Finding Your Calling & Serving With Purpose

Lauren talks with Emma Higgins, a children’s ministry director, about how unexpected opportunities shaped her path into church leadership. Emma reflects on finding work through faith, discovering her gifts with children, helping others find places to serve, and the spiritual and personal cost of ministry. Keywords church leadership, children's ministry, serving in church, faith, young leaders, Christian ministry Key Topics Emma Higgins shares how she left a fast-food job without a clear next step and later joined Faith Family Church as a youth assistant. Emma describes how her childhood love for children developed into a calling, while youth ministry first challenged her to grow beyond her comfort zone. A mission trip helped reignite Emma’s interest in children’s ministry; although she felt unqualified at 22, she accepted the director role. Emma sees helping people find a place where their gifts are used as one of the most rewarding parts of church leadership. Serving outside your strongest gifts can build skills and compassion, but service should also be fulfilling and make room for people’s God-given passions. Emma describes ministry’s ongoing emotional and spiritual demands, including leading four Sunday services and carrying the pressure of weekly programs and events. Lauren and Emma discuss guarding the heart against pride, bitterness, and distraction, and approaching ministry with pure motives. Emma reflects on the visible joy of seeing children encounter Jesus, while acknowledging that ministry still involves sacrifice and exhaustion.  Sound Bites "You're not in control." "She radiates Jesus." "There is a constant grind." Chapters 00:00 Meeting Emma and her path to Faith Family Church 05:01 Leaving Chick-fil-A and trusting an unexpected opening 09:57 From youth ministry assistant to children’s director 15:04 Taking the leadership role before feeling qualified 19:57 Recognizing the gifts that feel like a natural fit 25:04 Helping people discover where they can serve 30:05 The cost and joy of church ministry 34:55 Carrying the ongoing weight of children’s ministry 39:57 Protecting the heart while serving 44:52 Leading through imperfections and continuing to grow