S4:E18 | Paul and Diane Mitchell

Cedarville Stories

Toolbox and Tool Bag Are His Altar

Paul Mitchell knows more about water than most people. As the supervisor of water systems at Cedarville University, Paul kept the water flowing to residence halls, academic and administrative buildings, and everywhere else on campus for 19 years.

But Paul’s heart ultimately is for streams of living water, seeing people touched by the Good News of Jesus. In fact, he earned a degree in Bible as an undergraduate and was focused on becoming a pastor at one point. While that role of service was not part of God’s plan for Paul, He has used this man of God mightily, along with his wife, Diane, to reach people through missions and U.S.-based service projects.

Most recently, that occurred in Austin, Texas, where he and Diane traveled to help those whose pipes had ruptured during the record-breaking cold snap that hit the Lone Star State in February.

Paul wrestled for years accepting that his gifts as a plumber were the way that God wanted to use him in this world. Then a teaching by his pastor, Tedd Tripp, in Hazelton, Pennsylvania on Romans 12:1-2 opened his eyes to the way the Lord wanted his life to flow.

“For years I had struggled with being a plumber, but still wanting to be in ministry. I had never let it go,” he admits during the podcast. “It was a source of, I wouldn’t say hurt, but of struggle in my own soul. He got to those verses (Romans 12:1-2) and he said, ‘Whatever you put your hands to is your offering to God. You men who are in trades, what are you doing with your hands? As a living sacrifice, you are offering that.’ And I realized at that point, my tool bag, my toolbox, that was the altar over which I worked and offered myself to God every day as a living sacrifice. I had embraced my work as God’s calling for me.”