O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (Psalm 90:14)

The world is filled with people seeking something that they will never find. We pursue wealth, love, respect, possessions, and power, but how often do we seek God? Not often enough; yet, only our Creator can fill the empty places inside us. Satisfaction through Christ should be an everyday, constant pursuit for all of us. Total fulfillment of our souls can only come from Him. 

I’ve been searching for peace in my workplace for over a year now. I lived with fear and massive job stress for the better part of 2020. I searched for a new job for six months and obtained a new position only to lose my hard-fought-for security after only six weeks on the job when my role was abolished. I learned the hard way that there is no security outside of Christ. Nothing in this world can offer the stability that He can. 

In the days that followed, I’ve questioned everything that touches me – where my security is found, what I’m doing with my life, and how I want to spend my days. Most of the time, I feel like I am floundering. I desperately need to anchor my energy, emotions, and existence in God.  

My mother and brother came to visit me recently, and we spent time at the beach together. Amid the unrest of my current existence, feeling the sand beneath my feet, getting lost in the magnificent sunsets, and jumping over the waves all served to provide me with the much-needed respite I needed for my restless soul. 

God is my refuge and strength – wherever I am – but there is something infinitely gratifying about being near the ocean. I feel God’s presence in the connectedness of the sand, surf, and sky like few other places on earth. 

It was while bobbing over the waves, watching each new crest coming towards me, and then falling into the ensuing seafoam that I felt the contentment of God’s presence. While floating in the surf, I sang songs of worship as I marveled at the magnificence of His creation. While I was hardly alone, it was in those moments that I felt like it was just me and God – and that was enough. Oh, to bottle that happiness and joy and keep it forever contained inside me. 

As I move forward into an uncertain future, I will continue to strive to love and serve Him – right where I am. Everything I’ve needed, God has always provided to me. I’ve always found my truest satisfaction in Christ alone. 

Too often, we get so caught up in the weight of the world that we forget our Creator only wants us to worship Him. God asks us to serve Him, wherever we are, in whatever we are doing. No matter how anxious we may be about the future or how unsettled we are in our lives, we must never forget to stop, appreciate where we are, and wait patiently for Him to show us what we should do next – for Him. Our main goal should always be to love, serve, and wait patiently for our heavenly Father’s guidance. 

Guide me every day, Lord. I wait patiently for you to reveal your plan and purpose for my life. I love You greatly and long to serve You. Show me how to rest in your presence, pursue your purpose, and worship you with my entire being.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3: 5-6)

My life recently transformed through the shifting sands of a newly assigned workplace position. In the midst of this upheaval, I was stunned to receive a “Welcome to the team” email issued to me and six of my teammates by a woman I’d never heard of before. No explanation of my role had yet been provided. While the introduction wasn’t distributed to me, alone, my colleagues weren’t placed in new positions. They were simply allocated a new manager. For me, switching from being an administrative assistant to a specialized banker would be a bit more dramatic. 

I was overwhelmed by the reality before me. Everyone on my team had chosen to be bankers and had spent countless years honing their professions. Their titles evidenced the experience in their roles. I stood alone in a group of experts. I felt like a toddler dropped in a room of neurophysicists. How could I possibly thrive with so little understanding of the language, education, and skill-sets of my peers?

The background of this evolution is detailed in my last few blog posts. I had just finished writing my message,  “Haven’t seen it, but I believe it” the day before this “welcome” message was received. It’s hard to feel happy about something so life-altering and unchosen.

I know something good is coming, I thought. Maybe one of the jobs I applied for has reached out to me. 

After checking my personal email, my eye immediately latched onto the message with a staffing address. “We appreciate your interest,” the communication began, “however..we are pursuing candidates with skills and experience which more closely match the position.” 

Rejected. I was being rejected from the job that I’d prayed so hard for – the position with an HR angel named Lucy who had helped me submit my cover letter to the hiring manager. Lucy had told me she had a feeling I “was the one” for this position. I had been so hopeful, so encouraged, so confident that a positive outcome would follow my application. My credentials were a perfect match for the role. How had this happened?

I know in my heart that God is in control. I surrender each and every step of my existence to Him, and my work-life is no exception. From the first call that altered my employment, I have prayed for my heavenly Father to lead me. Should I accept the new role my employer was offering, or should I start searching for another job again? I felt strongly that I should search elsewhere, and the reopening of the position I’d formerly applied to seemed evidence of God’s prompting. 

