A testimony by Christie Kulbieda
My On Fire experience led me in a direction I was least expecting; a direction which seemed to me like less than more.
After a career in teaching and then in the corporate training world, I was trying to find focus in our family life. I was a wife and mother of four young girls. I began to fill my new role as an avid volunteer, working on councils and volunteering wherever I felt I was needed. My belief, when I started On Fire, was God would help me discover where He wanted me to volunteer next in the Church. I went into On Fire thinking I was being called to be a leader and a teacher in the Church, but God had other plans at that time.
This six-month journey of prayer, learning, coaching, and discovering my spiritual gifts was much more a holy spirit driven experience than a biblical knowledge driven experience for me. The message I was receiving became very clear as the months progressed. God was guiding me deeper into my vocation of motherhood. This revelation was very powerful for me and refocused my efforts on my family, and the places and spaces that directly involved my children. I learned that being a mom was where God wanted me to focus all my energy. He was telling me to focus in and slow down and to be available to my children whenever they needed me. I began to fully embrace this critical vocation of motherhood more than ever. I let go of volunteer positions that did not directly involve or benefit my children, because the years would be slipping by to share these moments together and nurture their souls. This brought a sense of peace to my home and how our family functioned. Mind you, peace of heart not without commotion of the world, but I could feel God working through it all. On Fire opened my eyes to recognizing and solidifying my ministry styles of Apostle and Teacher, both gifts needed to nurture a family of six.
Since my On Fire experience, I live my life with greater intentionality and faithfulness. I engage and ask for prayers and pray for others with confidence. My husband, who also experienced On Fire, and I discern often how God wants us to live daily and weekly. How we should raise our family, what we should focus on. From daily family habits to outside activities and financial decisions, He is present.
I have recently focused my efforts and gifts in my role as a youth minister for middle schoolers in my church. My hope is to have them become engaged members of the church as they discover their own spiritual gifts and have the confidence to live in their faith as unique gifts from God.
