For the last two years, I have been in the initial stages of a transition from law to ministry.  The process began with me accepting leadership of the outreach and missions team at my church, Outlook Christian Church in McCordsville, in 2013.  At the same time, I also began working on a masters in ministry degree from Lincoln Christian Seminary.

This year, the process has moved forward in a couple of big ways.  In January, I was formally added to the ministry staff at the church, where I now serve as Missions and Outreach Minister.  In May, I completed my academic work and received my masters degree from Lincoln.  While my position at the church is half-time, the goal is full-time ministry at some point, but that could still be a year or two off.

In the meantime, I am continuing to practice law, at least half-time.  I have always had a diverse practice, which is helpful.  But as I delve deeper and deeper into ministry, I have felt called to pull back from family law practice, at least to some extent.  As a result, I am shifting my focus from a traditional family law practice to one that is focused primarily on mediation and parenting coordination.  So, while I am still involved in several areas practicing law at Broyles, Kight & Ricafort, I am emphasizing my mediation and parenting coordination practice through Conflict Resolution Ministries.

My practice at CRM feels like a good combination of my two professions.  Through my work as a mediator and parenting coordinator, I can combine my extensive knowledge of family law with my compassion for people and the difficult positions they can find themselves in and try to use that combination to help people find peaceful solutions to their family law issues.  I am not abandoning the practice of law entirely, but I feel like the pursuit of two sometimes very different professions gives me a unique perspective that will make me an especially effective mediator and parenting coordinator.  Ideally, this practice will allow me to bring at least some level of healing to people who are hurting because of the breakdown of their families.

I have spent some time as both mediator and parenting coordinator in the past so I have experience in both areas.  But my transition into ministry has put me in a position where I am now going to rely on these two methods of alternative dispute resolution as the primary focus of my legal practice.  It is certainly a challenge, but I see it as just another step down the path of faithfully following God and using the gifts and talents He has given me.