The Franciscan Way of Life. Are You Called?

May 16, 2026

Hello family, as we continue on in the series, forgive me for my long gap. I was preparing and travelled to the mission house here in Mankessim. Praise God! It feels so good to be here among brethren in the community. I am finally getting settled in, and it's been great catching up and being around for us to work alongside for the Lord together.

The purpose of this series is to get many of you to respond to the Lord's call because many of you have been led to the channel because you are called to a life of holiness and a religious life in the way of St Francis of Assisi. He was a son of a wealthy Italian merchant. He grew up very privileged. He had an amazing encounter with Jesus at church. There was such a distinction between the poor and the wealthy in those times, where they had all the poor and the peasants sit in the back of the church and the wealthy separated from them entirely, sitting in front. One morning during church service, Jesus on the crucifix came to life before his eyes, and he was seized with conviction for the Lord’s church and what it had become. Jesus made him feel the pain of His heart and the conviction. From the scripture.

James 2:1-6

Have no partiality, as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory? 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there" or "Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, My beloved brothers. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. 

And Jesus said these words to St Francis: 'Francis, go and rebuild my church which, as you see, is falling down.'

He thought it was an old church in San Damiano. So he gave all his father's choice garments that he was selling and gave them to the poor; he renounced his wealth and even his family name and left to follow Jesus as a beggar in this world, owning nothing but having everything because he knew his father was in heaven. As he began to rebuild the church, and once completed, Jesus brought him companions, old friends who wanted to follow the rule of his life in the gospels, and Jesus made it clear he was to rebuild the church of God, not an actual church.

St Francis, received his rule life by opening the Bible three times to find divine instructions for him and his brothers. Guys, which is just like rhemas. He got a rhema word from the bible, asking the Lord how is it that we are called to live life, because many wanted to follow him. These three passages formed the foundation of the order.

Matthew 19:21 (Poverty): Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow me." This is the call to sell possessions and give to the poor.

Luke 9:30 (Trust): And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. The instruction was to travel with no extra gear, food, or money.” Just having complete trust in the Lord.

Matthew 16:24 (Self-denial): Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. The call to take up the cross and follow Christ.

These were the very same readings Jesus was impressing upon my heart during my alone time with him. Over and over again. I didn’t understand it. So I began to start giving all my clothes away. The clothes I designed as a fashion designer and did runway shows with. The clothes I wore in the world and normal excesses. I went to one of the poorest apartments in our neighborhood and asked if I could do a free garage sale, and I laid everything out and allowed everyone to take whatever they desired. Then, with the extra, I invited those in my bible study group to go through my closet; if there was anything they wanted, they could have it.

The scripture on trust I received the day I left for the mountain, and I didn't trust the Lord because I brought one suitcase. Once I arrived, I realised everything would’ve been provided for if I had just left everything to come.

The last scripture was about simply denying myself the comfortabilities, my relationship with my family and friends, even my engagement with Derrick, and taking up my cross, which was full of scorn, contempt, slander, and gossip because I obeyed and followed the Lord.

The Franciscan way is the way of the gospel. To not only speak it, preach it or teach it, but to live out the gospel in your life. The poverty Jesus asks of us is not destitution or lack but rather a holy evangelical poverty, which is voluntarily living on the edge of need. Always taking less than you need, recognising your finances are not your own but are for the poor, St Francis would always remind me of that throughout this walk. I love this saying which is a decal we have on the mission house wall, but it says, "Preach the gospel; when necessary, use words” so simple but so powerful; that our lives are a testimony, that our lives preach louder than our words."

Once I found out about his life and what instructions the Lord gave him, my heart burnt with a holy fire, inflamed with excitement, awe and finally clarity that this is what the Lord was wanting all along. I had such a holy desire and zeal to live out the gospels, but I didn't know this is what it would look like.

It's a life of holy poverty, chastity, obedience, prayer and substantial solitude.

There are now Franciscan orders all over the world in the Catholic church. Males and females who are in a convents who live this way for the rest of their lives. We are not Catholic, the Lord has put upon our hearts the desire to live out His real life. We are third order, meaning we are not just male or female, but we are a mix of families and singles who desire to be in the world but not live like the world. We don't live in covents, but the Lord has called us to be in the world but live this rule of life out.

The habit, which is a brown garment with a veil, is given to wear all the time as a sign and symbol to ourselves and to the world that we are dead to it and, as Father Ezekiel would say, that we are also under construction. Guys, we are all a work in progress. Sometimes, many of us still have the love of the world in our hearts even myself. Rather, St Francis taught to clothe yourselves not with the colours of this world but with the virtues of Christ, and the habit helps us to do that. Here at the mission house we wear simple normal clothes for now until we begin building on the land; then those who have taken their vows will wear the habit.

On the refuge mountain in New Mexico when you come, everyone is wearing a habit. There are many who have received the habit and returned back to the world. It's not easy, guys, but for those whose hearts have yielded themselves truly to let go of the world and desire this way of life, they really value their habits and wear them as they can.

When I first saw the message from Mother Clare which guys I’ll post after this message; posted about a life of solitude and prayer years ago with the same call. If I can be honest, I was repulsed. I didn't really take heed to the words because I wanted nothing to do with it. I had an idea in mind of what the Lord wanted me to do. I knew he put the desire for missionary working with children and building an orphanage in my heart. I would be married, doing ministry, but definitely not in some brown sackcloth and not a life of solitude and prayer. I was ready to break free to do what I wanted. Again, the key word is what "I" wanted. If it wasn’t for the help of Mother Clare, Father Ezekiel and the Holy Spirit arresting me to be broken to do what the Lord wanted, I wouldn't be here.

I share this with you because I feel strongly many of you are called and many are resisting it. Already there were two who had been called in our intercessory group; one left because the cost was too much, and the other has allowed a list of many impediments they feel are hindrances to answering God's call. So again, do you do the same? The Lord has blessed each of you, leading you to this channel to bring light to something he has been speaking to your heart for a long time now, and now he is bringing clarity as to what it looks like. He has brought you here to get discernment and help you understand all that he has called you to do, all that you were created to do, if you would respond, because you cannot discern your vocation alone. As humans, we are far too attached to what we want. Yes, this is radical. Yes, it will cost you, but it will be the most rewarding and freeing life you have ever dreamed of and so fulfilling as your life is poured out and lived to relieve the suffering of the poor and the poorest of the poor.

Jesus has called; He has chosen you. Now will you respond?

If you are interested in taking that step and feel called to be a part of our religious order and have a tug in your heart right now to at least discern if this is the Lord's direction for your life, email me at maryelisha@zohomail.com. You don't have to be a part of our communities in New Mexico or in Ghana; some of you may be in different parts of the world, and in your heart burns a desire to live a simple life, to really take these vows and live in the world and not be of the world. You can still take part, and we will help you take that leap that will catapult you into the wonderful destiny the Lord has prepared for you. I look forward to hearing from you, you who has responded.