You Are Called!

In the fictional movie, The Princess Diaries, Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is an awkward teenager enduring the usual difficulties of high school. That all changes the day her paternal grandmother Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews) arrives with shocking news. It turns out that Mia is far from ordinary. She is, in fact, a princess and the only heir to the throne of Genovia.

Mia proceeds to get herself into a series of mishaps and embarrassing situations as she seeks to become who she rightfully is already. While we’ll probably never be called to rule a country, we all have a moment when the King of Kings calls us to be a princess in His kingdom. Much like Mia, our initial response may be the equivalent of, “Who, me?”

But our calling isn’t about us. Like Mia, we may not see ourselves as “princess material” but what matters most is the will of our Father.

Even after we’ve accepted God’s offer to be a princess, we may forget our calling from time to time. Imagine if Mia moved out of the palace and lived on the streets. Her beautiful gowns would become dirty, she would have little to eat, and few would guess her real identity. Yet the fact that she was royalty wouldn’t change. Being called is just the first step. Carrying out our calling is a lifetime pursuit.

Living our calling can sometimes be confusing because our culture tends to view “a calling” as synonymous with a vocation. We say pastors are “called” to the ministry. A missionary might be “called” overseas. Yet Scripture talks about our calling in a much deeper way. Being called by God is about who we are not about what we do.

You can carry out your calling as a stay-at-home mom, a CEO, a marketing director, a caregiver, or any number of other ways. What matters most is embracing your identity in Christ and living your faith wherever you are today. As Mia finally discovered, being a princess doesn’t require a castle, fancy gowns, or lavish parties. It only requires a heart fully committed to the king.

Ring, ring.

There’s a call for your heart.
It’s been there since the day you were born.
And it will be there until the day you go Home.
Pick it up, listen closely, and you’ll hear
the voice of Your Father whispering what’s true...

“You are mine.
I made you.
Chose you.
Called you.
That call isn’t about a vocation.
It’s about making a difference wherever you are.
It’s about being who I created you to be.
No one else can take your place.
No one else can answer this call.
I’m so glad you did.
I’ll be right here telling you all you need to know
every day, every step of the way.
I love to hear your voice...
and I love when you listen to Mine.”

Blessings on your day as you carry out your calling in the Lord