The Story I've (kind of) Been Waiting to Tell

So, if you've read my blog in the last, oh, 6 months or so, then you know that I've been looking for a job. It has been a discouraging, fingernail biting time for me, but I am proud to announce: I have a job! I believe there is probably only .5% of people on the earth who have not heard this news, as I've made sure to let everyone I come into contact with know. :) I say that this is the story I've been waiting to tell, because I knew during the whole time that God was at work and I couldn't wait to share the story of how He worked things out. And I was right, He did have a plan He was working the whole time, but I have to confess, it was NOT the plan I thought it was.

Back in May, I started actively looking for a job once the dance recital was over. The dance recital was actually held in a town that is 20 minutes from us and when we were driving back from rehearsal I noticed that there was a place that was hiring.I made a mental note to apply there. Then, the next night I was working in the concession stand with a lady who does HR for the nursing home and asked if the had any openings for a social worker. She said they had just hired one that.very.day. Bummer. But then she told me about a position at the hospital and I went straight home that night and spent 25 hours some time working on the application for that job. A few days later I took a resume to the hospital and was told that they were pretty sure that I missed the deadline for that job, but they would fax it to another office just in case and keep my resume on file for the future. Again, I was bummed, but I left there and headed to the other place to apply for a family advocate position. When I got there I was sent upstairs to speak to a lady and when I told her I wanted to leave a resume for the family advocate position she said, "That's what I do." Awkward. We finally figured out that the company was hiring teachers for this location, but the family advocate position was in Panama City. She told me who to call about that position, but as we talked and I told her where I lived she mentioned that actually lived in Panama City and hoped to transfer to that location. I secretly hoped that was what would happen because I DID NOT want to have to drive to Panama City (we're in different time zones). But, after leaving a message for the lady I was told to call, I never heard anything.

Fast forward a few weeks and another job comes open at the hospital. It's not the one I really wanted, but I thought it would help me get my foot in the door. The day that I went to apply for that one, I felt so strongly that God told me to wait on the hospital. Well, wait is what I did. Soon I found out that I was actually in consideration for the first job I had applied for, the one I wanted so bad. I just knew, it had to be the one. I had a phone interview and felt so good about it. The lady I spoke with was so positive and really gave me a lot of hope. I waited for the next interview. And waited. At the end of August my grandmother was put in the hospital and not doing well at all. I went to Mississippi to be with her and my family and thought the whole time how grateful I was that I had not just started a job that I would be unable to take time off from. She passed away  and the day after we got home from her funeral, I found out I didn't get the hospital job. I won't lie. I was devastated. I really needed that job. For many reasons. The first being that I had convinced myself if I couldn't get that job (all of my professional experience is in healthcare), then I couldn't get any job.

I was still emotional and exhausted from losing my Mamaw, and I was tempted to use that as an excuse to  lay around and do nothing for a month, but I just couldn't. I do better when I'm busy. Monday, I let myself lay around and watch TV. Tuesday, I applied for another family advocate job. The listing didn't have the company name, so I didn't realize I was applying for that same job I had inquired about back in May. Wednesday, a ministry friend of ours came over to discuss some events and to have prayer with us. Before she left she said told me she would be praying about my job situation and she said, "I think you will hear about a job sooner than you think." I didn't know if that was just her being encouraging, but I sure hoped she was right! The next day I went to breakfast with some ladies and one of them works at the workforce center. I left with her and filled out more applications and she gave me a referral. I went that day to take it and my resume and Friday, I got a call for an interview! Monday of the next week I had my interview. I found out that the other family advocate I had spoken with was transferring and I would be taking her place. Wednesday was my birthday, and I got the best present when I heard from my friends I had listed as references and learned that they had been contacted! Friday, I got fingerprinted and a few days later I was offered the job!

When I didn't get the job at the hospital, I was so confused as to why I felt so strongly that I was supposed to wait on that job. I took that waiting thing seriously, I hadn't even applied for another job. But, then I realized that it was just a matter of timing and God moving the other lady so her position would be open. I didn't think I would be excited about another job, but I really am. I will be working with children, newborn to 3 years old and their families, making sure the children are cared for, receive proper medical care, and that all of their needs are met.  When I first started talking about going back to work, I said that I didn't think I could work with kids. In fact, several months ago, I didn't know if I was emotionally ready to do social work again at all. I am so thankful that over the months of job searching God has reminded me of the blessings and rewards that come with this type of work. And I'm thankful that He has taught me to be so dependent on Him, because I know I will need to be. And I'm thankful that He has truly sparked a passion in me living in  the community that we do to work with children and their parents in hopes of happier futures for them. And mostly, I am thankful that I serve a God who is the BEST author and gets the plot just perfect every time!