By: Rev. Abigail Zielinski
Northpoint Alumni,
Class of 2024
Last year, I wrapped up my degree at Northpoint College and launched into an exciting role as an Associate Pastor alongside my husband at Prayer and Praise Church in Ludington, MI. It's been a dream come true, especially after we both became credentialed ministers with the Assemblies of God right before graduation. Even as a senior, I was already interviewing for pastoral roles, eagerly ready to dive into the ministry work I love. But this adventure didn't just start in college. It traces back to my high school days.
Being a missionary kid meant that my only chance to check out colleges was during my freshman year, as my family would soon leave the US. Initially, I had zero interest in Northpoint because I dreamed of a big, traditional college experience. However, everything changed after I attended Discover Day at Northpoint. I was completely taken aback by how passionate the students were about their faith and serving others. Their dedication, the atmosphere of genuine kindness, and the way they lived out their callings made me rethink my plans. Despite my initial resistance, I knew in my heart that God was pointing me toward Northpoint, and I couldn't ignore it.
Fast forward to applying to Northpoint and being accepted from Northern Asia amidst the early stirrings of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our family got stuck in Thailand on vacation due to canceled flights, resulting in us coming back stateside with just the few bags we had. Only God could have known how broken and displaced I would feel when I got to campus. I had none of the clothes I had bought for my first year of college, and my parents didn't even have a home in America. Yet, through God’s provision and timing, I received free housing and a scholarship that took financial pressure off my shoulders, allowing me to fully immerse myself in my studies.
I began my journey at Northpoint with a heavy heart but was met with incredible love and care. Northpoint was a beacon of support and healing. The staff and professors went out of their way to make me feel seen and cared for. It became a place to heal from the initial shock and grief, learn deeply, and build meaningful relationships. It was here that I rediscovered my passion for ministry, inspired by professors who not only taught but actively practiced ministry, sharing their real-life experiences and insights.
During my junior year, a pivotal moment in my journey happened at Pastor Erin Colago's installation service as the campus pastor of Northpoint. The speaker, Dr. Lori O'Dea, read the scripture from Joel 2:28, "I will pour out my spirit on all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy." It made me realize my potential path as a female pastor, something I hadn't considered before due to a lack of representation. This moment, coupled with strong support and personal revelations during prayer, confirmed my calling to feed God's people with His Word, setting me firmly on my pastoral journey.
Every class prepared me for just that. I learned under some of the best pastors who genuinely walk with their congregations. They shared their weekly routines, how they run board meetings, and how they administer communion and baptisms. We even practiced baptizing our classmates to prepare us for that part of ministry. In each class, I watched God highlight a gift He had given me that I needed to steward well because there was a purpose to it now. I was given opportunities to preach at several youth groups, which gave me confidence that I was walking in my calling. I got to preach on Sunday mornings at churches without pastors whose congregants needed someone to come alongside them to invest in their lives. They were filled with people who had no one praying for them, no one to visit them in the hospital if they got sick, and no one to equip them to be who God had created them to be. This realization broke my heart and determined me to find a community to love and serve.
It is hard to believe how much transformation, clarity of calling, and tremendous growth all started by attending Discover Day at a college I did not want to attend. Now, I get to pastor feeling equipped to continue to do what God has called me to do. I look back at all that God did these past eight years to lead me to Northpoint to discover my calling and be in the perfect spot to let those gifts grow and flourish. I am so grateful that when God calls us, he leads us. And when He leads us, the journey is where we find his good plans and purpose for our lives.
コメント