When I was called to ministry I put the call on vibrate so that I could easily ignore it. However the constant irritating beep letting me know that I had a call waiting finally got the better of me and I answered - however ungraciously - I answered.

Ministry was never a dream of mine, it was never even a thought. My world was wonderful, my career fantastic, relationships beautiful - there was nothing more I wanted. The first call attempt was a bit shocking. I was asked out of the blue by a person I had known only hours, "Have you ever thought of being a minister?" She might as well have asked me if I had ever swallowed a giraffe. My response was instant and needed no thought. I sat back, enjoying the obvious joke, and said, "No. I am not the minister type at all." - go ahead and laugh, God still cracks up about that one. Six months later I was at Unity Village taking classes as the minister of a Unity Church.

With my background I had been given special dispensation. I was not ordained, I was vehemently against the bible, I had never been a member of any church and I now was a minister. The reason this happened so quickly and without having to face a trauma - other than 3 weeks of body chemicalization as my whole universal perspective resurrected into a new reality - is that I had ignored Spirit before and it almost took my life from me.

At 19 I had what the press called a miracle healing, but what I discovered was the true meaning of choice. I went from a diagnosis of permanent paraplegia to becoming an All- American Athlete in 14 months. As amazing and life changing as that power was to me, I was not willing to have to go as far as paralysis to make another great choice. Ministry taxed that commitment, but I kept it. Unity asked me to take some classes so that I knew what Unity was about and it seemed a fair request since I was a leader in this movement and all I really knew is I liked the name.

My first visit to Unity Village gave me a few sighs of relief such as, "Unity is a movement, not a religion" and "The founders never wanted churches" and "Unity was founded to support all people of all faiths in walking their talk". However, it was the face-slam I received that was life changing. On my list of classes to attend was "Introduction to The Bible". Ack! Bleck! No thank you very much. Yet, to be in integrity I would go. I was already hired as their minister before I found out from the leadership at my church that Unity taught from the Bible. I told them I knew nothing about the Bible and was less than a fan. I could not just walk away so I agreed to attend this class and we would see how I felt when I came home.

Ten years later I am a strong bible metaphysician and a student of the culture, psychology, language, and sociology of the Middle East in the time Jesus is purported to have lived. When we really get the healing power of finding our own individual meaning in scripture, we can no longer walk away. When we are against something or only tolerant to avoid conflict, we are a part of the problem. Prior to my forced awakening I had decided what the bible was. When I finally read it, I found it was not at all what this culture said it was. So not only had I been against it - I had based my decision on gossip (what others said it said, rather than discovering first hand). So the arrived, spiritual, loving creature I thought myself to be had to face that I - and all of us that walk away because of what others have said about, or done with, the bible- needed to illuminate the ignorance that caused my prejudice.

The career I retired from was as an international motivational speaker. My call to ministry includes the healing of hearts, opening of minds and the awakening of souls through speaking, coaching, teaching and writing. I write many articles and am writing a screen play about the life of an American woman torn between deep connection to spirit and the Christian culture she is raised in.

As I accepted the charge of being a minister I knew it would have to be as me. So my ministry has a few key responsibility and they are to meditate 3 hours a day, guide visionings for our leaders and hold us in the integrity of our New Science Leadership style. When we founded this Unity Center 5.5 years ago I made it clear what my ministry was and anything else that was wanted would be done by someone else. Together we have created a unique and incredible light unto this world!