It’s funny how things fall together sometimes. In the past week I was taking a small holiday in Whitley Bay, enjoying the coast, and in the space of the three days that I was there, I received several emails from varying friends in varying stages of life asking for prayer with regard to vocational decisions. For some, there were questions of generality and what direction they should go and for others it was specific to presented opportunities. I found myself spending a lot of time on the beach in prayer for other people, which was very good for me, as I have found that praying for others causes me to pray more. Sometimes, when it’s just God an I, it’s a real struggle to make the words flow. However, when I have a specific person in mind and a specific end, I find it quite easy to focus and to lift it up. I do need to work on that, on praying more faithfully, but for now it’s a real blessing and aid to be able to pray for others; it keeps me on track.
Subsequent to all that praying, I felt God give me varying answers or thoughts to present to those who had sought my counsel. As ever, there were no “you should do this” moments, but affirmations of God’s faithful direction, things to consider, and a general reassurance that I too struggle often with the question of vocation and the direction my life is going. Thus, I’m writing this post. Answering questions about calling has made me reflect quite a bit on my own, and I feel like it’s only fair for me to explain where I come from with regard to sensing God’s direction in my life. I realize it may surprise some people, because academia isn’t and still isn’t entirely where I thought I would end up, but I need to explain a bit before I get there, so here it goes . . .

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