Let's start with background. I was a teenager when I was at the altar and I received a prophecy that I would be a Pastor.

I ignored it. I was, and in some ways still am, VERY introverted. I already knew that I wanted to work with computers, specifically network administration and security, and the last thing I wanted to do was be up in front of people.

I graduated high school a few years later and moved to the Twin Cities because there are no computer jobs in rural areas (there still aren't many jobs for IT outside of big cities). I joined the Air Force Reserve after my friend (who was active duty Marine) told me to go air force for IT.

I did Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard for 12 years. We (Wife, kids, and myself) moved away from the cities several years ago near to my hometown but roughly an hour away.

We were asked after a tragedy to become the Youth Leaders/Pastors temporarily while our new church looked for Youth Pastors. As we all know, so often, temporary becomes permanent and unexpectedly we were the Youth leaders for several years. Then last year we were approached by a local Pastor if we would pray and consider becoming the Senior Pastoral family at another church 15 minutes away.

We took a month praying and trying to find the person that God actually wanted for this position. Turns out this was a step that God wanted us (me) to take. So we said yes.

Many months into this process it became apparent that the Interim pastors bridging the old (Pastor who had left) to the new (me) were doing very well and were no longer thinking in temporary terms but permanent. Praise God! He made it clear that they weren't supposed to be Interim or temporary. That's good news!

For us we weren't sure what God has for us to do. Do we go back to our old church, do we stay here and continue supporting this Pastoral family?

God made it clear at the end of camp (kids and teen camps) that He was, again, opening the door wide for us to go to my childhood church.

So it's been a process of a few months and I've been speaking at my new (childhood) church for the last 6 weeks as a "guest" speaker. Yesterday morning I received my letter of call from the church board with all the signatures except mine. I signed it yesterday and I'm officially the Pastor.

Humbly I come before you as someone God chose to use. Please don't praise me or think I'm better than you. I'm not. I can prove it to you haha. But God doesn't use the world's measuring stick to determine who's qualified.

God calls those He qualifies and if we use the world's measuring stick we will feel inadequate. Don't fall for the lies of the enemy. God has called you TODAY! He will be your God and your provider, not the fallen world. You are meant for such a time as this. You are meant for TODAY not years and years down the road.

I don't know what God has called you to do but you are qualified because the Living God, who created the universe, has called you.