Friday, March 8, 2013

finding my career

you know that phrase, when life hands you lemons...? i've always thought it was a bit silly honestly. i would much rather say "make the most out of what you're given" because  i don't particularly care for lemonade so i'd rather have the lemons.

i digress.

not knowing at the time, i started "making lemonade" mid-way through my freshman year of college. ever since i was a little one i wanted to be a teacher, so naturally i choose to major in elementary education. but about a week into classes as an eager little freshman, i found myself terrified. sitting in an educational psychology class, listening to all these girls talk about their passion for teaching, i realized i was lacking just that.

self-conscious about my decision, i started praying that God would lead me. and oh, He did. the next day i met with my counselor to change my major to interior design. i knew nothing about it except that i loved watching those shows on HGTV but He made it clear to me that it was where he wanted me. how in the world could i possibly serve him in this field? i had no idea.

interior design challenged me and my lemonade was tart. i had to learn to become an artist and creativity didn't always come easy. this was entirely new and it scared the heck out of me. i questioned every decision, every answer, every project for the first couple of years. and i prayed and prayed.

and then, like a light bulb that finally got screwed in all the way, it brightened. the lemonade tasted better. the ideas started flowing and the desire to learn grew. while i still didn't know what i would do with my degree, i knew then that i could do whatever God wanted me to when i trusted Him.

but i was still uneasy because i "knew" with a design job - i would have to move to a bigger city. i'd never been super gung-ho about that idea, and neither had KJB. when i was offered an internship right there in my hometown, it was like God was telling me it would be okay. even if i had to move away, He would be with me to lead the way.

three months after graduation i was offered a job at that same firm. the economy was horrible and very few of my fellow design friends could find the kind of job i had. but i had hope that God would provide for me and He did.

some said i was lucky but i know it was all part of God's plan. and because He had provided for me, i knew i had to wait to see what He wanted me to do with this career that had become a passion of mine.

more on that later...



i'm linking up with the lovely Lindsay and Amy who i met on the influence network. please visit their blogs to read encouraging life lessons from other women in this season of life.