LIVE OUT YOUR TRUE PURPOSE

By Nadine A. Joseph–Collins

In August 2003, I felt impressed to leave my job at the Bank of Saint Lucia to pursue studies at the Caribbean Union College in Trinidad and Tobago. By faith, I did it, not knowing how I would be able to pay school fees, dorm fees and so on; but I followed His leading anyway.

Throughout that journey, God provided opportunities to ensure that He finished what He started—I worked almost full-time as a student worker in the human resource department and then the president’s office and also canvassed during two summers in Canada to make scholarships for tuition. I graduated at the end of four years, magna cum laude.

When it was time for the master’s degree, I had another challenge. I was not sure how I would be able to pay for it. Thankfully, I was able to sign a contract for two years to manage a research project. That is when God directed to ask for a special arrangement to pay for my tuition—deduct half of my salary every month for two years, which was just enough to cover my tuition for the master’s degree program.

After completing that program in May 2010, I decided to honor myself by attending the General Conference Session in Atlanta, Georgia. On the last Friday of the session, I made arrangements to go to a museum with a new friend. However, I did not feel well so I opted to stay in bed. Around 11 a.m., I felt this irritating urge to go to the exhibit hall before it would shut down at 1 p.m. I had already decided not to take any “free” gifts from the hundreds of exhibitors, considering this was only the first leg of my journey and airline overweight charges were not pretty. Under that compelling spirit, I walked like almost in a controlled way to the exhibit hall that was about seven minutes from my hotel. I walked straight down the middle aisle and was headed straight out of another aisle working to make my way out of the hall and fulfilling what I felt compelled to do.

That is when I saw the sign “Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies”. I had never seen or heard of that institution so my interest was piqued. I stopped and asked two questions to the lady at the desk: “do you offer a PhD in theology?” and, “do you offer a PhD in education?” To both, she replied, “Yes!” So right there, even though I had not yet processed what I would do next, I decided to sign up. She gave me a small calendar, a key ring, and a small sticky notepad afterwards. I left the hall having a sense of accomplishing exactly what I needed to accomplish. That lady was Trevlynn Oberholster, the HR director of AIIAS.

Upon returning to the Caribbean, I visited my close friend and mentor. While we were talking, he asked about me doing a PhD and then ventured to ask if I had ever considered the Philippines.

I was in shock, because that afternoon when I was heading to his office, I was impressed to take that little sticky notepad with me. I had quite a few of these pads but felt the deep urge to take that specific one with me—the one I had taken from the AIIAS desk.

I calmly asked him the name of the university he had in mind, but he could not remember. That is when I went into my bag, pulled out the little notepad, raised it in the air, and asked, “Is this the one you are speaking of?” He raised his head and said, “Yes! That’s the one.” Wow! I was overwhelmed and relieved at the same time. I had gotten my confirmation that God wanted me to go, literally, halfway across the world to AIIAS.

On June 3, 2011, I landed in the Philippines to enroll in the Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration program. It was strictly a journey of faith, but this time, on a whole other level.

I was particularly taken up with the vision and mission statements of AIIAS; both of them being richly rooted in the idea of developing world-class leaders for the purpose of service, excellence, and mission.

Today, as I reflect on the past and my experiences at AIIAS, as I look at the work that God has purposed for and positioned me to do with women globally, and the world at large, I can truly say that both the mission and vision statements continue to guide my personal and professional endeavors, especially the qualities of

spirituality, scholarship, and service. I come from a society that firmly believes that education is the key to access a better life, alleviate one out of poverty and create opportunities for a prestigious job or thriving career. While these are for many true, the purpose of true education as stressed in the writings of Ellen G. White is to “prepare the student for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come” (Education, p.1). I will share three points that I believe can ensure that every AIIAS student can live out the AIIAS mission and vision and ultimately, live out their true and destined purpose in this world as they prepare for the world to come:

1. Choose Purpose Over Prestige

For many, studying at AIIAS is a means to have greater access to the Seventh-day Adventist world. With students generally registered annually from over 60 countries, it means that persons enrolled at AIIAS not only have the opportunity to meet and interact with people from different cultures, but also have the opportunity to create and establish friendships or mutual alliances that may strategically create opportunities for advancement in their future.

For others, the purpose for which they choose to study at AIIAS is to ensure that upon graduation, they have a ‘big’ or prestigious job waiting for them. Some may serve as the president of a mission, union, division, university, hospital, or as a director for a department, dean, chair, or tenured faculty member.