The reality of my workplace inadequacies and the disappointment of this rejection combined to deliver a gut punch that left me staggering. What am I doing? I thought. Where am I going in life? 

After phoning my brother to express my disappointment, I ended my call with a self-reminder that I’d written about trusting God in my last blog post. “I can’t stop believing what I wrote yesterday,” I told him. “God is in control. I know that. I’m just disappointed.” 

As the day progressed, I fully surrendered to the loss of the position I’d long hoped for. I always pray that God will shut the door if something is not right for me. This rejection seemed strong evidence that I should move on. By late afternoon, I had fully exchanged my desires for my Creator’s and began crafting a new cover letter for another position. 

That’s when my phone rang. 

The voice on the end of the line was from the organization I had applied to – the one I had been excluded from. “I’m calling to see if you’re available this Thursday at 4:30,” the voice detailed, without further explanation. 

“This is for…?” I inquired.

“Your application for the ___ position,” came the response. 

Without thinking, I retorted, “I was just rejected for that role earlier today.”

“Well, I don’t know who would have ever told you that,” came the response.

I was stunned to the point of disbelief until my mind wrapped around a possible explanation. “I applied for the role last fall and was advised to reapply a few weeks ago,” I quipped. “Perhaps the earlier rejection was for my initial application.” 

“We have a new system,” came the response. “There’s no telling what it will do. I’ll put you down as confirmed for Thursday.”

After affirming the same and thanking the caller, I assured her that she had completely turned my day around. 

“I’m glad,” came her simple reply.

I phoned my brother as soon as I hung up. “I just received an incredible phone call,” I told him before relaying the conversation.  

“Well, isn’t that something?” he laughed. 

It was “something,” indeed. This was an act of divine intervention – an exhilarating reminder that when we surrender to God, He makes the impossible possible. 

I couldn’t help but think of Abraham and his act of submission to God in Genesis 22. When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, Abraham had to feel devastated at the request. Isaac had been a blessing to him and his wife, Sarah, in their old age, and the thought of giving up his son must have been devastating. 

The Bible doesn’t record Abraham’s emotions, but we can only imagine that he must have struggled to submit to this directive. And yet, he still did so. Abraham made the 50-mile trek to the area God directed him to go, taking only wood for the altar fire, two servants, his son, and a donkey. 

Abraham’s commitment is evident when Isaac asks his father where the animal is for their sacrifice. “Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two of them went on together.” (V. 8) 

Isaac, too, demonstrated surrender when he willingly allowed his Father to bind his hands and lay down on the altar. (V. 9) It was only when Abraham raised his arm to commence with the sacrifice that the hand of God restrained him. 

“But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ ‘Here I am,’ he replied. ‘Do not lay a hand on the boy,’ He said. ‘Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.'” (V. 11-12)

It was then that Abraham saw a ram that God had provided, caught in a nearby bush. (V. 13) How Abraham’s heart must have soared at this gift from his Creator. “So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide.” (V. 14)

While I was not asked to make anywhere near the type of sacrifice that Abraham did, I still felt the relief of acceptance and surrender, followed by the joy of my Savior’s endowment. 

I was still glorifying God in these thoughts while sharing the day’s turn of events with a few friends. 

“Sort of like the ram caught in the bushes, eh?” came one response.

“God can change the course of events in the blink of an eye,” I told him. “Despite how painful it may be at the time, we still have to trust Him. No matter what, God is always in control.” 

The Lord will provide. All we have to do is surrender. 

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord Himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2) 

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord Himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2) 

My life shifted recently through a series of phone calls. The first call came from the executive who hired me to support him – telling me he was stepping down. The second call advised me that my job was being abolished and that I’d soon move to a new and utterly unknown role. The third call was made by me to an organization I’d applied to 7 months ago. Without ever seeing anyone, my world keeps pivoting through the tether of cellular connections. 

It wasn’t until the third orchestration that these changes started guiding me in a positive direction. This call gave me hope, and hope is the most transformative of all forces in the universe. 

