Five years ago this week, I applied to be a Student
Recruiter at the University of Tennessee. If you know me well then you know my
blood has always ran orange and I have a fairly engaging personality, so the
job seemed perfect for me. I didn’t have
to leave campus for work and I would show prospective students and their parents
around the greatest university in the world… what could be better?!
Well. I made it to the second round of interviews and then I
was cut… Wait. What? I couldn’t believe it. Who could do that job better than
me?! What was I suppose to do now? I was devastated; my plans were crushed.
A friend suggested I apply to work at the YMCA. They offered
jobs to college students to work in after school programs from 1-6pm every day.
Soooo you’re saying I wouldn’t have to work nights OR weekends??? DONE! Sign me
up. I can put up with some kids for a few hours every day, right?
Most of you know the story from there. I loved the job…every
single (crazy) second of it… Which led to me working at camp... And ultimately
to my call of children’s ministry.
Am I saying that if I had become a student recruiter at UT
then I wouldn’t be where I am today? Not necessarily. But it’s not nearly as
likely. I firmly believe in my heart that God was in the midst of every step along
the way.
I’m NOT saying that there is “one perfect plan” for my life
and if I veer off or make a wrong decision then it all falls apart... there is
no more truth to that than the “one perfect soul mate” lie. However, I am
saying that God’s way is always higher and better than mine.
I often think of Jesus’ time on earth… It seems like every
time He drew attention to Himself through miracles or teachings, the Pharisees
wanted to arrest and kill Him. But for nearly three years, He avoided arrest because
His “time had not yet come.” God’s plan was perfect. His plans are still
perfect today.
