Dream Job

Sometimes when I think of my relationship with God, I imagine Him as a parent. Then I think about my own kids and the parenting strategies I use. Sometimes as a parent your kids choose to do things that you know might hurt them, like climb to the top of the playground set (I have three boys), jump into the deep end of the swimming pool, fall in love, or move away. Part of you wants so bad to stop them but then something holds you back and you think, “But what if they make it?” “How happy will they be?” “How good will they feel?” “How proud will I be?”…and either way they will be better for it. It’s an amazing thing we do for our kids when we forget our fears and believe in their dreams. That’s what God does for us!

I’m 28 years old and I’ve never had a full time job. I’ve had lots of part time ones but not a career. After I left my job as a behavior therapist a year and a half ago, I tried working at a bridal shop, which I loved more than anything but I couldn’t handle the late afternoon and weekend hours, then I kept my sisters newborn and four year old son, my niece and nephew but by month six I was about to lose it, then I got a job at the YMCA because I had friends who said it was fun and easy and great when you have kids. I worked there about four moths. At first I wondered why do I keep getting all of these part time jobs and I can’t find a career. I was a job hopper! I began praying specifically for a career and during that time I realized God wanted me to try some of my dreams so I’d be ready to follow His dream for me. I’m a planner and a little OCD (ha!) but it’s not that I don’t think God has the best ideas, I just get tired and frustrated waiting on Him sometimes. What I’ve also realized is that there’s a difference between having faith in God and trusting Him. I have faith He’s real and lives in me but I don’t always trust Him. He wasn’t going to give me a career, a big transition for me, until I was ready. God cares more about our character than our circumstances and I’ve found that He’ll continue to put you through a situation until you learn and trust Him through it. Everyday I prayed, searched my Bible for answers and everyday He told me the same thing…trust me! If you think about other significant relationships in your life like your spouse, best friend, parents, that you talk to everyday but not everyday they say something revolutionary but they’re there and they listen. God wants the same thing with us. That’s what a working healthy relationship is, you talk and listen to each other everyday. If you want someone to tell you how to feel or what to think then you go to a therapistJ So when you’re reading your Bible the point isn’t to have God tell you what to do about every little decision in the day, it’s about talking to Him, listening to Him, and learning to trust Him. It’s really supposed to be that simple but it’s hard just like marriage, dealing with parents or best friends…it’s worth it.

After applying to hundreds of jobs, talking to anyone I could about a job, and being exhausted of searching I finally gave up and surrendered to Him. I changed my expectations about what I thought I deserved or wanted to being open to anything, including teaching. I started researching teaching, then school districts and I came across a job I thought I would be qualified for and without any thought I emailed my resume. The next day I got a call for an interview, the day after that I went to the interview and the day after that I got the job. Only God can work stuff out like that. It wasn’t until I said “OK God, it’s not my will but yours”, although I’m certain He was sick of my whining everyday, He was patient and the minute I was willing to follow Him, everything lined up. Patrick Morley wrote, “Faith is not believing that God will do what you request, but that He can if it is His will.” Even when it’s very hard, when you just don’t want to, BELIEVE God is good, He does love us, and He wants to let all our dreams come true if we'll trust Him.