The Next Step

Andrew was all set to attend a college trip the summer after he graduated with a degree in education but a conversation with his pastor changed everything. All his life, Andrew stayed close to home in Bethlehem, PA, serving faithfully at his church there. As he approached the completion of his college degree, God began to tug on his heart about pursuing a full-time ministry role. 

At the prompting of his pastor, Andrew applied for an internship at HP Pres, cancelling his previous summer plans to pursue the opportunity whole-heartedly. He shares that the decision to move away from home for the first time was “testing my surrender while also pushing me towards what God was calling me to do.” 

Getting the call that he was chosen for the internship confirmed that God was opening doors for him to pursue full-time ministry instead of a teaching job. With plans now in place, he traveled to Texas for the first time. The Highland Kids and Student ministries welcomed him, alongside the seven other interns, to a summer of discipleship, service, and professional growth. 

Over ten-weeks, Andrew and the other interns got first-hand experience of what full-time ministry can look like. While organizing events, building connections with kids and students, traveling on local and international mission trips, and engaging in weekly Bible studies, Andrew grew deeper in his assurance that God is calling him into pastoral ministry. 

Andrew’s decision to trust God with the next step connected him with people who discipled and prayed for him, experiences that challenged him to grow, and time to discern God’s guiding hand in his life. As the summer comes to an end, Andrew will be returning to his hometown, carrying a fresh understanding of God’s faithfulness and call on his life. He shares, “Ministry is what feels alive for me. It’s where I feel the most joy and where I know that God is calling me.”

God calls each of us to walk with him, but like a father holding the hand of his young child, he knows when our walk needs to start with tentative, tiny steps. Take a moment to consider how God is calling you to trust him. Whether that next step is a hesitant shuffle or a life-changing leap, he is right there with you.