Sidonie Becton ‘07, Tri-Chair, Alumnae Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School.
“Let us be who we are and be that well, in order to bring honor to the Master Craftsman whose handiwork we are.” - St. Francis de Sales
As we all know, the saints were messengers for God. He spoke through their words and their actions. So, what we see in this quote from de Sales is God telling us to be exactly who He created us to be and that it brings Him honor when we do so.
Part of being who God created us to be is accepting His will for our lives. Growing up in a Christian household, this idea was instilled in me from a young age. It’s only since I’ve gotten older that I’m beginning to truly understand what this means. Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to have my hand in a number of things at the same time, whether that’s event management, my law practice, singing, writing, you name it. I love using the talents God has given me!
Last year, I made one of the toughest decisions yet in life: while still being a full-time practicing attorney, I would study theology and begin the journey of becoming an ordained minister in the Baptist tradition. Sure, it is exciting, and I absolutely love the knowledge I am gaining! But I also understand the tremendous task that God has given me. To be honest, I ran from this calling for a long while because of how heavy this task is. Having reflected on the Salesian theme of not just accepting the Will of God, but sincerely doing so, I understood that at some point, I had to yield over my personal wants and needs for those God has called me to. St. Francis de Sales’ quote tells us that we are God’s handiwork and not our own. I had to remind myself that my purpose here on earth is so much bigger than ‘Sidonie’ alone.
As I prepared to share my reflection with you, I faced one of the most devastating experiences: the sudden loss of a loved one. The past two weeks really forced me to dig deep and to understand that God has given me multiple gifts for a time such as this. Not only could I minister to the immediate family grieving and assist through the process using my legal skills, but I planned the memorial service in New Jersey and the vigil to be held in Maryland.
None of this would be possible if I had not yielded my will to God’s will for my life. Looking back over my life, I can definitely see times when God’s hand was present in my life, gently (and sometimes not so gently) guiding me. Whether that was making the switch from law school to an event/sports management program at Syracuse, to working as a retail store manager, to being more active in my church’s young adult ministry, becoming a Sunday School teacher, or even learning how to process and work through grief; each of these experiences has made me stronger and shaped me into the person whom God has called me to be.
Summarizing all of these experiences in light of my time at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, I would certainly say that God calls us all to a life of service. It’s simply a matter of figuring out how best to utilize the gifts and talents God has instilled in you to serve His people. At times, this may seem like an insurmountable task. But when we sincerely and humbly ask God for guidance and truly accept His will for our lives, this task becomes easier every time.
