Sandwiched
I’m guessing that’s not a headline you see very often. But it describes what I’ll be doing this Sunday, November 10.
On that date four years ago, a co-worker/friend had to break the news to me that my position would be eliminated by the end of the year. I was devastated. Nine years of various initiatives and work seemed to disappear in an instant.
I know many of you have been in the same situation or are facing something similar right now. It’s a common scenario in today’s world. People don’t stay in one work place for decades like they used to for many reasons.
But in almost every instance, it’s one of the best things that could ever happen to a person.
I think we get stuck inside our comfort zones too easily. Change is scary, right? I was certainly in that zone four years ago. But something didn’t feel quite right at times. I sometimes talked to God and asked “So, this is it for the rest of my life?” I didn’t think I could do anything different, however, as I provided the benefits for my family, and they were quite good.
I often toyed with the idea of grant consulting and finally getting serious about being an author. And on November 10, 2015, God said “Time to GET TO IT!”
Our family switched over to my husband’s benefits, which thankfully were okay. At first, I worked part-time in a normal day job and part-time for someone else as a grant consultant. I was too scared to take the plunge to work 100 percent on my own. But it was a good experience because I learned about what to do as a consultant and what not to do.
Finally, in May of 2017, I gave my notice at my day job and took the plunge of working completely for myself. It wasn’t easy, and boy, do I have some horror stories from those first few months! But I finally settled into my groove and absolutely love what I do.
It’s so true – God knows best. I believe He knew that I would need to work in a more flexible position so I could take care of my mother, who moved to an assisted living facility in Noblesville in November of 2016. He knew that as I got older, I would love helping not just one organization succeed in grants, but several.
He also knew that it was time for me to get back to writing both a column and books, and here I am happily doing both. My consulting business is growing and I’m excited to be hiring three talented people to help me starting in 2020.
If you’ve ever lost your job, hopefully you’re remembering your own experience and nodding your head in agreement. If you’re facing a job loss currently, keep your faith and be open to where God is leading you. I’m happy to even lend an ear if you need it. Trust me, things will get better.