Dave’s story reminds us that obedience to God often leads to discovering our true calling—and that even when our work becomes difficult, we are called to stand firm in love and be a light that brings Christ’s presence into the world.

Obedience Leads to Calling

Sometimes the journey toward calling begins not with clarity but with obedience. When Dave shared about his vocational path, he admitted that for a long time, he didn’t know what he wanted to do in life. He explored different options—even culinary school—and while, according to his wife Melissa, he’s still a fantastic cook, it wasn’t until he responded in faith to a job opening that everything began to make sense.

That step of obedience led him into a Special Education classroom for the first time. There, surrounded by students with unique challenges and incredible potential, Dave felt something awaken inside him. It was no longer just about finding a job—it was about answering a divine calling. As Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” When we abide in Christ, even the ordinary places of life can become holy ground.

But following God’s call doesn’t make the path easy. Dave shared about the real and heavy burdens that come with his work—times when the system feels broken, when compassion meets resistance, or when the emotional weight seems unbearable. These are moments that test not just our patience, but our faith.

What do we do when our calling collides with hardship? Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 5:44: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” For Dave, this means choosing to respond in love instead of frustration, and standing firm in Christ when the world offers every reason to quit. It’s in these refining moments that calling becomes more than career—it becomes character.

Dave now sees his classroom as a beachhead for Christ—a place where the love of Jesus quietly anchors amid the chaos of public education. His room has become a small sanctuary on campus, where staff and students alike know they can come for prayer, a moment of rest, or even a snack from his fridge.

It’s a living picture of what Jesus described in Matthew 5:13–16—to be salt and light in a world that desperately needs both. In military terms, a beachhead is the first secure foothold in enemy territory from which greater liberation begins. That’s exactly what Dave’s classroom has become—a small but powerful outpost of the Kingdom of God.

Dave’s story is a reminder that obedience may not always lead us where we expect, but it will always lead us where God intends. When we step out in faith, persevere through hardship, and live as light in dark places, our everyday work becomes sacred—and through it, others can encounter the real Jesus.