I GOT A JOB!! NOW I CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT!!! (VANITY)

Self | 9-13-06 | Self

[lmr]

Monday evening, I had reached a low point after several rejection letters and no feedback on my follow-ups. In the last 6 weeks, I sent 166 resumes and followed-up in person or on the phone about 3 times as much. I was very depressed. Although Agnostic, I said a prayer to God, hoping that if he was out there, he would hear me.

Tuesday morning, I woke early. An incredible calm and total peace was instilled in me. I can't explain it. I just knew everything was going to be alright. I told my wife that day before I went out on my routine job search that I had this feeling. I told her that today (Tuesday) would be the day that I turned it around. I told her that I knew, even though I couldn't explain it that I would have a job before the end of the week.

There was one 'nagging' want-ad that I skipped over about 3 times before. I told myself to show up in person and fill out their application and leave my resume. I got a call 2 hours after leaving their office. The Owner, a very nice lady, practically did everything over the phone but hire me. She set an appointment with me today. When I went in today, I was interviewed by her and her manager. I was totally at ease with myself, and the same feeling of peace I had the day before was with me.

I asked for the job after the interview. I WAS HIRED RIGHT ON THE SPOT! I start Monday. I couldn't believe it.

I think God was trying to tell me something, I can't explain it. I need to show up to church Sunday. I think God had personally taken care of me and my family. He put his hand on my shoulder and reassured me. I am forever grateful.

[lmr]

In years past, I was an Atheist. I had changed to being Agnostic this past year. This one little prayer has convinced me. When I prayed, I prayed in Jesus name. I am telling you this was totally unreal. I never experienced anything like this in my life. I would have thought someone crazy to be saying this a few years ago, but here I am saying it myself.

[ElkGroveDan]

Been there man. It's a great feeling. Congratulations.

[dinoparty]

Sounds like you found (were found by) something much more important than a job.

[proudofthesouth]

Congrats! I've been going through this since January. Got a 3 month temp job in the Spring and found permanent employement the end of July. Being unemployed is extremely stressful. Looking for work is a full time job.

[nmh]

May God to continue to bless you!

Talk to Him, OFTEN. Get to know HIM.

Forget "religion". Read the Bible to KNOW HIM and what He wants of YOU!

Much Christian love your way!!!
Very happy for you!!!

[libsrscum]

I am happy for you in many ways. Congratulations!

[mrs tiggywinkle]

Our Lord is a God of miracles, lmr. :o) May He continue to bless you and keep you in His grasp, leading you in His way and speaking to your heart.

I'm so thankful you landed this job. What a joy!!!

[pipecorp]

Doesn't matter if you believe in GOD, If he wants you, he'll get you.

[RandallFlagg]

And to cap off the joy, you just angered a whole lot of liberal democrats.

CONGRATS!!!

[mrsmith]

Seriously: congratulations.

Facetiously: Now you gotta go to work every day! You shoulda prayed to win the lottery.

A deeply religious man, whom I will call Dave, finds himself in dire financial trouble. He prays earnestly to his God to help him out of his predicament. "God, I'm about to lose my car. Please help me. Let me win the lottery." Lottery night comes, but sadly, Dave is not the winner.

Things go from bad to worse. Without a car to get to work, Dave loses his job. Without a job, his mortgage is foreclosed on, and he loses his home. Without a home, his wife leaves him, taking the kids. After each horrible step in the mounting crisis, he pleads with God to let him win the lottery, but he never does.

Finally, broke, hungry, living on the street, he tries again. "God, please, my life is a wreck. I have no car, no home, no family. Please let me win the lottery just this once so that I can turn my life around. I beseech you."

Suddenly, a flash of light rends the sky, and the voice of God echoes down from the heavens. "Dave, meet me halfway. Buy a ticket."

[Cold Heat]

Good for you!

:-)

[Caipirabob]

Thank you for sharing this.

God just saved a friend of mine at work. He was scheduled to get a cyst off of his arm. The doctor said they'd better run a quick Xray. The xray turned up a tiny spot on his lung. The spot disappeared with the next examination but they located something else lower.

Following through step by step, the spot turned out to be a 3 inch aneurysm about to burst in his lung. He is under care now and will have it completed repaired shortly, within days.

