When I moved to Kansas City five years ago, I was in an altered state of being.

I had been propelled from Portland, Oregon, my home for 27 years, by the surest, deepest knowing I had ever experienced: I was to come to Unity Village and go to ministerial school. Never mind that I had no job and no family in Kansas City; that I didn’t know how, when or what I would do; that I was already paying tuition for both my college-aged children. I knew, I just knew, everything would turn out all right.

 And, of course, it did.

What I experienced was not so much faith or courage as an unwavering knowing. I had been told what to do, and I was doing it. The direction was unequivocal and my certainty, exhilarating. Truly, I have never known such clarity, joy and freedom.

For years I had resisted “the call” to become a minister. Finally, I had listened.

I wonder how many of us turn away from what we are being called to do. We ignore the cues, deny the signals, curb our passions. We play small because it’s safe.

Then one day we realize that what’s tugging at our heart will not let go—ever. We can either spend the rest of our lives resisting and repressing it, or we can finally say “yes” and dive in.

If we do dive in, we experience the glory of our purpose and the full joy of being alive.

But most of us aren’t ready to dive into the deep end right away. We work up to it in four stages:     

Stage One: Oh no, I could never do that!

Stage Two: Maybe I could do that, but it would be complicated (or difficult, or unpopular, or inconvenient).

Stage Three: Gee, I really could do that.

Stage Four: How quickly can I do this? The sooner the better!

As we grow spiritually, we progress more rapidly from Stage One to Stage Four. We more easily and readily discern what is ours to do, whether through intuition, Divine guidance or the still small voice within.

When we heed our calling, we are guided by an inner knowing that feels a lot like love—as if we are being taken by the hand and led straight into the kingdom of heaven. It is the heaven where our deepest desire and our reason for being align; the place we arrive when we listen to our hearts and say “yes.”