When do I heed the call to serve God?

What does it mean to hear that inner voice call for you to serve God? 
When do you hear that call to service?

I believe we are called from the beginning of time, whatever that means. For me, I believe the call was before we took on human form. Even at five years old I knew that I heard the voice of God. To me I became aware of a power within me greater than me calling me to serve my fellow man/woman. I did not really have anyone to explain all the questions that I had at that time.
The only answer my mother offered me was, you have a gift. She even said that she had this gift too. None of this made any sense to me. I began to have a fear of myself which resulted later on in my life as health issues, physical and mental.

I have known about the power of prayer very early in my life. Not understanding the many questions and feelings that I had, I prayed. In all matters, I pray. I still do.

As early as four or five years old, I had a good understanding of people and a good sense of people who needed to be uplifted. Family, friends of family, classmates and later colleagues and neighbors love being in my presence. I realized love radiated through me and expressed through me in many ways in my everyday life.

A smile, a few kind words (from the heart...people can feel if your words are genuine or not), a helping hand, and spiritual support. Since my mother did not force me to join or attend a church, I was able to explore many different religions. Most churches did not appeal to me. I realized at an early age, organized religion was not for me, however, I yearned for fellowship and some of the activities such as singing in a choir. In my early years, I believed that I had to give service through a church so, I toiled with the idea that if I was to serve God then I needed to belong to a church. I had a dream that seem to help me with this idea. I realized that I had to give serious thought to what is service to God. I began to accept for myself that anything that I did for my fellowman that helped them and uplifted them was service. I also knew that it did not have to be giving money only. In giving service, it had to feed my soul. This would be one of my indicators that I was on the right path.


I became a teacher/team leader and realize that this was not just a job for me but this was how I was to serve God through teaching. I brought more than the subject matter to my classes. Through teaching I was able to touch many families through providing breakfast in my classroom for those students who shared with me that they had not eaten for days at a time. I offered students a way to get to school by being a sponsor, that is, paying for their weekly tokens. Many students needed clothing so that they could attend school. When there was a need, I was always part of the solution to their problems. Sometimes students just wanted an ear. I was there. This kind of service was needed by people in my neighborhood, family and friends. Wherever the need was I tried to help and also contributed to organizations that provided a helping hand. Although I am retired, I find myself still teaching. I know that this is my service to God. I do not consider myself a traditional teacher. I am teaching at breakfast meetings, lunch meetings or through the internet. My mind has expanded greatly preparing me for what is ahead.

I receive from giving. When my mother made her transition, my students offered an ear and their hearts to me. I know first hand that when you give, you receive back multiplied blessings.

What I did not know at the time when I was giving, I also needed to give to myself. I needed love, someone to listen to me and just know that I am enough. When we are not taking care of our own needs, we can deplete what we do have and give everything away. We must include ourselves in the equation and give from the overflow.

Although, one may serve through his or her church, service can be from anywhere and any place as long as it uplifts another and it is given from a loving space. There is unlimited ways to serve.

The call comes, and how you serve comes from the depths of your soul. This is when you live to serve with a glad heart.

Meditation: contemplate on, from the deepest place in me, my soul, I hear the call to serve God. Take 3 cleansing breaths, go into the silence for at least 3 minutes. Lovely LadyFran