The day I began searching for a new job – more than half a year ago – a position opened at an organization close to my home. It seemed to be a match made in heaven. Roles like mine are not easy to find, yet this one was nearby and would allow me to work in a field where I could live out my mission to help others. I applied the same day and began praying. I prayed before submitting my application. I prayed for the person I would be working for – by name. I prayed on my hands and knees before God, with tears of supplication, asking my heavenly Father to open the door – if He desired to do so.  

No matter how badly I yearn for something, I always pray that God will make the way evident to me. My prayers are always the same when I am seeking God’s purpose in my life. If it’s not Your Will, Lord, I pray, shut the door. If it is, open the door and allow me to enter. I need Your wisdom, Jesus. Show me Your plan. 

In this instance, my prayers came fast and furious – with many prayerful petitions coming while I was fully prostrate before my Creator. I would always rise from these sessions feeling assured of God’s provision. If this role was what He had in mind for me, my heavenly Father would bring it to fruition. I believe that wholeheartedly.

Exactly one month after my initial application, it looked as if my prayers might be answered, as my application was moved forward for “further consideration.” Two weeks later, I called to check on my status and was told the same. Two months after that, with no further word from anyone, I gave up. Clearly, this position was not God’s desire for me. 

During that interval, I received a call to interview for the role I ended up accepting – the position that is now being eliminated. From day one with my current employer, I questioned if I’d made the correct choice and if I was where I was supposed to be. Nothing seemed to go well, and there were moments when I felt I had made the wrong decision in accepting the job.

After learning that my executive was resigning, I sprung into action and called the organization I’d applied to on day one of my former job search. Surely, the position would no longer be available. No job can remain open for half a year without being filled. Still, I had to try. Although the switchboard operator tried several HR extensions, no one answered my call.

The day I was notified of my impending job cancellation, I phoned again. This time, someone answered. 

“You called at the perfect time!” came a cheery voice at the end of the line. “The job was on hold, but it was just reactivated this week. Your timing is perfect!”

Not my timing, I thought. God’s timing is always perfect! 

“From your lips to God’s ears,” I responded.

“Are you a Christian?” asked the kind voice, whose name I learned was Lucy. Before I could even answer, Lucy supplied, “I am a Christian, and I wanted to tell you to pray.”

Not only did I confirm my faith to Lucy, I told her the background of my application, being hired elsewhere, and why I was calling about the position again. I assured her that getting this job would be a profound testimony of God’s provision. She said my story gave her chills. Lucy explained that the organization had implemented a new application system. She then advised me to apply again. 

“If you don’t hear anything back in two weeks,” offered Lucy, “I’m going to give you a number to call to check on your application.” Lucy then provided me with the phone extension to connect to the executive director of Human Resources. I called the director as soon as I hung up – inquiring if I should, in fact, reapply.

“The position was on hold and is now open again,” the voice confirmed. “We have a new system, so you should reapply. If you tell me your name, I will look for your application.” I not only supplied my name – I reapplied that same afternoon. 

The next day, I called Lucy again, asking her how to submit my cover letter, which the system would not allow. After agreeing that she had similar issues when applying herself, Lucy provided me with the direct email address of both the hiring manager and the HR director that I had spoken to the day before.

“Copy Ms. D,” Lucy coached, “since you spoke to her yesterday. Then send your letter straight to both of them. And pray.”

Heartened by this additional assistance, I was encouraged even more by Lucy’s subsequent proclamation: “I had a feeling when we spoke yesterday that you are the one for this role.”

Her words gave me great hope. We ended our call with Lucy asking me to keep her informed about whatever happened. I promised that I would and thanked her profusely for serving God in her important position.

After hanging up, I couldn’t help but raise my hands to heaven. All I could say was, “Hallelujah!” and “Thank you, Jesus!” 

More profound than everything that transpired was the sense of peace and joy that flowed through me after this series of phone calls.

No matter what happens, I am assured that God is in control of my life – a message I continue to share with my friends and family. There is no better way of finding hope than by surrendering to the will of our Creator – and I fully submit to Him.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

God often sends me messages of hope in the lyrics of songs that I hear in my sleep. I wake up with the words running through my head, and the messages stay with me all day long. 

While I’ve always been able to recognize the songs when I wake, I couldn’t do so on a recent occasion. The lyrics were incredibly powerful, but I couldn’t place them. 

I smiled, nevertheless, even before turning on the light, as the message was profound. Victory is coming. God is moving! Even though I’m not at the finish line yet, I can still claim the assurance of my triumph in Christ. Something is right on the horizon, and it’s a powerful gift from God. I can feel it. I need to believe it. 

