Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version) states:
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Then the LORD answered me and said:
“ Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
4 “ Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.
This Scripture really spoke to my heart. I thought perhaps my appointed time had not come yet for the plan I felt God wanted me to follow.
Let me tell you my story. One day in January 2006 I felt the Lord tell me to open a nursing home. You may think that is strange but my mother had been in a nursing home the previous year due to her cancer. I developed a love for the people that reside in those homes and a great respect for their caretakers. For the remainder of the day after the Lord spoke to me I mulled over what he said. The next morning I was still questioning Him and this time I felt Him touch my head and say “a Christian nursing home.” I knew right then that my goal was to show my residents the love of Christ at the end of their lives. But here is the problem: I am an accountant with no professional health care experience. I shared this vision with a very wise woman and was told I needed to be obedient and to pursue it. It was up to God to make it happen if it was meant to be.
Things began to happen and I was excited. The lawyer for my mother’s estate knew a Christian consultant for Assisted Living facilities. I contacted her and she took me on as a client. I attended several classes concerning the caregivers and administrators of homes for the elderly. I found a builder that was interested in the project. I had plans drawn up. I was so excited. Then reality hit. I could not gather the start up money I needed. The amount was astronomical and there was no way I could raise the money on my own. I was crushed. Devastated. It was one of the lowest points of my life.
Life went on as usual for the next two years, minus the hope of the dream. This summer some changes took place at work that were not for the better. I began feeling low again. I felt I was letting God down. I felt my heart being ungrateful for everything else God had done for me and for everything He had given me.
I knew something had to change. I decided to get serious about my relationship with God. I felt I hadn’t been completely obedient to Him in the past and I wanted to change that. One of the first things I did concerned the Word of God. Every time I picked up my Bible I started telling God I am opening His Word with respect to Him. I did not want to take God’s Word for granted but always wanted to take God’s Word personally. I asked Him to speak to me through His Word.
Some of the other changes I made was to ask God daily to be my Delight. I went on a fast and started memorizing Scripture. I didn’t notice changes over night but slowly I felt my relationship with God start to get stronger and my need for Him to get stronger.
In late October I received a call from a recruiter who said there was a position available outside of our area. He asked if I would like a telephone conference with the company. I agreed. The interview went very well.
I scheduled a face-to-face interview afterwards. I told God I needed a sign from Him because I really didn’t know what to do. On paper this job seemed perfect for me but I knew I had to stay within God’s will for my life. If I went outside of His will I knew that the job change could turn into a disaster.
The funniest thing happened when I went for my interview. I didn’t get my sign. I did not feel any of the excitement I had over the telephone interview. No feeling one way or the other. The recruiter called and said they were very interested and wanted to schedule another interview with the president of the company. I said I needed to think it over. I prayed to God but did not receive any indication this was God’s will for me.
When the recruiter called back I told him I was not interested in pursing the position. He was very disappointed. I received several phone calls in the following weeks asking me to reconsider. I was even offered a tremendous salary to take the position. I felt I was really being tempted to take the job but I knew deep in my heart that God would be faithful to me if I was faithful to Him so I did not take the position.
On January 13 of this year I was given my termination notice at work. I really felt that God was saying that He was calling an end to this job. I immediately started looking for another job in accounting but did not have even one lead.
Two days after I found out about my job ending I finally let my emotions come out. I told God how scared I was. That night my brother called and asked me if I was even looking for a job. How dare he??? I told him I was looking but was not motivated because I didn’t want another job in accounting. I was burned out. He offhandedly said “well, why don’t you go to school for nursing since that’s what you want to do anyway.” I was ticked. “Yeah right” I thought. Now, how could I swing that?
By the next morning I was getting excited. The seed that my brother planted was growing. My fears were diminishing. I felt like a whole new door had opened up. God had used my brother as a tool in His plan. In my heart I knew that God was blessing this career decision. He was saying that to work with the elderly I needed to get a health care background. God sent me two other messages that weekend in the form of devotionals that confirmed this pursuit. I was finally at peace.
Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God!
It has been three years exactly since God laid on my heart to work with the elderly. I thought this dream was dead. What a gracious God we have who not only resurrected His only Son but also resurrects His children’s dreams!! I am convinced that God’s timing is perfect and that the vision will not tarry. Our God performs miracles!
~ Kay Schneck
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