If I were writing this article 20 years ago while a student at North Central Bible College, my thoughts on what I believed to be the personal calling of my life and my ministry plans after college would have created an essay that is very different from what I write here. My interpretation of a calling was probably that of most students who attended NCBC, that it is a divine mission placed on your life, meaning your life is dedicated to advancement of the gospel through a full-time career-focused ministry. As a very typical Assembly of God church attendee who grew up in the church, I understood that this calling would take the form of a personal pastor in a local Assembly of God church, such as a children's church, youth church, music church, associate church, or senior pastor. At that time, I believed that I would one day become the senior pastor of an Assembly of God church. Although many subscribe to this interpretation, and I thank God every day for those who have this calling, I now believe that my interpretation is no longer so narrowly defined. Quite simply, I no longer believe that my personal calling is for full-time pastoral ministry. The journey I took to realize this fact was initially very exciting, but quickly turned into a very disappointing journey and has been a source of discouragement and insecurity over the years. It is only in the last ten years that I have discovered and accepted the true calling that God has placed on my life. My first understandings of what I believed my call to ministry to be began with a question when I was thirteen. I was attending a youth gathering at our newly hired senior pastor's house when he asked me if anyone was thinking or planning to come in... middle of paper ...... I'm going to be a pastor , but I won't. say never. I am now focused on my family and my career as a secular manager, and my immediate plans are to complete my bachelor's degree and then pursue an MBA. This degree may provide me with business-minded ministry opportunities in the future, but I will leave it to God to show me those opportunities. My personal mission statement is: Always pursue the knowledge of God, His grace and mercy. , be a godly husband and father, love my wife and children unconditionally, provide for my family adequately, be honest and ethical in all personal and professional situations, accept who I am and not become that that another thinks I should be, resisting negativity and negative company, being increasingly sensitive to the plight of my fellow human beings, and caring deeply for all those with whom I come into contact.