God’s timing is so not what we want sometimes. We want to know things now. When we text a friend or family member, we expect them to reply immediately and if they don’t we get frustrated. We live in a world where we need to know things sooner rather than later.
When I got back from my race, I was set on getting a job at a non-profit organization headquarted in Little Rock, AR. I was excited to begin the job search and find my way in their company and making a difference in people’s lives here in Arkansas as well as overseas. This organization seemed perfect for me; it helped people and villages in many different countries by funding livestock and water for them to be self-sustainable. So after a month or two being home and spending time with friends and family, I got serious about applying to any job in this organization. After 2 months of applying, I hadn’t had much luck…but I wasn’t going to give up.
Then my sister asked me to babysit my nephew while she was doing clincals for school. I hesitantly agreed on it knowing I probably wasn’t the perfect fit for taking care of a baby, but it would give me time to spend with my little nephew and also with my sister and brother in law. So I moved in with them and started babysitting my nephew. What happened next wasn’t planned at all. I mean I knew I would get closer to my nephew but never in my wildest dreams did I ever think he could steal my heart as much as he did. Alex, my nephew, had successfully stolen my heart. His laugh and giggles were contagious, and each time he laid his head down on my head my heart melted a little bit more. I would never want to take back the special times I had with Alex, my sister and my brother in law.
But I knew I needed to do something else…I felt restless. I felt like I needed a job, to move out on my own, and live independently. I was still applying to every job at this non-profit, and I started applying to other places. I heard nothing back. I applied to more and more, but still nothing. Their response to my application became far too familiar, “we appreciate your interest but we have moved forward with other candidates.” I became more frustrated every time I received one of those emails. I knew I was qualified for 90% of the jobs I applied for, and some I was overqualified for.
I was on Facebook one day and saw that the World Race needed some help with their training camp they do before the racers leave for 11 months. I decided to go and help out and wait to hear back from 15 jobs I had applied for before I left for training camp. As I was there, Squad leading was mentioned and I kindly declined it a few times saying I am getting a job when I get back home. As training camp continued, the jobs I applied for were rejected. One of the last days I was in Georgia, someone else mentioned Squad Leading. I did not see myself leading a group overseas, that’s not what I wanted to do. I wanted to get a job back at home and be close to my family and friends. But I told my friend that I would pray about it at least because I did have a long drive back home. The sense of peace I had when praying for this position was overwhelming. But I tried to fight it, “I need to stay here and get a real job and start living on my own.” I felt like God said to me, “I have closed all these doors for you to say yes to this job.” After months of looking and chasing after something I wanted, God gently placed this position in my hands and gave me a choice to take it. After praying about it for a few days, I applied and had a couple of interviews. The fear of rejection crept in and I felt like they were going to turn me down like the many others that “moved on with other candidates.” After 2 hours of my second interview I got a call saying I was accepted. I didn’t know what to do first…cry, squeal or call family and friends. I was so happy and felt so much at peace about everything.
A month after being accepted I went to Training Camp to meet my squad and my co-leaders who I will be spending the next 9 months with. The Lord placed me on an amazing squad with incredible co-leaders…one is from my original squad! As D-squad came in for training camp, my heart began to fill up. I knew this is where God was calling me and He gave me so much love for each one of the racers. I am ready to set out on this adventure at the end of this month and see where the Lord calls us in each country. “It’s going to be wild, it’s going to be great, it’s going to be full of Me.”
Meet Gap D:
