Is this my mission?

* image not mine *

Ever since I was a young girl I knew that I wanted to help people...I did not know in what capacity nor was I a practicing Catholic. All I knew was that when "I grew up" I wanted to help people. In college I majored in Human Development and Family Studies and went on to get my masters in Human Services Counseling/ Mental Health. While completing my bachelors degree, I came back to the Church and became even more passionate for helping people. While I was pursuing my masters degree I worked at a Catholic emergency shelter ran by nuns. I provided therapy for children who were being abandoned or removed from abusive homes. I loved my job there but unfortunately had to leave because of lack of funding...long story!

Since receiving my masters I have been working at the university I graduated from providing career counseling to students. Helping them with finding jobs and making sure they have great resumes to go into the "real world." I love my job- I get to assist students, alumni, and community members get on their feet and find something they love to do and get paid for it! At 24 years old I have a great job with a wonderful salary and benefits, and I am very grateful. However...however... everyday I know I could be doing more. Everyday I pray for my mission from God. How does He want me to serve him...? Am I doing what He wants me to be doing...?

Recently I have been reading blogs from people who are on missions across the world- leaving everything behind and spreading the Good News! Those people are are making a difference! When I read about the mission company I talked with my husband and we started praying harder and asking God for our mission.  We know that youth ministry is a huge mission but I wanted to be sure we were using our gifts that He has given us to the fullest potential;We joke that God hasn't sent us a child yet because He has sent us 40 teens instead!

I think last night God answered our prayers.

When we arrived to mass last night my husband and I went into the sacristy. We were both serving and like to get their a bit early to put on the robes and prepare. When we walked in one of our priest was there and as we got ready he said he had something to talk to us about..

"I wanted to ask you both something... I have been working with three teenage siblings who have lost both of their parents. These kids are yearning for love and to learn more about Jesus but are not ready to join the youth group. They are broken and only open up to each other and are not ready to open to an entire group. I mentioned to them that you two are the youth leaders and how would they feel about meeting with you outside of the youth group. Maybe to form a friendship with them where they can start attending the Eucharist and learning more about their faith from two young adults who are living it... they said they were willing to give it a try and I told them I would talk to you." 

My husband and I both looked at each other and agreed we needed to pray about it but we definitely knew we wanted to help those teens. Last night after mass my husband and I talked about how God works in mysterious ways...Here I was trying to plan a trip across the country to "help people" when there are people in my community just as broken and unaware about God's infinite love and mercy! Don't get me wrong, I still hope and pray that one day God has it in His plans to send us abroad as missioners, but for now we will continue serving Him here.

Clare