Sometimes growing up as the son of a pastor was difficult. Whether or not it was ever explicitly stated or just self-inflicted, there always seemed to be some kind of pressure to be the perfect person, son, brother, singer, media guy, computer tech, etc. But spoiler alert—I’m not.

In recent years, God has shown himself in my weakness a countless number of times. One time in particular was in 2010 during which I became involved with the BASIC College Ministry at Suffolk County Community College. After completing my Associate Degree, I transferred to St. Joseph’s College. At the time, I felt like God was impressing on my heart to start a BASIC chapter at St. Joseph’s.

I found out that the school currently had a Campus Crusade for Christ. When speaking with the club’s executives, I was told that the school wouldn’t allow a BASIC chapter there since its mission and vision is almost identical to Campus Crusade. That’s where the story ends, right? Well, not exactly.

I eventually got voted in as the secretary onto the executive board for Campus Crusade. When that term was up, I felt that God wanted me to run for president and change the group’s parent organization and make it a BASIC chapter. See, it didn’t end there. At this time, I knew what God wanted me to do but I didn’t feel qualified to do it. Yes, I am a pastor’s kid; yes, I’ve sat through 100,000 sermons; yes, I’ve heard a million prayers — but I still didn’t feel qualified to do what I felt God was telling me to do.

While talking this over with one of my friends, Will, the vice president-elect for that school term, he told me something that changed my perspective on the whole situation. He said, “God doesn’t call the qualified… He qualifies the called.” Steven Furtick of Elevation Church said something similar in his book (Un)Qualified (awesome book if you get the chance to read):

“If you look at the great men and women of Scripture, you find one common denominator: they were all unqualified. God has a habit of picking people who have been passed over.”

Wow, that’s powerful stuff. So, what did that mean for me? It meant that I didn’t have to feel confident in my own abilities because I was confident in God’s ability. I am just the vessel that is used by God.

So, to wrap up this story, I ended up becoming president of BASIC’s newest chapter in the fall of 2014. Unbeknownst to me at the time, God was not only orchestrating my love for BASIC back in 2010 while I was a student and the ability to transition the Campus Crusade at the time to a BASIC chapter, but He also paved the way for me to become the Church Advisor for the St. Joseph’s BASIC group in the spring of 2016.

Through all of this, God has shown me that I must rely on His power and not on my own.