|
 Welcome
to the first issue of Passion!
Some of you may already be acquainted with me through one of my other
eNewsletters or blogs where I've pretty much laid everything on the line
about the fact that I'm a Christian, I'm a single (again) Christian, I'm a
writer, I'm a caregiver (my elderly mom lives with me), I'm a single parent, I'm
naturally coiffed, I'm bipolar (manic depressive), I'm a survivor or the fact that I'm slowly sliding into BBW territory.
I have, however, been a bit silent on a pretty important part of my
life--that of my call to ministry--not the fact that I've been called, per
se, trials, tribulations and triumphs that go hand in hand with said
calling.
When it first occurred, aside from
being gobsmacked about it, I was fully into the "You've got the wrong gal!"
mode.
After working my way through that, I did a 180 and went into the "Isn't it
great, I gotta tell everybody!" mode.
After several online conversations with prospective dates (98% Christian)
and receiving responses that ran the gamut of: "Uh ... great ... goodbye!",
"I know more than you, so you can't be called", to "women are only allowed
to preach to other women and boys under twelve". I began to slow my
roll a bit.
As I began to attend Bible School and really began to get into the nitty
gritty of the word I slid into Joseph's territory and got a little beside
myself. All I can say is: My poor mother and child were preached to
incessantly, but they somehow resisted the urge to sell me ... LOL.
It took a test of faith to
bring me back down to earth, and as I looked around me I began to realize
that aside from my pastor and the other female member in my class. I really
didn't have a support system for this new phase in my life, someone who
would understand all the doubts, insecurities, challenges and most of
all--the aloneness.
I tried a few books and online groups, but came away feeling like I needed
to check my "Called and Chosen of the Lawd" membership card--everyone was so
highly favored and spiritually blessed that I hated to throw a spoke in the
wheels of things by rolling out my list of questions and downright battles
that I was having with myself and the Lord.
Around the same time I realized that one out of every four people I met
online was a minister or evangelist of some sort. With the state of the
world--who'd have thought there were so many around?
When I got comfortable enough to broach the subject, I enquired about their
support systems and the men seemed to be cool, but the continuous response I
received from the women, was that they'd love to have a support system of
some kind.
So ... it's been two years in the making ... but here it is ladies and
gentlemen!
Passion! The place where we can keep it real about what really goes on
behind the scenes. And to that end, see our feature story below, "The
Call, or Before the Surrender - Part I".
I look forward to hearing your
stories ... and solutions.
Peace,
Dee
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