Just like most college students, I came to the point where I decided to change my major. It was my sophomore year at Union College, and I had no idea what I wanted to do. I called my parents to ask them to tell me what they thought my career path should be. In the past, it seemed they always knew what field would be best for my siblings before they knew themselves. So I decided to skip the objections and just do whatever they thought I should do. However, when I talked to them, they had no suggestions or pointers. It's ironic, how when you want your parents to tell you what to do that is the time when they are silent.
God seemed silent about the matter as well, except that He told me to apply to Andrews University. So I started the transfer process, feeling blind because I had no idea what program I was transferring into. I like having a plan. I like knowing what my future is looking like. God kept telling me that when the time was right He would clue me in on my future, but I decided to enroll as a photographic imaging student. I faithlessly needed a back-up plan.
Around November 2004, I found out about a mission trip to Rwanda, Africa, the very heart of where the genocide took place so many years ago. My love for travel and missions drove me to sign up. It was not until I was accepted and started going to the meetings that I found out I would preach an entire evangelistic series by myself. I had never preached in my life! Speaking up front was not something I did. I remember the day I finished my public speaking class my freshman year, I started jumping up and down in celebration. And now I was going to Africa to preach for the first time in my life. God has clever ways to help us come out of our "shells."
After the decision to go to Rwanda, my answer from God finally came about what I was supposed to do. Or rather, part of an answer. God said to wait until Africa, and then He would show me. So I did, except I couldn't let go of my back-up plan of photography.
Once in Rwanda, I had my first sermon. My pastor/translator told me there were 1,500 people present! I felt such an amazing rush. There was such a joy that I felt from being able to share who God is and how incredible He is with so many people, and all at one time!
The whole experience was surreal. Many times during that three-week time frame, my pastor and all the people I was with kept telling me to go into theology. Over and over I heard it, but I was patiently waiting for God's answer, thinking it was not possible that "theology" was it. Anyway, I fought it and fought it until the last Friday night. Scared, I sat down and prayed, "God, if theology is actually what you want me to study, then I'm going to need some sort of physical sign. I'm going to need something written down on paper saying that this is what You've called me to."
Ask and you shall receive (see Mathew 7:8). Later that night, a girl approached me with a note and told me that in a dream God asked her to write His words for me. The note said, "I have a dream. Our Lord has anointed and has chosen you to preach [to] all [the] world because this one needs you to survive...." I had my answer and an amazing call to ministry. I still have that letter in my Bible so that whenever I'm doubting or being doubted I'll remember that I'm exactly where God wants me.
I graduate with my bachelor's degree in theology this December, though I still don't know where God wants me after I graduate. The difference is now I've learned to trust God. He has my future in His hand, and His plans for me are better than anything I could conjure up on my own. I just have to be patient.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (NIV).
Lawren Morrison is a senior theology major at Andrews University.
