The Why and When Are in His Timing
Corey Nieman / Director of Caring Network
I accepted Jesus in middle school at Camp Delta Lake during a campfire invitation and felt the Holy Spirit come upon me. I can remember laughing and crying joyfully that whole night. This set me on a path to ministry during a church service alter call where I felt the Holy Spirit give me a directive that I was to go lay my career aspirations at the cross. It was then I knew I was to make ministry my life’s work. However, I was in high school at the time and was strongly encouraged to go the collegiate route. Strangely, I didn’t feel like seminary was the right next step, so I went for my bachelor’s and master’s degree at the University at Buffalo. During this time, I was also a stay-at-home dad for 12 years while working part-time and finishing school. My wife said that we would have a tough time having a family. God proved us wrong, and three kids later, I was just praying that I would somehow get a full-time job to reverse the roles at some point to be the provider.
God had other plans however, and if that wasn’t enough my sister wanted to start her career as a new mom, right out of college. I then offered to watch my baby niece for an additional year, taking turns with her in-laws. Looking back, I developed a phrase that all these kids were graduates of the BHG daycare, standing for the Big Hairy Giant daycare. They thrived, while I fought to survive. Yet what these 12 years did for me was reinforce that no matter what my work status was, family was to be my primary ministry. Fast forward, as we are quickly approaching empty-nester status, I still think of that time as my first ministry. Cut to this past year, I have been working in ministry for about 20 years in various roles, and God said recently, now is the time to become a pastor. I always left that door open, and just this past December completed my classwork to become a licensed pastor.
Barring any heretical interview mishaps on my part, I am on target to be a licensed pastor this June in the Wesleyan faith. Though the question in my mind has often come up, why now Lord? His response goes something like this, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4:1) The lesson I learned is that the why and when are in His timing. Who am I to question it? Though I will say, once I received the call to become a pastor, and was obedient in completing my coursework, He revealed to me the next leg of the journey of His calling on my life. Stay tuned my friends, as trailblazing paths are coming into view ... Your prayers would be most appreciated.