It's a long story...

 I have a new job. We're moving. But if you know me, you probably already knew that.

You might not know how it all came about, how God showed up in crazy ways, and what made us say "yes" to this new adventure. I'm writing it down here, for me to remember God's call in the days ahead. For you, to look for the work of God in your own life.

It started in mid February when I got an unexpected call from our east coast Bishop (Bishop Roller). There was an opening for the position of Superintendent in upstate NY. My Bishop (Bishop Kendall) had given him my name with a recommendation. Would I be interested in applying for the position in NY?

My first logical answer was: "My husband is 61, loves his job, and is a native Minnesotan. Moving to NY probably doesn't make sense. But I'll talk to him."

When Marshal got home that night, and I told him about the Bishop's call, his immediate response was "Pam, when I married you, I knew you were called to ministry. I told you then if you're called, we go."

Well then. The journey began. Applications. Personality tests. Answering many, many written questions, and a sub-committee interview.

While we were taking all this seriously, I never really thought I'd get the job. It's RARE for an external (outside the area) candidate to become a Superintendent. It's even rarer for a woman. (There has been one woman solo Superintendent in the US church, who is now retired, and there is one woman who currently Co-Superintends with her husband. That's it for 150 years of our history). 

So...when I was told I was a finalist in the process, and we were invited to NY for an interview, I figured that it would be fun to have a vacation in a place we'd never explored. See Niagra falls, Lake Ontario, the Erie Canal. We got our tickets and prepared to go.

And then, about 10 days before heading to NY, we got news: my 17 year old nephew Sam had a mass on his lungs.  3 days before traveling to NY, we found out it was cancer. 3 days of a multitude of diagnoses, from the dire to the manageable. 3 days of emotional exhaustion. And then we were off to NY. 

When we landed in Buffalo, I turned on my phone. A final diagnosis, a type of cancer that usually responds to chemo. Chemo would start tomorrow...at about the time my interview would start. We went to the interview emotionally empty. The verse that came to mind: "For when I am weak, then I am strong" (in Christ's power; 2 Cor. 12:10).

"Well, Lord?" I whispered just before the interview. "I'm counting on you being strong." 

It wasn't that I wanted to have the perfect interview. I just wanted to have a good enough interview that this Conference would consider interviewing another woman in the future. I didn't want to mess up things for those who came later. 

I whispered one more prayer before the interview. It was a prayer that had formulated in my mind over the weeks before. A prayer for how I would KNOW that this was something I was supposed to do, on the slim chance that I was the committee's choice. 

The whispered prayer was 3 requests:

1. That God would show us a Person of Peace.

2. That the pay package would be good enough that Marsh wouldn't immediately need to find a new job.

3. That God would give me a clear Bible verse as a "call."

The interview went well. I had clarity of thought, and nothing surprised or stumped me. There was laughter in the room. Strength in weakness. Check one. Thank you Lord.

But I knew finding a "person of peace" was a crazy request. The concept of a "person of peace" comes out of Luke 10, when Jesus sends out the 72, and tells them to stay with people who welcome them and host them. I was looking for someone who would welcome us, serve us (as the host families served the 72), and open their network to us (this was how the early church was launched). BUT... How would I find someone like this, when we only had an hour and a half interview in a room full of people?

At the end of the interview, someone on the committee came up to my husband, who had mentioned he was an avid hunter. The committee member said: "My family owns a couple thousand acres of farm land, with deer stands all over it. We'd love to have you come hunt with our group!" Welcome. Serves. Open networks. Check, check, check. We had a person of peace.

But more than a person of peace...God was reminding me that He has the details covered. Marshal has been hunting with the same buddies since High School, 40+ years ago. He was grieving the loss of those friendships. God provided.

I still thought that chances of them choosing me were very slim. But the next morning I was told I had the nomination.  Salary? Enough that Marsh doesn't need to go looking for a job.

Call? That was still not there. 

I'd found out I had the nomination in the parking lot of the church where the Bishop was speaking, just a few minutes before the service started. I went into that service in a bit of shock. But as the Bishop began to preach, he spoke of the Trinity looking down from heaven at the mess on earth, and one of Them (Jesus) said: "I'll go." Those two words: "I'll go" brought to mind other "I'll go" passages of Scripture, particularly Isaiah the prophet saying: "Here I am, send me."

"I'll go." In that moment, the call was simple and clear. Was I willing? Yes.

Since that time (a month ago), we've been preparing to move. A week ago, we went to NY for the vote, where the Genesis Conference warmly welcomed us, and voted with a resounding 94% "yes." Many more "people of peace" have emerged. 

Today, I got back from the Annual Conference that I have been a part of for 19 years. It was filled with many good byes (and a few "see you laters.")

Tomorrow I will preach in the church where I met my husband, got married, and pastored for 9 years. People from that church and the house church we started will gather together to pray for us, say good bye, and send us off.

We're exhausted. And excited. And in awe of the ways God unexpectedly works, leads, guides, provides.

We appreciate your prayers on this new journey.