I have always felt a strong desire to be close to God and help others. I landed on teaching; I love working with kids and getting them excited about learning.
For more than 20 years, I struggled with my teaching career, having experienced some negative things. I questioned if God really wanted me to be a teacher. I begged him to help me find my path. I felt lost. I decided that I could not teach anymore. I got rid of all my teaching supplies and walked away. I figured God did not want me teaching but I was unsure about what to do next. I decided to return to college to try something else.
While I was struggling with my career, I was also struggling with my faith community. I grew up Lutheran and simply went that route. I found a church I thought would be good to bring my kids up in. Unfortunately, for years, I did not feel a part of it, or even welcomed sometimes. But I stuck with it because I wanted to be in a community of God and a community where I could bring my kids up in Christianity. I fully participated in church activities, but always felt like an outsider. However, I always felt a pull from God. I wanted to draw closer to God.
My son also wanted to feel closer to God. Since he was a little boy, we would spend a lot of time talking about God; questioning and trying to come up with answers. I was so proud of him, that he showed such an interest in God and wanted to learn more. The turning point for me was when my son was in college and he began questioning his faith a lot, trying to figure out what felt right for him. Just like we did when he was younger, and throughout his life really, we spent a lot of time discussing it. He began a historical religious study class in college about Jesus’ life and the context of the Bible. He began to look at the Greek translation of words and came to realize there was a deeper meaning to the text than we had initially thought. He would come home and tell me everything he was learning, and we would be blown away with excitement, how cool the Scripture was. It inspired me to take a similar class and start to dig more deeply myself.
One day my son said to me, “I’m going to the Catholic church on Sunday.” I thought that was great. He invited me to come, so I spent a few weeks going to the Catholic church and began listening to “The Catechism in a Year” podcast. What I heard in the catechism lined up with what I had been learning in my class about Jesus’ life, as well as what I already knew from many years of reading the Bible and going to church.
Then, people in the Catholic church suggested I read “The Lamb’s Supper” by Scott Hahn and invited me to be a part of the “The Rescue Project,” led by Catholic apostolate ACTS XXIX founded by Father John Riccardo and based in Detroit. What I learned from those two events pushed me over the edge and there was no turning back. I realized how deep the “rabbit hole” went; how spiritual and amazing God’s plan is. I was ALL IN. I decided I wanted to be Catholic. My son and I were confirmed together Oct. 28, 2023, at St. Maximilian Kolbe in Delano. How amazing is that? Going through this transformation with my son has been so special to me. I don’t even have the words to describe how blessed I feel. Being Catholic has given me a closeness to God that I had been seeking. I still yearn for more.
While my life was changing from Lutheran to Catholic, I was invited to teach at a Catholic school. I had cut off the idea of teaching again, but a door opened, and I believe when that happens, you must at least peek. With a little hesitation, I did. I was hired to teach fourth and fifth grade. I love my job. I have the best students. I love to plan fun lessons for them. I love being where I can teach about God and bring him into every aspect of our day. I am filled with joy.
My life went from feeling like an outsider just about everywhere — church, career, difficulties in my life (that is a whole other story) — to becoming Catholic, which has changed my life. I have found a Church that is deeply reverent to God, a community that is loving and welcoming and a career that is rooted in God. I am surrounded by wonderful people — students, colleagues and parents. I found what I was looking for almost my whole life — closeness with God. I thank God for surrounding me with these people and drawing me closer to him. I am grateful and blessed.
Mika teaches at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic School in Delano. She and her husband, John, have two children. She loves adventure, traveling to explore God’s beautiful world and building things, including making cabinets and installing floors. Mika enjoys reading, animals and hiking with her dog. Most important to her is spending time with her family.
