When God Directs Your Path

I find it fascinating how God created us to be so complex. As I have shared my joyful journey of writing a book, I can’t help but think of the other passions God has placed in my heart.

One of my other passions is caring for and teaching young people.

Let’s dig deep and think of the other things that make your heart swell with joy. What other passions are you thinking of?

As I reflect on my passion for working with youth, thoughts of my childhood always surface. This passion, like my passion for writing, has existed since I was a child. Age 7 might have been the time I really had the opportunity to interact with other children younger than I was with a heart of love and a desire to care for them. Every moment with babies and toddlers, I made it my mission to get them to smile and laugh. If I succeeded in helping little ones in any way it always blessed my young heart. As a child, I remember overhearing my mom say babies and children can sense a person’s spirit whether it’s good or not. That always stuck with me.

Passion Redirected

I was so impassioned about caring for children growing up that I would often think about how I could interact with them and care for them as a future professional. I decided I would be a Pediatrician. When the time came to pursue this, my mom suggested I go for a trade and possibly revert to the idea of being a Pediatrician afterwards. I thought that was a good idea, so I got my trade in IT, but did not pursue becoming a Pediatrician later.

However, a few years down the road God’s desire for me to work with youth prevailed. As a teenager, I briefly served as a helper to the Sunday School teacher at my church home in Chicago. I also enjoyed spending time with the children in my family and my friend’s children. Still later after moving from Chicago to Phoenix through my employer in 2014, I found myself serving full-time in the children’s ministry at my new church home in 2015. Is there a time that you can think of when you may not have initially chosen the path of your heart’s desire, but later found yourself fully functional in it?

Turning Passion to Business

In 2018 while visiting Chicago, my friend’s uncle talked to us about pursuing our passions as young adults. He encouraged us to do what we love to do and suggested to turn that passion into a business to be our own boss.  On the plane heading back home to Phoenix, I sat thinking about what I was passionate about. And what would even be something I’d love enough to create a business out of? My love of food came to mind but I immediately scratched that one off the list because I’m passionate about ‘eating’ food. I would not be successful in the food business, hahaha.

So, the next thought that came up was my passion to care for youth. Days later, the idea to start a childcare business would not go away. It kept stirring up in my heart, growing from an ember to a full spark. I prayed about it and asked the Lord about the idea of a childcare business. Where was it coming from? I told Him that I was already working with children serving in the children’s ministry at church, however the childcare business kept flashing in mind like those yellow lights at a crosswalk. I inquired further asking what type of business for childcare? Would I be a nanny, babysitter, open a daycare facility or home daycare. I had no clue, but the Holy Spirit confirmed that I was to start a childcare business as a mobile childcare provider. This meant I would travel to/from a client’s preferred location to provide childcare. I started the business in April 2020 and it was a success!

Using Your Passion to Give Back

My passion for youth did not stop there, but as an extension, I developed a desire to mentor young girls. I pursued this passion and started a non-profit outreach program for girls ages 9-16 in March 2022. This too is operating successfully.

The encouragement and support from parents along with the excitement from the children has been a testimony alone to the implementation of the services derived from my passions. Not only is my desire being met, but others are also benefiting. Both the outreach program and childcare business were all new ground for me, but I stepped out on faith and with the help of the Holy Spirit it has all worked out.

Has God directed you to use one of your passions to give back to the community or develop it into a business?

Comment below or email me back. I’m excited to learn how God has directed your path.