A few weeks ago, the executive that I support told me he was stepping down. The next day he was gone, without a backward glance. A week later, I was advised that my position was being abolished, and I would be moved to a different role – one that would task me with responsibilities entirely out of my field of expertise. Needless to say, I was worried – and then I gave my worries to God. 

Ironic, I thought, that I would leave a job out of uncertainty for my future only to move to a job that has led to an uncertain future. 

And so, my career search continues. I am blessed to still be employed. I could have easily been let go – and yet, mercifully, I remain. While my new role is being defined, I can sometimes feel the apprehension building inside me. And then I give my concerns to God. Over and over, again, the loop continues. I worry. God reminds me that He is in control, and then I consciously give my burdens to Him. 

That’s when I woke with the song lyrics in my head. I could hear the tune and the chorus but couldn’t recognize the song. I knew it was a male singer and had a feeling it must be Danny Gokey – one of my favorite contemporary Christian artists. I wrote down what I remembered hearing while the words were still vivid in my mind.

I smiled to myself at the memory and knew I needed to acknowledge the message that God was giving me, deep in my soul. Victory is coming. God has prepared a profound blessing for me. I may not have acquired it yet, but I still needed to credit Him for the impending triumph. 

After performing a quick search of Danny Gokey songs, I found the one whose message I’d subliminally secured – “Haven’t seen it yet.” The title, the lyrics, and, more importantly, the message is irrefutable. We don’t know what the future holds for each of us, but we must trust that God knows and has our best interests at heart. The journey to reach His plan may be difficult, and yet He asks us to trust Him. I do. I know God holds my tomorrow in the palm of His hand, and He will reveal it when the time is right. 

For now, I will rest in the knowledge that “good things are coming even when I can’t see.” I believe that with all my heart and soul. 

I fully entrust my life to God. I may not know what will happen tomorrow, but whatever occurs in this life or the next, my Creator has already proclaimed my victory!

“Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Serving others is the most extraordinary form of compassion Christians can demonstrate to a hurting world. Offering one’s time, a listening ear, and a hand of help can do more to exemplify the love of Christ than anything else one could ever do or say. 

A month ago, I helped one of my employer’s community advisory board members achieve the confidence he needed to connect to a videoconferencing platform he’d never used before. It was his first time using this particular application, and he was nervous. After guiding him through the connection process, I conducted a practice session with him and talked him through his challenges until he felt good about the service. 

A week later, I called the gentleman, Mr. N., back – just before the virtual board meeting was to take place. I wanted to make sure he was confident in his virtual connection before the actual session occurred. 

After answering the phone, Mr. N. told me he had puzzled over my kindness the week prior. “You took time out of your busy schedule to help me, even though you are new to your job,“ he said. “What made you do so?”

“I’m a servant leader,” I replied. “I believe in leading with my faith. It forms the basis for everything I do.”

After thanking me, Mr. N told me that he was good friends with the original author of the authoritative book on servant leadership, Ken Blanchard. “If you haven’t already read his book, I’ll send it to you.” 

After thanking my benefactor for his kindness, I provided my work address and told him I would cherish such a gift. 

Flash forward to a few weeks later. I was working remotely, preparing for an important day with virtual client visits and the head of our organization, when my cell phone rang. It was my current boss calling to inform me that he was stepping down from the company.

The news came as a dramatic blow. I had resigned from my former employer in large part due to the kindness of this man and my belief in the security of this company. Only six weeks into my new role, I wondered if I would still have a job the next day. The fact was, I had been hired to assist a man who was no longer going to work for the company. Only God knew what was in store for my future. 

And so I began praying. I needed the help of my Creator, yet again. “God loves to keep me humble and reliant on Him,” I told my brother. 

Arriving at work the following day, I found a padded envelope on my desk with a San Diego return address. Being new to the company, I couldn’t imagine who could be sending me something from California. 

Upon opening the envelope, I could only smile when I found not one but two Ken Blanchard books – a gift orchestrated by Mr. N. and sent to me, right when I needed it, from the author himself. The book on top was “Lead Like Jesus” – a message straight from God, I thought. Instead of stressing over my future, I vowed, right then and there, to continue to serve as Christ would – with love – whenever and wherever He needs me to. 