While these are excellent opportunities to “serve” and add value to our institutions and entities worldwide, one of the beautiful lessons I continue to learn is about choosing purpose over prestige. It is about ensuring that my motive to “serve” is not self-aggrandizing but always rooted in my true purpose and fully aligned with what God has destined me to do. I have also learned that my true purpose may not always be aligned with my area of study, though the knowledge gained from my studies can add great value and enhance the work that I do in my “true purpose”.

Every AIIAS student has to realize that as he journeys through life, prestige can never bring the fulfillment that purpose can. In fact, living in your true purpose is the only way that you can live authentically and totally fulfilled because you are living a life that is true to yourself, to God, to your family, and to those whom you serve.

Upon completing my studies at AIIAS, I had my dream job waiting for me— to head the research and innovation department at one of our institutions. I loved research and had a desire to truly inspire the next generation of researchers at that institution, but, instead, I asked the administration to hold it for me for six months to a year while I did ministry.

Two years later, I got another call asking if I was interested in heading research at another Adventist institution, and right then, I had to turn the offer down because of what was brewing in me—a deep call to global ministry on prayer and to empower women.

At first, many thought that I had lost my mind and that I was making a wrong decision. However, I understood that trusting God’s leading would be the best decision. God has a way of doing more with what appears to be less. I knew that if I chose His way over mine, He would prosper me and set me up for a life much greater than I could have ever planned for myself.

2. Choose Excellence Over Exactness

I have read somewhere that excellence is a matter of choice. It is a mantra that guides me in all that I do. I am of the firm belief that whatever I do must be done exceedingly well. God has given us some counsel on the blessing of choosing excellence over exactness, and also demonstrating or portraying our level of scholarship.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

“We need to follow more closely God’s plan of life. To do our best in the work that lies nearest, to commit our ways to God, and to watch for the indications of His providence—these are rules that ensure safe guidance in the choice of an occupation.” (Education, p. 267)

A few years ago I wrote this thought, and I still believe it today, “My greatest accomplishment in this life is being God’s portrait of excellence!”

2. Choose Service Over Self

In my very first semester enrolled in the PhD program at AIIAS, I was fortunate to sit “at the feet” of Dr. Dolf Oberholster in an administrative class. One of the leadership styles that we focused on was servant leadership.

For some, “service” may seem below us because we have earned master’s, or doctorate degrees and feel entitled to have positions at the top. We set the lofty goals of being the next president, the next vice president, the next director, and so on, because we believe that we are “qualified.” Sometimes we not only desire or aspire. Instead, we plan for it strategically, by any means necessary and at the expense of relationships and our salvation, to be on top. Though there is nothing wrong in aiming high or desiring to be the head, as long as it is in God’s plans for your life, and you are not aiming or desiring for your own self-glorification.

When you focus on choosing service over self, you will let go of all of your lofty plans and ideas and instead, spend time seeking out what God’s plans are for you. You will spend time uncovering your true purpose, asking God to direct which part of the world you go to serve, and in what capacity, and align yourself with the exact assignment that He has for you, even though it does not match up to your own ideas or ideals for your life.

That is why I had to trust God and the unique path of purpose, excellence, and service that He chose for me. This path has allowed me to serve thousands of Adventist, Christian women and the world church globally, having travelled so far to over 60 countries and counting, empowering people to have a more meaningful and effective relationship with God.

Today, some of the very people who doubted and second-guessed my willingness to walk a road that was not paved, express how much admiration they have for me because I was brave to do something that went against all that I had been taught and knew. I did something that was different and unexpected. I answered a call that was so far from what I had planned for my life, but ultimately, I did not allow the norm or status quo to dictate my actions. But instead, I chose to answer God’s divine calling, trusting His leading, and embracing His plans for my life because I understood that my “true” purpose had to trump prestige in order that I could live my WOW life—a life of personal and professional fulfillment, success, peace and impact!

Nadine A. Joseph-Collins, Ph.D., graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Education degree with specialization in Educational Administration at AIIAS in March 2015. Since then, she has been engaged in full time ministry as an international speaker empowering others to have an effective prayer life. She is also a spiritual wellness coach, women’s leadership and empowerment expert, prayer counselor, and author. Collins also serves as an adjunct faculty member at AIIAS and a peer-reviewer for the research journal.

Email: nadine@nadinecollins.com Web: www.nadinecollins.com