On August 2, 2025, we celebrated the perpetual profession of Sister Joselyn Alvarado Soto, from Costa Rica, who, inspired by the Spirit and the love of the Good Shepherd, consecrated her entire life to God in the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. Her commitment is an example of how love transforms and a testimony that God continues to call, and our sisters continue to respond. Here, Sister Joselyn shares the story of her vocation.

There are moments in life when it is necessary to pause and look back—not with nostalgia, but with gratitude. To stop, breathe deeply, and simply give thanks. Today, after having entirely given my life to God through perpetual vows, I find myself in a time of deep contemplation, lifting up a grateful heart to Jesus the Good Shepherd who has lovingly and faithfully guided each step of my journey.

Time has passed, and I am certainly no longer the same young woman I once was. The one who, with an uncertain gaze, sought a deeper meaning for her life. At that time, perhaps I didn’t even ask what God wanted from me, much less did I have clarity about what I myself desired. But today I know that nothing happens by chance. It was not fate that brought me to this Congregation, but a loving call that led me to a place where I was received with tenderness, with the warmth of home… and there, without fully realizing it, I was meeting the Good Shepherd.

I remember that, after a few months, an unexpected question interrupted my life: “And don’t you want to be a religious sister?” My answer was a resounding “no.” I couldn’t see myself; I didn’t feel capable. It seemed impossible to imagine myself in that vocation. But those uncomfortable questions came back again and again, until they stopped disturbing me and began to make sense. With a willing heart, more open to listening, I dared to say to God: “Why not?” I felt that God was calling me, though I didn’t know where. I only sensed the invitation to know, love, and follow God… though I didn’t understand how.

Religious life began to seem not only possible but profoundly beautiful. Not for appearances, but because it spoke to me of a life of dedication, of service, of community, of breaking through my own limits. It was a time of inner struggle: I didn’t want to, but something drew me deeply. I didn’t feel ready, but I wanted to try. Fear paralyzed me, but something burned within me.

In the midst of a time of desert and dryness, my own resistances overwhelmed me. But that inner fire did not go out. It made me feel that I was not alone. Little by little, I gave God the chance to guide my life, and with that, peace began to arrive. Speaking about my feelings with the right people made me feel accompanied. Fear no longer had the last word. I then knew with certainty that God was calling me… and I wanted to respond.

After a time of searching, I remembered that first encounter with the Good Shepherd, that moment when I felt profoundly welcomed. And I told myself: it is here where the Lord captivated me, it is here where I want to remain.

I began to walk with this Congregation, to discover who Jesus the Good Shepherd was for me, and at the same time, to encounter myself. It has not been an easy path. Many times, I felt out of place, with my heart full of questions. But two certainties have sustained my journey until today: that the grace of God has always been enough for me, and that it was essential to live this process with sincerity and mercy toward myself.

Today, I can say that I have lived my vocational journey with enthusiasm, truth, and joy. As I give myself generously, I discover how God’s unconditional love is revealed in my life. The Good Shepherd mission has captivated me, because in every person I accompany—especially so many women—I recognize the living presence of the Good Shepherd who guides, heals, and comforts.

Belonging to a global Congregation has allowed me to profoundly experience my identity as a missionary. To go beyond borders, not only geographical ones, but also those within my own being. Religious life has constantly invited me to step outside myself, to offer the most authentic, the most beautiful part of what I discover deep within me.

I cannot say that everything has been easy. Life continually presents new challenges. But along the way, I have never been alone. God has been with me, and I have encountered faces and stories that have touched my heart. Today, their names are indelible in my history… a history written in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd.