About a year ago, I started thinking about a career change. I was completing the last semester of my Christian Ministry certificate at Liberty University, and still working in the emergency department. I was thrilled to be studying ministry, but on the other hand, I was dreading going to work everyday. Burnout is real, and I was experiencing it big time. Of course, I loved my job as a nurse. I loved helping other people, working with my amazing co-workers, and feeling like I was making a difference. But, even with that, working incredibly long hours, being short-staffed, constantly getting messages on my day off asking me to work, overall stress, and working amidst the COVID pandemic was wearing me down. I would have days on my way to work where I dreaded going in and even got to the point of wishing I would get into a car accident on the way so I wouldn't have to go in to work. I know, it was bad and I was struggling.
In September 2022, knowing that my time at Liberty would be ending soon and I would be going back to working full-time, I started praying for God to guide me in my next steps. I prayed that if it was His will, he would lead me into a new job that I felt happier in. I prayed for the big, general things, and I prayed for very small and specific things. I prayed for a job where I would be excited to go to work every day. I prayed that I would have a job where I would have weekends and holidays off, and would work normal hours. I prayed that I would be able to dress up for work, wear fancy cute clothes, have my hair done, and have my nails done. I know, such a little request! But, those of you in health care will know that we aren't supposed to have our nails done, and it was something I missed so much! Lastly, I prayed that God would put what He desired for my life on my heart so that I would desire it too.
Through the next few months, God started to refine the types of jobs I would like to do. I have always loved academia, and I started thinking that I would love to teach in some capacity. I started looking into teaching high school students, or potentially at a University, and I started looking into more education programs I could take. I thought about how fun it would be to teach nursing students, whether in the classroom or the labs. But, most university jobs are in the city, and I didn't know if I wanted to move. Overall, I still didn't quite know where God wanted me to be.
In November, my dad and I went on a road trip down to our house in Florida. We stopped in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina for a week to enjoy a little vacation time. This is one of my favourite places in the world, so I was extremely excited to explore and rest. One night right before bed, I prayed that if there was a job that God wanted me to do, He would show it to me. The next morning, I woke up and came across a job posting for a nursing laboratory technologist at a college close to my house. Upon reading the job description, I found out that I would be teaching nursing students all of the clinical skills they would need to know, and would be assisting in simulation. Hello, dream job over here!
A few minutes later, I was talking to my dad asking him if I should apply. I was on vacation, the last thing on my mind was updating my resume, writing a cover letter, getting references, and applying for a job. And, the application deadline was in a few days. Of course, my dad said the answer was obvious.
I continued to pray about it, and I just kept feeling God pushing me to apply; I felt so much peace about it. So a few days later, I submitted my application and waited.
On one of my last days in Florida, I heard back and got an interview! I was so excited, this would be such an amazing job! The more I thought about it, the more the job sounded perfect for me.
I started praying that if this was the job I was meant to have, that God would help me find favor in the hiring committees eyes. I prayed that the interview would go well. I prayed that I wouldn't have to start work until after the Christmas break so I could still have the time off with my family and have a restful holiday season.
All of a sudden, interview day was here. Y'all, I was so nervous and so excited at the same time. I got on the Zoom call, and it went seamlessly. We had a wonderful chat, laughed through the interview, and I felt really good about it afterwards.
I didn't even get to send the follow-up email before I received an email asking me for a follow-up meeting. Wow, this was going quickly! I continued praying over their decision, and praying for wisdom and discernment over my decision of if this job was what God was leading me to.
A few days later, I got on the meeting and got the news that I got the job!! Of course, I accepted with the most excitement! Not only did I get the job, I didn't have to start until after the Christmas holidays - what a blessing!
A year later, I am looking back on all of the ways that God answered my prayers a year ago. He was SO faithful in the job that He lead me into, and so faithful in answering my prayers that I prayed over this job.
In this job, I work normal work hours and have all weekends off (I can't tell you how thrilled I am to not be working night shifts anymore!). I not only have holidays off, but I also have the WHOLE week between Christmas and New Years off, which is one of my absolute favorite weeks of the year. I am able to dress up every day, have my hair done, and have my nails done! Yes, I know, this is such a little thing, but that's the whole point. God answered all of my prayers, down to such a tiny, insignificant thing as having my nails done. I am able to teach the sweetest nursing students who inspire me daily, and I am excited to go to work every single day.
This is all to say, trust in God's plan for your life and His timing. He works all things for the good of those who love Him, and He wants what is best for you. He wants to provide for you and have you experience an abundance of joy. He listens to the desires of your heart, and He provides above and beyond what we could fathom.
Whatever you are going through in life, whether it is looking for a new job, thinking about moving, living out singleness wondering when you will meet your future husband, or thinking about getting married or having kids, run to God in prayer over it. Ask Him to lay His desires for you on your heart so that you can experience all of the goodness of His plan for you. Pray for the big things, and pray for the tiny things you may think are silly or insignificant. God truly comes through.
"Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us"
~ 1 John 5:14, CSB
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