Excuse my language, but Satan is a bastard. I hate seeing his work and impact on humanity. As I shared last week, I had an awesome opportunity to visit Google headquarters and join a Talks at Google panel discussing Christianity in Tech in a session entitled Spiritual Intelligence. A cool title, one that I have lots of thoughts on, but today I am going to highlight what became crystal clear to me with the Q&A time, as well as individuals coming up to me after the panel finished. A form of this question was posed to me four times, with sincere hearts, sadness and confusion:

“Why do I feel and think that I must stop working at Google (or tech) and fly across the world to do real ministry?” 

Just writing this, and reflecting back on these interactions infuriates me, and reminds me we have a real enemy named Satan. The one who comes to kill, steal and destroy.

You see, Satan is crafty, he is smart and uses the tools we give him, as well as other basic tactics. It is absurd to think “real ministry” only exists on the other side of the world. Or “real ministry” is something beyond what you are already doing. Please do not fall for that lie. Yes, there is great ministry across the world. Yes, there are amazing ministry opportunities on our digerati team. Both true, and maybe you are called to pursue one of these, or something else. But there are powerful ministry opportunities right where you are, using the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with.

Maybe you are a public school teacher; please let this be a reminder that the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with are being used to minister to kids that need you more than ever. 

Maybe you are an investment banker; be reminded that the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with are being used by making decisions daily that are based in integrity and honoring Christ. 

Maybe you are a fifteen-year-old girl learning programming and excited about being able to use those gifts to impact the world for Christ; know that you do not need to follow in other's footsteps to be used by Jesus. 

Maybe you are the chief operating officer of your home and a homeschooling mom; please let this be a reminder that the gifts and talents you are using every moment of the day are glorifying Christ and impacting a legacy that you don’t see yet.

Maybe you are a software engineer at Facebook or Google who is gaining influence with your peers and leader; please be reminded that you are a living and breathing Bible to those around you that don’t read or even believe in the Bible...yet.

Real ministry isn’t somewhere else, real ministry is right in the middle of where God has you. Never forget that this world is dying to know who Jesus is...you have a role to play in telling that story! So, if you’re like me, then God may call you out of the business world into full-time ministry and that will be an exhilarating journey as you follow God’s call for your life, you can learn more here. Or, maybe God’s call for your life is full-time ministry in the workplace, being Jesus to those you rub shoulders with every day, and using your gifts and talents to Glorify Him right where you are. One is not greater than the other when both are honoring God’s call on your life. But let me be clear - doing nothing and living a life that is complacent is burying your talent, and that is not ok. Lean in. Step up. And use your gift and talents starting today.