellow student’s desires to be involved in mission work.  I don’t like to draw attention to myself and could be described as a quiet leader who gets the job done behind the scenes.  I am able to see the small details that need to be done, and carry them out with joy. I also love solving problems and can get tasks done quickly.  I am dedicated and see a project through to completion.

Since God is ultimately the only thing that matters in my life, I want to serve Him in any way I can.  I don’t see the point in going after the American dream; life is way too short.  I want my life to have an eternal impact in strengthening and encouraging Christians.  I feel a responsibility to bring glory to God by ministering to the needs of others.  I want to be someone people can count on and come to for help in time of need.  I like helping people out with practical needs and also like to challenge people with spiritual matters.  I am never satisfied with my walk with Christ and always want to be closer to Him.  I am also continually thinking and meditating on spiritual matters, and often write blogs online which describe what God has been teaching and challenging me with.  I am often distraught over the complacency and apathy I see in the Body of Christ in my generation and work towards changing that.

I never thought I would end up as an aircraft mechanic upon entering college, but God combined my skills, talents, and passion for Him, all together into the field of mission aviation.  Because of this, I have many practical skills I bring to the table for ministry.  I am a commercial multi-engine pilot with an instrument rating and have my tailwheel and high performance endorsements.  In the beginning of January, I will also be a certified airframe and powerplant aircraft mechanic.  I also feel that my servant leadership, passion for God and spreading the gospel are critical in ministry.  We exist for God’s glory; not our own.  I can do a lot of great things on my own, but if God is not at the center and my strength, then my ministry lacks a fundamental aspect.  God is continually shaping and refining who I am and is preparing and equipping me for ministry.  As I near the completion of my education at LeTourneau, I am looking forward to the next step in the journey that God has for me.  I am trusting that God will direct my steps, for His purposes and for His glory.