Birthday Presents

Two posts ago I promised to share the story of what God did for me when I started asking HIM to do the work rather than asking His advice. This is the promised story.

My job experience since graduating hasn't exactly been a walk in the park. While it hasn't been a nightmare, it hasn't been a fun little cupcake party either. I've tried a lot of paths recently that seemed to lead nowhere. I worked for a short while selling furniture... didn't even make it to 90 days before I quit. That wasn't my calling. Then I turned down a $30,000/year job because I didn't think it was the right thing for me... and of course spent the next weeks wondering if I'd made a huge mistake. Then I ended up at the desk where I am sitting now, watching the front door of a little glasses shop/optometrist office. It isn't hell, but if it was physically possible to die of boredom, I'd probably be dead now. And all the while I've wondered, "What the heck is God preparing me for? Does He not remember that I actually want my life to have some purpose?" Of course I knew in my deepest heart that He had a plan, but it has been a challenge!

Last Sunday God, apparently knowing that I was about to lose my mind, gave me encouragement by way of two Bible verses that popped out at me in my reading. Check this out:

May He grant you according to your heart's desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
We will rejoice in Your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

~Psalm 20:4-5


I'm telling you, I felt like the Lord spoke those verses to me. As Christians, we sometimes get it into our heads that God wants us to suffer! But here God gave me a promise that He cared about my heart's desires and that He hadn't forgotten me. And something about the word "banners" just makes me think of joyful excitement and victory. So, armed with this verse, I sallied forth into my week. And what a week!

Four days before God showed me those verses, I saw a job ad on Craig's List for a "Showroom Assistant" for a high-end antique and interior design company. I filed it away as a position that I should apply for, even though the ad did not give the name of the company. The next day I got a call from a girl I worked with (briefly, let me remind you) at La-Z-Boy. I knew through facebook that she had recently taken a new position working for a successful interior designer, but in spite of the occasional facebook contact, I never really expected to see her or have her be a part of my life again. Wrong! God's plans are much more elaborate and intricate than that!

Kathia called to tell me that there was a position opening up at her new job, and she wanted me to apply. Well, guess what. The position she called to tell me about was the same one I saw on Craig's List.

So I faxed in my resume on Friday and promptly braced myself for the worst. I didn't hear anything Friday, and since I knew they wanted to start interviewing on Monday I kind of assumed nothing would come of it.

Sunday: God gave me the above mentioned verses.

Monday morning: I received a call asking me to come in for an interview that afternoon.

Interviewed in a flurry of excitement and nerves.

Monday afternoon: Got a call asking me to come back Tuesday for a second interview with the head honcho.

Tuesday afternoon: Told God as I was driving to the interview that I was pretty sure I was in over my head, and I knew I would only get the job if He gave it to me.

Tuesday evening: Offered the job. :)

Wednesday morning: gave my notice at my current job.

Next Monday will be my first day at my new job. If you are interested in checking out the company, their website is www.williamreubanks.com. It is swanky, and I know I'll need God's grace every day as a I get started there... it will definitely be a stretch outside my comfort zone!

But here is, in my opinion, the coolest part of the whole story. About a month, month and a half ago, before any of this got started, I prayed a crazy thing. I prayed that God would give me a new job for my birthday.

Guess what. My birthday is April 9th, this Friday. This Friday, my birthday, will be my last day at my old job. "Happy Birthday, Joanna; I love you." -God