But it could have burst with the next strong wind. He just felt a whim to get the cyst taken care of, and by a miracle they caught this.

[WFTR]

Congrats on getting your job. I know what it is to be unemployed for long periods of time. I know how distressing the whole feeling can be. I'm glad that things will be moving forward for you again.

While I'm sure that you'll get plenty of response on the religious aspects of your comments anyway, I'm going to ping a couple of friends of the praying persuasion. I've been away from church for a while, but I think that they would be interested in what you've said here. Although I'm not actively practicing a relationship with God anymore, I've seen people benefit tremendously from constant exercise of their faith in God through Jesus. If you find joy, strength, fulfillment, and peace through this same faith, I'm happy for you.

Best hopes,
Bill

[lmr]

That is too funny. LOL.

[pissant]

Excellent to hear. God is trying to tell you something. That first beer is going to taste good. :o)

[VOA]

Congratulations!
But don't stop with daily considerations like good fortune at landing a job.

Look even more at the big picture.
Check out this book by Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project:

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief
by Francis S. Collins

http://www.amazon.com/Language-God-Scientist-Presents-Evidence/dp/0743286391/sr=1-1/qid=1158193384/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-9696494-9247833?ie=UTF8&s=books

And if you haven't yet, read C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity".
That was the one that a preacher recommended to Collins when he was still
atheist/agnostic, but seeking.

[Delta 21]

Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

(The three imperatives ask, seek, and knock are in the present tense of the original language, suggesting both perserverance and frequent prayer. Fervent and continual prayer is to be made on behalf of those for whom we are concerned. God promises to answer all genuine prayer. Everything we need for spiritual sucess has been promised to us. God leaves us no excuse for failure.)

When the Holy Spirit moves your life in a way that leaves no doubt as to who is doing it, it is a very awesome thing!

Praise Jesus !

[Guenevere]

I 2nd VOA....Mere Christianity..by CS Lewis

[spankalib]

I see the keyword humorists are about as well. LOL!

God Bless you, man!

[DollyCali]

thanks for the ping Bill and lmr, how wonderful you shared this news.

What I positively LOVE about FR is that we can tackle the big issues of the world & also the big issues of our lives & share it with FReepers who CARE & UNDERSTAND.

My belief is that even if you don't believe in God, HE does believe in you.. Your good news on work is second to the good news of recognizing the possibility of another power/strength in the mix.

Good luck with this work & do pray... I have found in life that ALL people (and I mean ALL) can and will hurt & disappoint you. God wont.

No one loves you more than your mom.. EXCEPT God.

keep in touch? if you are interested , join us at the weekend singles thread. We talk about anything & everything. a couple of the participants have recently gotten new employement & a couple WANT TO GET NEW Employment!

[AnnaZ]

A multitude of blessings to you. And remember, God doesn't want religion, He wants a relationship.

He just let you know that He's your friend, and that He cares. Always, regardless of how distant He may seem, trust Him. He never leaves.

[lmr]

Thank you for the link and the reading suggestions, I will definitely follow-up. I can't wait until a good friend of mine gets home from Church tonight. He is a born-again Christian and he will be ecstatic when I tell him.

[Ditter]

Great story! Thanks for telling it. I asked Jesus for help at the lowest point in my life and he put his arms around me. I felt them around me and that was the most amazing moment of my life.

[Suzy Quzy]

Jesus actually 'bottles" that Peaceful feeling thing....it's called Prayer....and you did it...."Ask and you shall receive"..."Seek and you shall find", I hope you go to Church Sunday to Thank HIM FORMALLY.

[DuxFan4ever]

God has a plan. When we turn our lives over to him, it is amazing what he can do.

[BipolarBob]

I wish you well friend. But be warned that not all will go so easy. You have an adversary (Satan) that goes around like a lion seeking whom he will devour.Read the book of Job and you will see what men of God are dealing with. It is the same now as then. Through prayer you can overcome what life will throw at you. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you whither God leads and to sustain you. Peace.

[lmr]

That is truly a miracle. I am very happy for your friend.

I was trying to start a little business on the side, which wasn't doing well. I also had a call from my actual first customer today. (It was that bad, really.) I offered to fix his computer and told him that I just wanted to help, and if he felt like paying me it was okay, but I didn't want his money. (He just needs me to set his AOL up for him.) I don't know this man, but I just felt like giving. I am going over to his house this weekend. I really don't care if he pays me or not. He was my first customer, and probably my last.

