My mum was an Anglican, my dad a Roman Catholic, and I was brought up in the Christian faith. My mum and I would often go to our local C of E church together, but my mum would struggle with anxiety and so I never attended church consistently. I read the Bible myself at a young age, and through this, and my parents’ different understandings, I formed my own idea of who God was.
As I got older, I started to drift. A history of being bullied as a child, which had carried on into my teens, began to affect my life decisions. I began to chase acceptance – first through sports, then through work, money, and everything in between. When those didn’t fill the gaps, I turned to alcohol to dull the edges of my unresolved issues and escape.
Working in Shanghai, I had a moment of realisation. My goals had always been about wealth and material success – and I was achieving them – yet I began to notice an emptiness right in the centre of it all. The lavish lifestyle had seemed perfect on the surface, but my eyes were brought to how distant my peers were from each other, even with their own families. In the midst of this, I felt God urging me to see the truth – that money and success is an empty pursuit.
Back home in St. Helens, a nudge from God grew into a full-on call. I initially resisted it, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that God wanted me to pursue something with deeper meaning. He led me further into music, not for the fame, but to see His creativity at work, reigniting my faith, and opening the door to something much bigger.
The first time I felt the pull towards ministry, I pushed it aside. However, taking a job working as Operations Manager at my home church immersed me deeply in church life. From this I started seeing faith in action, and my relationship with God grew immensely. The call from God subsequently became louder and louder as I worked and journeyed with Him. Conversations with people at church, and mentors of mine, affirmed this internal feeling of where God wanted me to be. Through discernment, self-reflection, and overcoming doubts, I finally embraced His call. God revealed to me that ordination was the path through which I could make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
Today, I serve as a curate at The Mount, a vibrant Church community within Church St. Helens. It is wonderful to be able to witness and be a part of people’s journey’s towards God, and an incredible gift to see lives transformed, all while feeling that personal joy of connection with Jesus.
Working in a church plant, we delve into new expressions of faith that aim to resonate with people who don’t normally attend church. This can be college students, schools, or all sorts of people from a variety of backgrounds. I love being in these spaces, forming friendships, and introducing people to Jesus in a way that’s accessible and meaningful to them personally. Another privilege of my role is being called to support people through the difficulty that life can bring.
Overall, seeing people step into faith, and seeing people grow in that faith into disciples, and leaders, is a profound blessing. Following God’s call to serve as an ordained minister is challenging. However, the transformation that I see brings the most incredible rewards.
