I recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of my ordination to ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA). I’m pretty big on milestones, so I’ve been reflecting a lot on the past decade—what I’ve learned, how I’ve grown, the joys and the challenges. I’ve decided to compose a top 10 list of the most memorable moments of ministry and what they revealed about the God I believe in and this vocation I am called to pursue.

Here they are in no particular order:

When I became reverend mother. I went through the final steps of ordination with a 5-week-old infant in tow. I remember showing up to one of the clearance interviews with a briefcase under one arm and a baby in the other. It felt very right to carry those two vocations, one in each hand. I have never known motherhood without ministry, nor ministry without motherhood. Maybe it would be less messy if I only had one to contend with. But for me, these twin callings teach, balance, and mitigate one another.

Read the other moments (and why there are only nine) at the Women in Ministry series, hosted by Katherine Willis Pershey at her blog. So pleased to be able to participate.