Taking the next step...

June 30, 2009
Taking the next step: my testimony about how God brought me to my next career

For those of you who don’t know, I will be moving to Spokane Washington beginning a job on July 6th. I might be the only one who thinks this, but I feel very amused that one year ago I had declined a fourth year externship opportunity in Spokane and was preparing to move to Middlesbrough. I wonder if I took a year detour only to come back to where I was supposed to be. Or, maybe it wasn’t really a detour. The opportunity was with another company which still would have been a good opportunity but I don’t think I was the one ready to live there. This past week, several of my colleagues have made mention to the fact that I’m not the same person who came over to England last summer. Hmm, well, I have unfortunately put on some weight, I think my hair was grown a bit longer; I’ve developed faint crow’s feet around my eyes. Thankfully, this is not what they are referring to. Instead, I think they are pointing out the inward changes God has used this experience to develop in me. I learned a huge lesson in this hunt for a job.

In January, I began looking for a position in full force; using contacts to find out about open positions, posting my resume’ on several audiology job sites, sending out letters of inquiry to various places of interest. Every evening and weekend was spent refining my letter of introduction and resume’ and searching the web for more job openings. All my effort was greeted with…silence. No response. No interest. Discouragement set in. I remember when the job in Spokane opened online. I searched the website to find out more about what the job entailed but the description was cryptic. My mom encouraged me to apply for it for “the experience”. More than a little unenthused, I submitted my resume’ through the online application. Still nothing. I was becoming increasingly more discouraged. One night in April, I became angry at God; after all, I had been so diligent in seeking after a job and God wasn’t providing. I realized then that I had been doing this all in my own strength. I hadn’t bothered to seek God’s direction or tell Him of my desires. I think I was afraid that God might put me somewhere I didn’t want to be. I had to visualize the large burden of job hunting that I was carrying on my back and mentally place it before the cross of Christ and then visually walk away from it. I also prayed that the Holy Spirit would give me peace when I interviewed at the place God wanted me to be. I had to do this several times throughout the following days and weeks and when the anxiety of not having a job rose up, I reminded myself that it was released to God. Before I came home for graduation, I got the first response to one of my job applications. My mom e-mailed me that Spokane had contacted her and would like me to contact them when I was in town. Oh no, not Spokane! But, after all, I was just going to get more experience interviewing. Once back in Wenatchee, the phone call and e-mails began in full force; offers for interviews soon had my days and weeks filled. Some of the jobs had very appealing descriptions and I found myself imagining what it would be like to live in the area and work there. The first interview; the audiologist discouraged me from working there. The second interview; questions about the professionalism of the company. The third interview; I was told it was only a formality and that they already had someone in mind. The fourth interview; a good position but no peace about accepting it. My hopes were falling with the farewell handshake as I left each interview. One more interview left. I remember telling my friend Beth that those positions had appeared so good that if I wasn’t going to be hired at one of them then God must have somewhere really amazing waiting for me. I went to the Spokane interview still prepared to do my best in the interview process. As the interview proceeded, I had the revelation as the Holy Spirit moved in my spirit, this is where I was supposed to be! As I expressed my areas of interest in audiology, I was ecstatic to find that they were looking for someone with those interests. I toured the facilities and felt as if I already worked there. I wanted to be a part of this organization and their goals. Unlike the other places, I was excited to explore the surrounding area and spent the afternoon driving around the area. Driving back to Wenatchee the following day, I cried as I praised God for his faithfulness; not because I did anything to deserve His faithfulness, but because His character is faithfulness. I praised Him for the work he had been doing in my heart to prepare me to move to Spokane. When the job offer came, I knew with confidence what my answer would be.

I was speaking to a godly woman following the experience who pointed out that my experience was similar to when Samuel went to the house of Jesse to anoint a new king of Israel. Samuel looked at each son and saw their outward appearance and thought their attractiveness would make them suitable kings but God said ‘no’ to each until the unlikely youngest son, David, was brought before Samuel and God stirred Samuel’s heart to show him that this was His choice for king. Just like I was bedazzled with the glowing job descriptions of many of the places I had high hopes for working, God showed me clearly that these were not the places He had in mind. As I begin this new job in one week’s time, may I continue to seek God’s heart and direction in every aspect of my life.