Most of you know that I’ve been job-hunting over the past year, having been laid off my job about 15 months ago. I am happy to report that this past week I accepted an offer to be the Communications Director at a church called Eastside Christian, here in southern California.
I haven’t talked a lot about my journey here, mostly because I felt like such a miserable failure at it. I was frequently depressed, angry, frustrated, apathetic, and full of self-pity. But I took a look back through my posts over the last year, and found that the things I said about God all turned out to be true. This of course does not surprise you. But for me it is a revelation to see my experience match my beliefs.
I both feared and counted on God’s fondness for dramatic rescues. In the spirit of David, I poured out my feelings and rewrote Psalm 40. And, like Job, I learned that God sometimes strips everything away so we’re truly alone and without identity… and then he answers out of the storm.
And God provided, and provided.
I don’t start my new job for another week. And this too is significant. Because while I had so much freelance work in the past 4 months I almost couldn’t keep it straight, it had all wrapped up and the last scheduled project – an event at a local University of California campus – finishes this week. Yes, you read that right. I, of course, had already started worrying about what I would do next. You also need to know that a friend with a PR agency who hired me to write for several of her clients happened to have an unusual year – one with two enormous, income-generating events including the UC event. Coincidence? I think not.
I am excited, joyful, humbled, and grateful. The main thing I’ve learned is that I haven’t arrived anywhere. Like – thank goodness that unemployment thing is behind me and I can finally get on with my life. I really see it as another leg in the journey of my life. One with new friends, new challenges, and new opportunities to grow in trusting a faithful God.
theviewfromher.com 
. . . apparently God still understands how to time things.
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So thrilled for you. And so glad you have not wasted this hard journey, but used it to grow. It’s always a choice!
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Congratulations Jan! So excited for you… and for God’s faithfulness in your life.
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Jan,
I am so happy for you! I don’t often comment, but I love your blog, and I’ve enjoyed reading about how God has provided for you in what has been a very difficult season, I’m sure. Thanks for your transparency and your faithfulness. It has been a blessing to me as a reader.
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Thrilled to hear of the next step in your journey, Jan.
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Congratulations, Jan!
I hope and pray that I follow you back into the job market sooner rather than later. I was laid off from my last job about 20 months ago.
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Congratulations, Jan. I am in transition myself these days.
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I guess if I would have read your blog earlier I would have understood about the UCI event. I so understand your journey for employment as I am on my own journey. I know I need to find a job, but sometimes it just seems so hopeless that I feel helpless. I guess it’s time to update my wardrobe and get out there again. Thanks.
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Girl, get your network on! 🙂 I’m telling you, send an email to your friends describing what you’re looking for. I think places are slowly starting to hire again… I’ll keep an eye out too.
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Thanks everyone for your encouragement! Gregg and ccinova, I prayed for you just now in your situations. It was hardest for me to remember that God cares more about who I’m becoming than whose employee I’ll be. I appreciate your faithful following/commenting on my blog!
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God is good. All the time.
So pleased for you, and I hope the new job works brilliantly well for you, and that God teaches you lots more, just like he did during your job search. 🙂
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