Ken defines this thought process with the following statement: “Leading like Jesus is love-based leadership. In fact, God intends the primary outcome of our leadership and influence to be showing people Jesus’ love. Leading like Jesus is essentially a matter of the heart. It is also the highest thought of the head, it is the principal work of the hands, and it is both expressed through and replenished by the habits.”

In addition to a hand-written note by the author, Mr. Blanchard inscribed his book with the following notation: “Keep serving! Leadership is not about you but the people you are serving.”

Well said, Mr. Blanchard! And so I will!

God’s promises are true, and His messages are always right on time. Jesus came not to be served but to serve. No matter what my day job may be, I will keep writing, encouraging, and leading like Jesus. How could I ever do otherwise? 

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Two days ago, I sent the above Bible verse to all my friends, assuring everyone that I was thinking of and praying for them. More than that, I wanted to remind them that it was Good Friday, a day when Christ provided a preeminent example of love to all humankind. 

In the finiteness of our lives, it’s easy to forget how immense God’s love truly is. The Author of all of creation took on the form of humanity – thereby subjecting Himself to rejection, scorn, hunger, thirst, ridicule, humiliation, verbal abuse, physical torture, and – ultimately – death. He did so out of love for you, me, and everyone that ever has and ever will exist. Think about that for a minute: we weren’t even born when Christ laid down His life to pay the penalty for sins we weren’t alive to commit yet. Such love is at once both immeasurable and limitless.  

In 1907, Frederick M. Lehman attempted to describe this emotion in his hymn, “The Love of God.” Lehman felt compelled to pen his words after the Holy Spirit moved him to do so. He had recently suffered a massive reversal of fortune which forced him to find work in the shipping industry, packing oranges and lemons into crates. Undeterred by his circumstance change, Frederick easily wrote the first two stanzas of his song but struggled with the third. 

Remembering a card he had been given, Lehman retrieved it to find a poem that he deemed perfect for his hymn. The words had been found written on the wall of a room in an insane asylum two hundred years earlier. The sentiments were so beautiful that the attendants captured them before the room’s walls were repainted. 

Historians later learned that the above stanza came from an English translation of a poem written in 1050 by the Jewish Rabbi, Meir Ben Issac Nehoria. How the unfortunate asylum patient had ever heard these words, let alone remembered them, remains a mystery. The fact that they later made their way to Frederick on a card to be preserved, recalled, and used in perfect meter with his developing hymn is nothing short of the grace of God. 

Just as Lehman found these exquisite sentiments at precisely the time he needed them, so the love of God is always ready and waiting for us to accept into our hearts when we require the same. God’s love is the most precious gift we will ever receive – offered freely, willingly, and without cost. All we have to do is welcome it to know the unspeakable joy that can only come from the boundless love of our Savior. 

What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived – the things God has prepared for those who love Him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

While walking around the frozen Cherry Creek Reservoir last December, I spotted something this Georgia girl never thought she’d see in frigid Colorado – sandcastles in the snow. Surrounded by the vast openness of the frozen tundra, these pint-sized constructs might have been easily overlooked. Yet to me, their diminutive structure stood as more than just an anomaly – their creation spoke of the promise of things to come. 

There’s much to be said about normalcy in life. Our routines give us confidence, and venturing into the unknown can be quite daunting. I must admit to feeling more than a little lost in my new workplace lately. As the newest staff member in a 60,000 person company, I’ve been grappling with my insignificance these past few weeks. I told a former co-worker that I feel like a tiny minnow in a school of sharks right now. While I assured her that I would swim out and find my place in the ocean, I know it will take considerable time and massive effort to do so. 

I can’t help but think about how the Israelites let their fear overpower them and prevent them from entering the Promised Land. In the Old Testament story, God told Moses to send twelve spies into the land in Canaan to provide a report of the riches the Lord had in store for the people of Israel. Rather than trusting in the Lord’s strength, ten of the spies came back fearful of the size of the people and fortresses they’d seen.

Of the twelve men sent, only Caleb and Joshua remembered God’s assurance of protection and did their best to instill confidence in their fellow Israelites. 

