“Responding to God’s Call!”

Blaine Thomas is a young man with a vision to become an ordained minister. Blaine has been training for that vision by taking the necessary coursework at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina, and also by becoming a summer intern for a United Methodist church in Michigan. Along the way his parents, former pastors and friends have been strong mentors.

Growing up in Tallahassee, Florida, he went to church with his family every Sunday. However, it wasn’t until he was a junior in high school that “God’s love got a hold of me and…I accepted God into my heart.” Before that time, he thought that being a “good Christian” meant “showing up on Sunday, giving my offering and being a good person.”

This decision marked a major turning point in his life. When a new youth pastor was hired, Blaine was encouraged to think about going into the ministry. It was a big change from his plan to study law enforcement and eventually become a police officer. In his own words:

“I whole-heartedly believe that would have occurred had I not been in Sunday service on a random Sunday…it was in that moment that I felt God tugging at my heart.” For several months, Blaine pushed back on the idea, wondering why God would call him to preach when he really wanted to go into law enforcement.

Finally, during his senior year, he decided to stop resisting. Added to the joy of that decision came the excitement of helping his cross-country team win the state championship, as well as his acceptance at UNC Pembroke on a cross-country and track scholarship.

His first year in North Carolina was traumatic, with injury to both hips and then a broken foot just before the Conference Championships. Blaine credits God for giving him the strength to complete his event in the championships and finish out the year. He and a few teammates were even able to start a team Bible study in addition to time spent working out and competing.

With the prospect of surgery in both hips, he returned home and enrolled at Florida State University, a hard adjustment. Blaine experienced anger and bitterness toward God about losing the chance to run, something he had loved doing since he was eleven years old.

But after the first hip surgery in December, two people came into his life who were instrumental in helping him trust in “our Sovereign God” again. His physical therapist and another man receiving therapy “were put into my life to guide me back onto a path that was pleasing and holy to God.” They continued to encourage him through four more months of therapy after surgery on his other hip in May.

 The last two years at Florida State University went by in a blur, as Blaine finished his studies in criminology and religion. “I was finally able to accept my circumstances and to be thankful for what life had thrown at me.” After consulting many spiritual advisors, he decided to apply to Duke Divinity School.

There was one more major setback for Blaine though while he was serving as a chaplain at the Duke University Hospital last summer. He and a neighbor were outside one evening when  seventeen shots were fired from a vehicle in a random drive-by shooting. Blaine was hit in the stomach and rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

It was another dark time for him, but a time when he realized that “Christ calls us to do some crazy things, like forgiving the person who shot me. Without Him I couldn’t have made it.” “I’ve been reminded by all of my medical professionals that I am a living, walking miracle. I have life, an opportunity to be alive and to be a part of changing the world…”

Blaine will soon be heading back to Durham to finish his preparation for the ministry. After that experience, he has a strong passion to work with youth who are easily influenced by gangs. What lies ahead? Only God knows, but as He has in the past, God will continue to protect, strengthen and guide Blaine into the future.

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

    don’t rely on your own intelligence.

Know him in all your paths,

    and he will keep your ways straight.

Don’t consider yourself wise.

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil." Proverbs 3:5-7

 

(Quotes taken from Blaine’s written testimony and also from a personal interview)