The Call - Part 1

“I think I’m called to missions.” That is what Brandi said. It was during one of our Married Small Group meetings at our house. We had three other married couples sitting around our dining room table. She said it. Out loud. Witnesses were there. They heard her. That’s when I knew I was IN TROUBLE!

It shouldn’t have surprised me. It’s not the first time she talked about it. But before, it was small talk, ramblings and wishful thinking during one of our many “what if” conversations. But this time, there were witnesses. This time, I’d have to seriously consider it. This time, I’d actually have to PRAY ABOUT IT!

See, since graduating East Ascension High in 1990, (GO SPARTANS!), we’ve bounced around… a lot!

1990-1997 in U.S. Navy: Boot camp and Naval Nuclear Propulsion Training in Orlando, FL and Goose Creek, SC. Submarine duty in Charleston, SC and Kings Bay, GA. (USS Simon Bolivar, SSBN-641 Submarine demolition in Bremerton, WA. Radiological Controls School in Goose Creek, SC. Radiological Controls Repair on a Submarine Tender in San Diego, CA. (USS Dixon, AS-37) Demolition of Submarine Tender Ship. Norfolk, VA. Radiological Controls Repair on a Submarine Tender in San Diego, CA.  (USS McKee, AS-41)

1997-1998: Dump Truck driver in Gonzales, LA & Commercial Refrigerant Reclamation Technician in Baton Rouge, LA

1998-2008: Process Technician at Shell Chemical in Geismar, LA (2 new plant constructions and 4 different units in 10 years)

2007-2011: Bible College at HPC, Maintenance Tech at LSU Athletic Department, Fence & Deck Builder’s Assistant

2011-2012: Contractor at Shell Chemical – Project Field Technician

2012-2017: Associate Pastor in Pastoral Care at Healing Place Church.

Tired of hopping from city to city, job to job, I was ready to drop anchor. The way I saw it, was this last job was MY CALLING. This one WAS IT for me. I was settled. I was planted. I was going to shepherd people, do marriage & pre marital counseling, financial counseling, officiate weddings, minister at funerals, visit church members in hospitals, oversee Sunday Marriage & Family classes until I was in my mid 70’s, just like Brother Jim Rentz and Brother Wayne Austin, who served with me. THIS is what I was going to do FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I was COMFORTABLE!

But, then, that’s when she said, “I think I’m called to missions.” Again, I stress, there were WITNESSES.

I thought Brandi was settled too! After 7 years of college, a couple years at Ernst & Young, a couple years at Blue Cross Blue Shield of LA, in 2005 she got her dream job at Healing Place Church, leading the Finance Department. 12 years later, she was Chief Financial Officer and had watched HPC grow from 1 campus with 2,000 average weekly attendance to over 10 campuses and 10,000 average weekly attendance. She had systems in place, a great team in place, but she was NOT COMFORTABLE! Because she said, “I think I’m called to missions.”

Her first mission trip was to Mumbai, India in 2004. That’s where she caught “the bug.” It was a new continent, new country, new culture, new people. That’s where God planted that seed in her heart for “others.” Since then, we’ve both went on and lead trips to China, India twice, Mozambique, Swaziland, Haiti and finally, Honduras.

Honduras. Something happened in Honduras. That seed for “others” that God planted in her heart while she was in India, hit good ground and took root while she was in Honduras. That’s when her talking went from “what ifs” during our small talk, to “I think I’m called to missions” in front of our closest friends.

How did I respond? Well, that's for next time! Thanks for checking in!

Gered, Brandi, Jada & Josiah