How do you know?

There is no easy way to answer this question, since each person’s call and journey is unique:  God knows and calls each one by name!  You may have met a Sister, or an Associate, whose witness to a God-relationship as a Dominican literally set your heart on fire!  You may have come with your own questions and curiosity to search the internet, and discovered on a webpage our Dominican family and charism.  However it happens, you will want to continue your exploration with a companion, a vocation minister who will walk this journey with you.

Since the heart of any true vocation is a relationship with God, you may wish to reflect on some basic questions:

• Do you enjoy praying?
• Are you eager to deepen your relationship with God, and with others in and through this God-relationship?
• Do you wish to be part of something bigger than yourself?
• What gives you energy, and how might this choice tap on that source of energy and vitality?

Of course, you will want to review this process with a spiritual director, or a representative of the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

The process of coming to this kind of decision is called discernment.  These are some steps that are involved in this process:

• Prayerfully weigh the evidence that is leading you in this direction, and attend to your feelings as you list your reasons for or against the choice.
• Imagine yourself as having said “Yes” to this choice:  how would it be, both now, and 10 years from now?  Then do the same for an alternative choice.
• Make the decision.

Offer this choice to God and ask for the peace and inner joy that will give you confirmation that you have made the right decision.