Greetings, everyone–Heidi Indahl here. Susan and others connected with the Mark 5:19 Project recently shared their own missionary discipleship stories as part of an ongoing series, and invited me to share something of mine. These stories at The Mark 5:19 Project are showing people the diversity and power our stories, our conversions to God and to God’s people. I am honored to share something of my own story.

As I’ve shared for the Mark 5:19 Project in the past, my mission field happened so much by accident it can only be the work of the Holy Spirit. You can read part of that story here. Realistically, I stepped into the mission field because someone asked me to…and then someone else asked me…and before I knew it people were looking me for the answer to questions I never even thought about asking.

Saying yes to the individual questions was easy.

Looking at the problems of modern faith formation through the lens of an instructional designer solving an instructional problem was a challenge that made my heart sing!

Saying yes to the mission, on the other hand…has had its moments.

The first time someone asked me what I would do differently, with a deep desire to actually do something different to move the needle not just add another educationally sound tip or trick, I practically panicked on the spot. The answer I gave was horrible!

How could I, a mostly public-sector educator/homeschool mom and author (and a convert at that) be called to influence and build more effective faith formation programs? Even many years in at this point, I think I’m still playing catch up on the reading list! Other times I’ve struggled with using brain science to explain things the church has taught for centuries. Why do I need to say it if we already know?

Again and again the Lord has assured me that we do need to say it because a lot of people trust scientists more than the church. I don’t like that reality, but there it is. I think we all kinda know its true for many people. The Lord has also helped me again and again to understand that while yes- distributed neural networks (aka brain science) affirm why what the church already teaches works regarding the catechesis of children (hello, generational faith transmission and parents as primary educators)- it can also help us understand what to do when everything else happens instead.

Fair enough, Lord.

There have been more than a few moments when I had to say yes to the mission again…and again…

There have also been more than a few moments when I have come to understand just how central the instructional conversation and question is. I talk to people almost every single day who struggle to understand what discipleship even is. I sat with one parish leadership team as each member shared how they live discipleship each day. Not one person mentioned Jesus. There was one mention of a sacrament. A lot of the work we do now starts with building leaders and teams that understand what discipleship is- starting with their own- before we ever get to the instructional catechesis issues.

I’ve come to realize that we have to live deeply with the Lord in order to live deeply for the Lord in mission.

I loved Jesus when I came into the church fifteen years ago…I loved him before that, too. I loved the work that I did in early childhood, program administration, parent/family education and instructional design (some of it faith-based) for almost two decades before I entered this new discipeship-driven mission field. There is something different though, when the Lord gives you clear marching orders. Threads that you never thought were connected suddenly start to paint one picture.

You might say that our work with the Designed for Discipleship System of Evangelical Catechesis is about supporting and promoting maturing discipleship so that it is available for activation to mission. Friendship with Jesus bring new life to a person and mission breaths it into action to evangelize and make more disciples. Holy Spirit pun intended.

I’ve heard a lot of people give me very generic answers to the question, “What is God calling you to do?” I’m more and more convinced, though, that his instructions are far more individually specific than that if we learn to listen patiently, trusting he will speak and act to make it happen.

One of my adult children works for a large Catholic gift shop and bookstore. He brought us a collection of faith stickers for Easter this year and one of them said, simply, “Whatever God Wants”. Our office (currently being relocated, having outgrown the corner of our bedroom) has a workflow whiteboard where we keep a note about our active priority, things we need to be thinking about looking forward, and reflect on weekly discipleship questions. The “Whatever God Wants” sticker is now occupying a prominent spot next to the words, Active Priority.

And this week’s discipleship-driven question?

How does Designed for Discipleship facilitate conversion?

It’s a question I answered on our own website after Bishop Pohlmeier, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on the Catechism, encouraged each of the attendees of the 2026 Institute on the Catechism Convocation to reflect upon in his closing remarks. An event where my husband, Tim, and I were unexpectedly invited to present a concurrent session on our research and applications of neuroscience to maturing discipleship, particularly through the sacraments.

What happens next in our discipleship-driven conversion?

I pray the answer reflects whatever God wants.

Heidi and Tim Indahl lead Designed for Discipleship. They support catechetical leaders in nurturing lifelong friendship with Jesus through quality education and authentic faith. The Mark 5:19 Project is honored by their friendship and our “parallel mission paths”!