hello friends.
i've missed you all. it's been over a year since i've written a post and BOY OH BOY has a lot transpired. i come to you with new perspective, greater faith, and a new job.
let's play catch up:
last time we talked i was working as a marketing assistant for a small company. i worked there for little under a year and it was an excellent experience. i would advise anyone who is about to graduate or new in the post grad world to work for a small company. you get to do a lot which means you learn a lot. consequently, you learn and grow into a better person. from one small marketing role that started with sales calls, i got to write marketing collateral, social media posts, and produce a monthly newsletter. i also got vendor management experience as well as account management experience. it wasn't without bumps in the road, but it was extremely beneficial.
lesson one: walk before you crawl. it makes walking a lot easier.
if i hadn't worked in this role, i wouldn't have been able to move into a bigger and better role feeding off my previous experience. we're all in a rush to make 6 figure salaries and be financially secure, but who are we kidding? we're still kids trying to figure this game called life out. success will come, if you're willing to humble yourself in learn.
i was definitely rushing. i got my first loan statement and said "Jesus, have mercy - how am i going to afford this?". instead of managing my money, i began looking for more money. i worked two second jobs to no avail and then i started seeking a new full-time position. i was exhausted, underpaid, and unhappy. i searched for three months and couldn't find a new role.
lesson two: discipline is everything. you could be rich and still broke if you're not willing to say no.
so i pushed although life (in my case) Jesus was telling me it's not time for you to switch jobs. to give myself a break from financial turmoil, i applied to graduate school. BEST DECISION EVER. it was something i did for all the wrong reasons, but worked in all the right ways. I always wanted my master's degree and i'm so glad i'm now pursuing it. back to my job situation - so after about 6 months of searching i found a position! joyous rapture right? NOT.
it was completely the wrong role for me. i found myself in a old, dirty warehouse with miserable people doing hardcore sales on the phone while other employees were playing basketball behind me (strange, i know). i cried driving there everyday.
lesson three: trust the timing of your life. AKA trust God.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." - romans 8:28
in a situation so crazy that if i explained it you would think i made it up, i found myself without work...for seven months. it was the longest seven months of my life full of many challenges both personal and professional. i lost two dear friends to death, a relationship, and my peace of mind. i had no idea why this was happening. i was angry with God and myself.
however, we must realize that nothing is in vain, but rather everything has purpose. from these ashes of my former life, i was given another. we focus so much on what we lost rather than what we can gain. on monday, i start the job of my dreams. this position is key to my future as a project manager. i just finished my first year of graduate school with a 3.85 this semester ( i want a 4.0 grr).
lesson four: temporary. everything is temporary including pain.
there were moments when i thought my life was over, where i didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel or the purpose in the pain. we must recognize that almost all feelings and situations are temporary. this means they have an end. life is made of building blocks and tunnels. you go up based on experiences or you go through experiences to another experience. in all of this know - there is a destination.
"Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be." - psalm 139:16
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
cheers.
amb
This is an excerpt from a daily devotion from biblegateway.com called Girlfriends In God. This particular posting is from June 26, 2013 and written by Mary Southerland. I highly recommend this devotion for women of all ages who are seeking Christian spiritual guidance.
However, I believe this excerpt is a important lesson for everyone. I'm not going to lie, lately I've been feeling discouraged in this job search. Although I seem to be finding better job postings everyday and my cover letter writing skills are wonderful, I'm not getting the response I want. I've went on several interviews, yet the right position hasn't came my way. I recognize that I want the right job not just any job. By that I mean, I truly believe that there's a position that God has chosen for me. That position will lead me to my future career, provide me with the finances I need, and develop me. Everyone has a position that is the perfect fit for them. Now perfect doesn't necessarily mean comfortable. It may not be excellent money or glamorous, but its right for you right now.
As the bills come rolling in for my enriching, yet highly expensive liberal arts education, it's easy to lose hope. I began to lose confidence in my skills and lost faith that a position that will provide would appear. I began to stress as my anxiety about the future built. What I was failing to see was the beauty in waiting or as referred to above: rest.
If you haven't read the excerpt in the photo already, READ NOW! :)
The writer uses a story from her childhood about learning to play the piano. Long story short, she wanted to jump to playing and skip all the preparation. Her piano teacher was trying to instill the basics in her: the notes. She was completely uninterested until her piano teacher came to the most important concept in music, a rest. This was so profound to me. The most important step is rest.
Without rest, we won't be prepared for what God has for us in the future. Rest means preparation, growth, restoration, and dependence. You must prepare for everything you do in life. We can't skip to being CEOs and millionaires without networking and hard work. This is what this time is for. It's important to have a pause where you grow and evaluate. When I get a full time position, I won't be able to sleep all day or paint my nails fun colors or wholeheartedly pursue getting my license. Recognize that just because you haven't found your dream job, doesn't mean that there's not work to be done. What should you be doing today that you haven't done? Do you need to simply rest and take a minute away from your busy schedule? What can you achieve now that cannot be done later?
Secondly, there's the dependency portion. My mom always used to tell me to pray before the test the following prayer:
Lord, I did my part by studying now do your part.
If you prepare, God will do the rest. It's one part preparation, one part dependence. You have to be confident in not only your abilities and work, but also in God's faithfulness. Know that it can and will work out. Your loan bills will be paid. You will get to six figures one day. We spend too much time stressing instead of truly resting. By resting I mean having peace by doing own part then handing it over to God.
This portion of your life right now, let's call it PRE-EMPLOYMENT is exactly that. It's the PRELUDE for the best portion of your life. It's the calm before the storm, the preparation before the prize. It is not in vain, for it has a purpose. You cannot play piano without learning how to read sheet music. You have to learn every note and practice reading before you actually get to sit down and play. When you start playing, you won't be a star piano player, but the preparation and practice will help you. The more you prepare and learn, the better you will be at playing piano.
Don't lose hope for God has a plan and it's perfect. The bible says its better that what we've dreamed and imagined. Rest in that today.
-amb
