More class.

Over the last several months, I have felt as if God was leading me to perhaps another job with another company/school system. I had initially been told that my position was only good through summer 2012, and that was the beginning of a search. I made it through several layers of interviews with several different opportunities. One led a good friend's daughter to enter the lottery for a school, in which she won a seat for next year. But I didn't get that position. I wonder if that was simply God's hand in leading this great young lady and family to a higher quality school. If that is true, I celebrate the mystery of how God works when you are open to listening to His promptings. Another opportunity resulted in a closed door, but I am actually going to have lunch with the HR person as she wants to pick my brain on leadership development. I am uncertain what will happen through that conversation, but I was not selected for that position. Finally, another opportunity came to a closed door this week as well. It would have been a BHAG sort of job - Big Hairy Audacious Goal - type situation. And I thought that it might happen. But it didn't. And if you pay attention to education in NYC you would know who I sat across the table with in a final round of interviews. A bit intimidating to be from the creek (pronounced crick) and sit at this table. But throughout the last several months, I have continuously prayed that God put me where HE wants me. That even if there were things that I had desires to do, or jobs that were attractive to me and who I am and what I like to do, that He would put me where He wants me. And if you have known me for any amount of years, you might well know that this is not at all how I used to approach career opportunities in the past. I have often told others that I used to give God just about all aspects of my life - save my career. I would handle that part, God, thank you very much. So I am certain that I have grown in this area. And there was a bit of disappointment in each opportunity when I found out the doors had closed. (Although I will tell you that two of the organizations never reached out to tell me, but I found out by either looking at their website or reaching out to them - LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IF YOU ARE HIRING PEOPLE - always just call and tell people, it gives you and your organization a lot more clout and definitely more class). But I digress. But I do love what I do, and since this all started, I have been informed that my position is at least good through summer 2013. So perhaps this is where God needs me to be for now, and I am well pleased to serve Him in this role if this is His will and desire. And with that I am well pleased. Although there is still a bit of uncertainty in all of this, I continue to learn that trusting Him each day is new again. It is not easy to follow Jesus. Contrary to some contemporary christian views, accepting Christ and trying to live in that is not all a bed of roses with sugar coated prosperity frosting. It is hard. Each day is hard. You must give up your own self, your own desires, your own pursuits, your whole life. That is what following Jesus is like. And I continue to trust Him more in that, and the peace and joy and tranquility that pours over me is like nothing else I have experienced in this life.