“The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” (Numbers 14:7-9)

Rather than trust the words of these Godly men – and more importantly – their Creator – the Israelites became fearful and seemingly forgot all the miracles the Lord had demonstrated to them as He led them out of Egyptian captivity. Their fear and mistrust not only caused them to grumble against God, but mob-rule nearly caused them to sin further by stoning Joshua and Caleb for their testimonies. Were it not for Moses’s prayerful petitions on behalf of the Israelites, God would have struck them all dead for their wicked behavior and their doubt in His promises. 

Proverbs 30:5 tells us that “Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.” Just because we can’t see Him doesn’t mean that God isn’t with us and acting on our behalf. Quite the contrary. He is always doing so. 

While each of us will face situations where fear of the future may threaten to overwhelm us, we have only to remember that God has promised that there is a Promised Land ahead for all who believe in Him. We have only to keep our eyes on Christ and remember that He will see us through. Just as sandcastles in the snow remind us that warmer days are just ahead, God’s Word assures us that He has provided for our futures.  

My mind may have a hard time imagining all that is in store for me, but that doesn’t diminish its reality or greatness. Rather than focusing on today, I choose to look to tomorrow as I trust in God’s promises and provision. 

Look to Christ, beloved, and do the same.

No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:12)

A little over a week ago, I bid goodbye to my former work family. And by family, I mean those that I not only worked with but those I’ve grown to love, value, and cherish over the past four years. I didn’t just associate with my peers; I cared about their lives, prayed over their problems, and worked hard to show God’s light of love at every turn. 

These were people that I spent years encouraging, and it was important to me to not only say farewell but also to remind them, one last time, of their importance, in one final message of love.  

“You may not hear that you are appreciated enough,” I wrote, “but I’m here to tell you that it’s true. You are the glue that holds everything together. You are the heart and soul of this company and the undergirding that keeps everything and everyone else fortified. Never underestimate [your value] and never doubt how important you are.” 

The responses I received were precious to me. “You have made an impact that will be impossible to fill,” one of my team members wrote. “You have blessed us with your grace and kindness and are the literal heart of [our department].”

“You will be missed by everyone in this department,” wrote another, “perhaps more than you realize. Everyone who has worked with you here is better for having met you!” 

More than just messages of being missed, the most significant responses I received were those that alluded to the light of Christ that I worked so hard to project. 

• “You have been a shining, positive light [in our department]. We were blessed to have you.” 
• “You are always a source of sunshine!”
• “You have always been a beam of sunshine, and I was always in a better frame of mind after speaking with you.” 
• “You are always a very bright ray of sunshine in what can some days be a dreary and stressful workplace.” 

While I strive to perform above and beyond my work expectations, my primary purpose – in and out of the workplace – is to show love. Doing so hasn’t always been easy – especially when I am tired, overloaded, or rejected by others. But as a Christian, it’s my mission to emody God’s love, wherever I am, to whomever I meet.

Believers are called to be God’s hands and feet. We are the personification of our heavenly Father that the often harsh and sometimes cruel world needs to see. It’s not enough just to be loved by God and to love Him in return. We need to demonstrate God’s unquenchable love to everyone we meet – even and maybe especially in our places of employment. 

Many people we work with will never step foot inside a church building, but they can still know God by watching us. Do we offer generic greetings to people we pass in our places of employment, or do we take the time to show that we genuinely care by listening, engaging, and demonstrating concern for others? 

Are we afraid to say, “God bless you” or “I’ll pray for you” when we hear of familial stressors or the aching bodies and overworked minds of our team members?

Has political correctness become the new standard rather than honest compassion for the challenges faced by those we strive alongside each day? 

Have we forgotten to care about one another in today’s world? I pray not. 

Each of us has the same opportunities every day to demonstrate the light of Christ by how we act, respond, and care for one another. We must – each of us – make a daily, conscious choice to make a difference. We can either shut down or show up, shrink back or shine forth. I choose to do the latter – every single time. 

“Thank you so much for your kindness, encouragement, and positive nature,” one of my former teammates wrote to me, “and thank you for being a vessel that God uses every day to touch people.” 

Be the vessel. Be the lampstand. Be the light. Don’t be afraid to shine forth, beloved. Love God and love people. 

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)

For the past six months, I’ve been praying for God to guide my footsteps and show me what to do. My work stress had become so great that tears would spring to my eyes whenever I was asked about it. I was working 10, 12, even 14 hour days at one point, and work was always on my mind. When my supervisor told me to take my phone with me on a long, overdue vacation, I knew it was too much. I began applying for new jobs as soon as I returned from my trip. 

