Called out of the Field
A frequent question I’m asked in author interviews is, when did I know I wanted to be a writer? The truth is, I’ve always liked creative writing, but it never occurred to me that I could be a writer. I didn’t believe in myself and lacked the required technical skills of how to diagram a sentence properly. I floundered whenever asked about indirect objects, occasionally used the wrong verb tense, and misspelled words even if I really knew how to spell them. Still do. Intensionally is what my fingers prefer to type, even though I know the s is supposed to be a t. I’m not sure why I type that word wrong.
It wasn’t until after I had children that a story popped into my head, and I felt compelled to write it down. I typed it while my husband practiced guitar for the Sunday worship set. I still didn’t know what I was doing. My grammar hadn’t gotten better after being out of college. It probably regressed, and I still couldn’t pick an indirect object out of a sentence. Yet I kept typing and eventually wrote “The End.” Still inspired, I started writing another story and began reading books on how to write. I was hooked on writing and knew I couldn’t stop. I would write even if no one ever read it, but the desire to be an author was born. While I’m still improving my craft and catching myself spelling intention with an s—still. God saw my potential and bubbled it to the surface before I even believed in myself.
Jesse didn’t know he had a king for a son. When the prophet, Samuel, came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king, David’s own father didn’t bother to call him in from the field where he was tending sheep. Jesse lined up his seven eldest sons, and Samuel approached each one, waiting for God to tell him which child was His anointed. After looking over each boy, Samuel didn’t receive any word from God, but God had said it would be a son of Jesse, and God doesn’t make mistakes. Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons. Jesse said in what almost sounds like an afterthought, “There is still the youngest. He’s tending the sheep.” (1 Samuel 16:11)
Jesse didn’t see the greatness in his son, but God did. The devil doesn’t want you to obtain God’s purpose for your life. He’s out to thwart you and can use others to try to dissuade or bombard you with arrows of self-doubt. But like the greatness God saw in David, He, too, sees it in you, even if others don’t or you don’t see it in yourself. He placed unique skills inside of you (Ephesians 2:10) and calls them out of you.
In 2025, I believe God is calling greatness and leadership out in His children. Our world needs Christians to step up and lead. In the past, we might have pushed off leadership roles or thought that job was for someone else, but I’m looking at the areas in my life where I haven’t led, and in boldness, I’m stepping out in faith, knowing God will guide me. I’d be honored if you would do the same.
Lead your family. Lead in your church, your community, or school system. If that seems too overwhelming, then start leading with one person. Take someone out to lunch that God is putting on your heart and start there. Unlike David’s father, Jesse, our Father is calling us out of the fields to receive our anointing.
Believe in yourself because God put greatness in you.