Rev. Ken

I became ordained for a few reasons. Most were because of my own beliefs and faith. I am about to turn thirty-five. I use to sit patiently in the nursing home while my parents sat and talked with my great grandparents. I would sit on the bed and just listen to the conversations they would have. While I was there, I use to hear my great grandmother tell me that I would make a good minister. I heard this from the early age of five or six. Quite an interesting view-point for being that young, right? I always seemed to hear the spirit calling to me, but I feared that I was not who God wanted as a minister. I went through many ordeals and , as the old saying goes. I have consistantly battled with a bi-polar disorder since I was about nineteen. This only added to my own fears about being good enough.About ten years ago, a person that I had worked with for a short time offered his help and advice. I appreciated it, but was uncertain about it. Then a year or so later, I got in touch with him and it wasn't easy to do at first. He was more than willing to work with me and in a short time, we became very good friends. He should me certain aspects of religion, beliefs, and our own spirituality that I was not able to see for myself because of my personal upbringings in the church. He had steered me towards religious books outside my own belief system and my eyes were opened again. I realized that my beliefs were always of an open mind and because of being brought up in a singular religious belief system, those same thoughts about religion had been skewed. After realizing this, my mind went back to the time of being five or six years old and sitting with my parents and great grandparents and being told that I would make a good minister. I took that advice literally and applied it by being ordained. Thank you ULC. I have a lot to learn, but I also have an open heart and mind. My spirit is willing to go were God needs me to be. I have been blessed and I guess in a way you might even call it a curse. Because while being able to minister to others as they need me, I also have the obligation to live up to those much higher standards and not to offend or hurt anyone. I must truly live by the Golden Rule. I will pray for this and for all those that minister and are ordained. Blessing and Peace to all.