[alnick]

I think God was trying to tell me something, I can't explain it. I need to show up to church Sunday. I think God had personally taken care of me and my family. He put his hand on my shoulder and reassured me. I am forever grateful.

Yes, I believe you've experienced the peace that passes all understanding. I'm very happy to hear your good news.

[jocon307]

What a great post! I'm so happy for you. Good luck with your new job.

[highlander_UW]

My saying God is real won't convince anyone convinced He isn't, but He is real. Congrats on the new job.

[Petronski]

Congratulations!

[alnick]

Just one more thing. Find yourself a Bible believing church. Doesn't matter what "religion" it is so long as it based in the Bible. When you find that church, you'll experience the same peace you experienced when praying for that job.

[stainlessbanner]

Amen.

[alnick]

I asked Jesus for help at the lowest point in my life and he put his arms around me. I felt them around me and that was the most amazing moment of my life.

That happened to me too! I had been just diagnosed with cancer. I was sitting in the recliner chair just as down as I've ever been. I felt His arms around me and the words to the 23rd Psalm went through my head. I'll never forget it.

[trussell]

Prayer ping.

Please post your replies to lmr

lmr, Giving thanks to God for His love and blessings! We serve a loving God!  

Blessings,
trussell

If you want on/off my prayer ping list, please let me know. All requests happily honored.

[Toby06]

That first beer is going to taste good.

Don't they all?

[Hydroshock]

Amen.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Another prayer asked and answered. Good news, Imr.

[crabbie]

How wonderful.

Keep talking to Him, constantly every day and listen closely, He will tell you what to do. Just turn everything over to Him and have faith.

[pissant]

Everyting tastes better when you have a job after being unemployed. Even beer.

[onedoug]

Remember, it's YOU, with God.

[Ditter]

I was in church, the funeral of my 18 year old son. I didn't think I could keep from screaming at the horror of what had happened. I asked for help to get through it and instantly I felt like I had been wrapped in a down comforter. It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.

[Pegita]

Philippians 4:6-7 ~

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

You, dear Brother, have just become a witness to the truth of God's Word ... how we rejoice in the goodness of the Saviour of our soul.

Welcome to the family of God, lmr ... rest well this night, dear FRiend.

Pegita

[r9etb]

I think God was trying to tell me something, I can't explain it. I need to show up to church Sunday. I think God had personally taken care of me and my family. He put his hand on my shoulder and reassured me. I am forever grateful.

Welcome, brother. Welcome.

[murphE]

What a wonderful story. This made my night, thank-you for sharing it. I will keep you in my prayers.

[tioga]

Praise God.

[lmr]

Oh my, I hate to see loved ones pass at such a young age. My own father passed when he was 29. I was only 4 years old at that time. I revisited his grave this 4th of July, for only the 2nd time in my life.(It is some distance from where I am) I feel that Daddy has been with me too this whole time.

[Quix]

CONGRATS ON THE NEW JOB!
= = =

I think God was trying to tell me something, I can't explain it. I need to show up to church Sunday. I think God had personally taken care of me and my family. He put his hand on my shoulder and reassured me. I am forever grateful.
= = = =

I think you're right. Except that I personally don't consider church as high a priority as daily personal dialogue with God and meditating on at least some portion of His Scriptures. Certainly fellowship with like precious believers is good, fitting, Biblical.

But nothing ought to take the place of a "daily walk" with God. It is His delight.

God's best to you and yours,

[lmr]

No one loves you more than your mom.. EXCEPT God.

I have hesitated to reply to you, because the reason I am unemployed is because of my mother. Being a partner in the family business where I was working, I feel that she has betrayed me. She was the reason I left my last job. The Emotional pain has been staggering. When I left, I never received a call from any of my fellow family members, no one wanted to resolve it. This was after I told my step-father, "Just tell me what to do, and I will do it!", he told me he would talk to me later but never got back with me. It is an issue that cuts deep. The only support I have had are my wife and children. They have stood beside me 100 percent.

[lmr]

Please PUT ME ON YOUR LIST, thanks!