If Our God is for us, then what could stand against?
On March 21st, with the advocacy of a colleague and some serious grace, I landed what feels like my corporate dream job. I'll be starting with a new company here in the Denver Tech Center on April 17th, and I could not be more fired up!
For nine months, I've been praying for the Lord to lead me down a new career path. It's pretty undeniable that God teed me up for this win, because it literally fell in my lap.
Last month I got an e-mail from a previous boss that said,
"Hi Lisamarie,
I heard through the grapevine what happened, if you need a new career path let me know and I'll take care of you. And don't worry, Lm...I've been praying for you."
I'm a crier, so I was wrecked before I got to the end of the three line e-mail. Three weeks later, I was offered a position that feels like the perfect fit. While I did manage to survive an intense panel interview, there is just no way I pulled this in under my own power. Professionally, I'm in a little over my head, but I'm so excited for the challenge!
I'm overwhelmed by God's grace and provision. Once again, He's taught me that He is always watching, listening, and planning to come through with a level of faithfulness that wrecks me every. single. time. He always makes me wait on Him, but His love for me never fails. His faithfulness just never fails. Each time, I'm reminded that His way is always worth the wait.
While waiting for a career change, time management and life management have been on my heart. Clearly, I've been struggling with finding the passion, and with making the time to write.
I haven't been " too busy" to write. I haven't been making time to sit quietly with the Lord. My relationship with Jesus Christ is the source of my creativity, passion, and focus. The creativity and passion that comes out of our relationship, is what fuels every area of my life. When I neglect my time with Him, my writing suffers. This month, I was reminded how important it is to cultivate solitude, and celebrate the morning.
I've learned that if I want to be a runner, a corporate girl, and a writer...plus have time to do life with the people I love, then I need to declare victory on my day BEFOREI leave the house for corporateland.
Victory looks like waking up with coffee and quiet time with the Lord, getting a workout in, and spending some time writing before the rest of the world wakes up. And for bonus points, a clean and tidy dreamhome to walk back into at the end of the day.
That's a tall order before 9 a.m., but the other option is a life without writing and running. I also enjoy sleeping indoors, so the bills need to be paid between the hours of 9 and 5, simple as that.
But it's hard to bring it all up together, isn't it?
When I'm hitting the gym hard, I'm slackin on cultivating solitude. Or if corporate life is on lock, my dream home is a hot hot mess, and laundry isn't exactly folded and put away...
There are few things I struggle with, like I struggle with balance. I'm an all-or-nothing girl. As women, we want to do it all, be it all, and be there for the people we love. Or if you're like me, you just want to be super girl.
I often forget to be gracious with myself. It's grace over perfection, and love over everything else.
In my head I see a girl who can do it all, and I forget that I'm not here to do it all.
I'm here to love God and love people...one heart to one life at a time.
That looks like doing life with my girls...
It looks like watching basketball with my boys...
...and I learning to speak truth, give life, and choose love along the way.
In Francis Chan's Forgotten God, he paraphrases Paul, the author of 1 Corinthians 13, "Let me tell you what is really important. Let me tell you what will change the world. It's Love. Without Love, nothing else matters."
"No matter what I say,
what I believe, and what I do,
I'm bankrupt without love."
what I believe, and what I do,
I'm bankrupt without love."
{1 Corinthians 13:1-3, MSG}
I am striving, I am seeking, and I am in it with my whole heart. But it's not my big plans that are going to change this world, it's God's great Love.
"It will be enormous love that changes this world, not our big plans."
{Bob Goff}
It's the love that wins, and it wins every time.
mad Hope,
Lm
