By: Pastor David Blair

So, Pastor David, how did you know that God was calling you to serve here at Holy Cross as our Intentional Interim Pastor?

"I am so glad that you asked!"

The answer begins way back when I was in the 8th grade in public school. The teacher asked the class to write about “what we wanted to do” when we grew up and were adults. My answer, as I recall, was about a vision of helping people, much as the Peace Corps would go and make the physical lives of needy people better.

Over the years that vision became transformed from helping people through the profession of Social Work to the eternal vision of helping people become rich in faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. As I look back on my life, God was calling and preparing me for pastoral ministry even when I had other plans; not just of Social Work. I could have followed my father and become an attorney and maybe even a Judge. I could have become a professional football player (or at least college, so I would like to think!). I played the safest position in football: the center from 6^th grade through high school and in the Shrine Football game for the state of Oregon. I could have become a professional baseball player. Now that is really a stretch! I did, however, pitch on the same mound as Randy Johnson, 10 years before he did! My highest strikeout total was only 12 however ☹. None of these plans were God’s plans. How do I know? No, God did not come down verbally and say, “David, thou shalt become a preacher!” Nor did he give me a vision of PC (preach Christ, not plant corn … I would not have made a good farmer!)

"God’s call and the answer to that call came through people, people just like you here at Holy Cross."

I was baptized as an infant, grew up in the church, at least a 5^th generation LC-MS member through my mother’s side. Two of my great uncles became pastors in the Northwest District. In youth group (then called Walther League), in college and seminary, I and others saw the Holy Spirit work a fire and a passion in us to serve God to the best of our ability. I have seen the Lord work throughout 40 years of ministry with Calls answered “yes” and Calls answered “no.”

Unbeknownst to me, my mother had been praying, if it was the Lord’s will, that I become a pastor! Well, I guess that it was God’s will! How do I know? By faith. How did I know that I was supposed to answer “yes” to God’s Call from Holy Cross? Again, by faith and through people. God uses both.

God continues to call me and to call you till the day we take our last breath. My prayer for our brief time together is that we would all intentionally and intently listen to the voice of God so that we clearly hear what he has to say.

"How will we know? By faith! By faith we hear him speak to us through his Word AND through the voices of his people gathered here at Holy Cross!"