After submitting my first application, I fell prostrate before my Heavenly Father, begging Him to help me. Show me Your will, Lord, I prayed. If it is Your desire, open the door for me. Please open the door. 

Sensing my distress, my mother called the Billy Graham Evangelism Association Prayer Line on my behalf and asked for prayer. In response, the counselor prayed Psalm 86 with her. When she later told me of her call, I looked the scripture up, and the words spoke powerfully to my heart. 

“Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to You; save your servant who trusts in You. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in You…Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to You, because you answer me.” (v. 1-4,6-7)

With each application I submitted, I prayed that God would guide me. More than anything, I wanted to follow His plan for my life, which meant I needed to surrender. As much as I felt I needed to move on, a part of me struggled with the thought that maybe He wanted me to stay. With each prayerful petition, I ended by submitting myself to my Creator’s control.

Your will be done, Lord, I prayed. Open the door if it’s what You want for me and close it if it’s not. 

Surrender is never easy. A friend of mine recently asked me what I meant when I told her that she needed to do the same.

“To surrender, you need to accept whatever outcome God brings,” I explained. “You need to prepare your heart to be content with whatever happens. If He wants you to stay, you need to accept that. If He wants you to move ahead, He will open the door for you.” 

It’s not easy to find happiness in all circumstances, but I found my peace after much prayer. I knew God had brought me to my current work environment and that He used my positivity to encourage others. I accepted that He might need me to remain where I was, so I let go of my fervency and settled into what I perceived to be His will. 

That’s when I saw the job listing. It was posted on a Sunday night – something I’d never seen before. Who posts jobs on a Sunday? I’ll apply tomorrow. 

But something inside me told me not to delay. I pulled out my computer and spent the next several hours researching, rewriting my cover letter, and applying for the job. 

Monday morning, I had an email from the VP of HR asking me for an interview. I could hardly believe such a thing could happen so quickly. On the first day? Who contacts candidates on the first day after posting a job? Don’t they want to wait until more resumes are received before setting up interviews? It seemed surreal to hear back so quickly when I’d been waiting months for other organizations’ responses. 

Nevertheless, I responded quickly and had my first interview a few days later. 

At the end of our discussion, I was told by the recruiter that he was moving me forward to meet with the hiring manager. Again, I was astounded. This doesn’t happen, I thought. But it did. Before long, I was scheduled for my second interview. 

Your words, my lips, Lord, I prayed. I had failed at another interview that took place with a different company in the interim, and I didn’t have a lot of confidence going into this one. Still, I prayed: Your words, my lips, Lord. If this is what you want me to do, you need to give me Your words. You are in control.

At the start of our discussion, the hiring manager allowed me to talk about whatever I wanted to with him – my hobbies, family, interests – whatever I felt like discussing was fair game. I started to talk about my writing and then stopped. It was as if God halted my words and redirected my thoughts. 

“Let me tell you who I am,” I began. I then proceeded to explain that I am an encourager – a topic I would typically never discuss. This was a job interview. I was supposed to talk about my work, not my personality. 

When I was done speaking, my interviewer told me that I had provided the best response he had ever received in any interview he’d ever conducted. Thank you, Jesus! I thought. Those were Your words, not mine. 

After nearly an hour into what was only supposed to be a half-hour interview, the hiring manager told me he didn’t want to put me on the spot, but he wanted to move me forward to meet the two top people I would be working with, in addition to him. And so he did. 

A week and a third interview later, I was offered the position – one which I never thought I’d get, for more pay than I anticipated, in a field that offered more stability than my current role. Needless to say, I accepted.

“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever. For great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.” (Psalm 86: 12-13)

We don’t often think of surrendering to win, but that’s what God longs for all of us to do. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of submission when He prayed to His heavenly Father before being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me,” He prayed, “yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) 

If Jesus could willingly take on my guilt and yours by suffering a horrific death on a cross, how much more should I relinquish my desires to Him? My acquiescence is nothing compared to His. 

And so I am now blessed with yet another profound testimony. I know that God opened this door for me. What He provided is exceptionally more than I ever could have anticipated. What I received is a miracle. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I know God is with me, and that’s all that matters. 

Believe in the impossible, beloved, and remember that it’s only in surrendering that we can win.