“Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasy have no sense.” Proverbs 12:11
It’s been my experience that collecting skills is a talent. It’s a gift to those few who are disciplined enough to allow themselves less leisure time outside of the work day, and dedicate themselves to a form of worship through the services they do for others. These are the the people that believe in the “the last shall come first”, philosophy. They know that in order to get where they want and lead the lives that they want, there always needs to be a bit of a sacrifice with their time as a socialite for a season (this is where having a solid relationship with the Lord in His and your secret place will save you from a heap of loneliness….trust me. Isolating yourself, is not the same as personal solitude, and a restful state away from people for a period of time..). It doesn’t make sense to undersell yourself. Humbling yourself does not take the face of false modesty. You do need to know that you and what you’re choosing to do in those service times has value. You need to believe in what you do. Sometimes, though, that takes a willingness to learn about something that doesn’t necessarily interest you deep in your soul. Take for example your taxes. You have to do them every year, yet I know very few people who get really jazzed about the regulations surrounding taxes.. except maybe for my friend Kate…But she’s special. But I know that knowing these regulations will save me a lot of grief in the future. Knowing how God feels about your work (whatever it is), is key. 
What you’re doing now is what will dictate how your dreams will come to life in the future. The sooner you grab hold of that, and don’t just spend most of your day dreaming and aimlessly living in angst of what could be or what should have been, the more consistent you will feel, and with that comes a solid state of joyful satisfaction with your life. This doesn’t mean that bad things miraculously stop happening to you or that your life is boring in any way. Leaving space in your weekend or an evening during the week for some solid spontaneity is key to any season of life. And I’ll talk about the small ways I make breathing space within my life to cater to these more singular stages of life. But today all I want you to grasp is just the act of starting something. Preferably something with other people so that you can keep each other accountable. People are so concerned with picking the “right” career for themselves and being passionate about what they do, but so often they are so paralyzed about the job that they don’t even start; On anything. They are often the anxious life coasters, who live with their parents for extended-extended periods of time. Heavy truth for a lot of us 20-year-olds who are devastatingly frightened to make any kind of real commitment in our lives with our careers. I know so many single Christian women who are afraid of doing what their heart is calling them to just because they’re afraid of being too intimidating to a man. It is right and good for them to submit their future husband.. but ignoring your destiny because some guys aren’t going to be able to take how beautiful the light that shines through you that God has created you as is a lie. Men and women really need to realize that God never really placed a ton of emphasis on WHAT you are doing (unless it was sin). He placed emphasis on what HE could DO through you. Anywhere, Anytime. He wants us to find that identity in Him, and Him alone, so that we will be confident with whatever is thrown at us.
“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23
Today, and yesterday were my first official training days as a part-time barista at a new coffee shop that is opening up soon in Medicine Hat. It’s been a little daunting, because I’m not the savviest or most hip person when it comes to knowing all the new coffee trends. If I’m going to be super honest, I don’t really even enjoy coffee that much. I’m a tea girl, and even that only started after I worked at the Teavana that used to be in our mall. I was there for about a year and a half, and had just started to feel more confident in my tea-knowledge. It was interesting grilling the Master-Roaster-guy, Cole, about all of the ins and outs of the processes that go into making, drinking, and sourcing different espresso and coffee. We have this giant shiny machine to play around with, and we’re trying to get really good with our latte art by the grand opening, which is expected to be around May 6th. I’m so blessed to have been offered the part-time position that I have. It still feels more like they’re doing me a service, instead of the other way around. I’m only available to work Friday evenings, Saturdays, and the occasional Sunday. Which doesn’t make me the most flexible employee in the world. But alas, they are keen on having me be a part of this little explosion of new life in our city and are giving me a new opportunity to work hard at something I haven’t done well yet in my life.
“I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Phillipians 4:13
People often talk about wearing 3 different large-scale career hats in their lifetimes. I’ve worn about 2 large scale borderline hipster/Amish hats that have shaded me well and traded them out on weekends and evenings for about a dozen smaller ones that have been either WAY too large for my head, too small, or just not the right fit for the right season. And I’m only 21. I usually tend to do multiple jobs at once, because I want to know how businesses work. I want to know why people shop where they shop and buy what they do from the places they choose. I want to know how businesses specifically keep in mind the end user. People are known to pay for more attentive details in life. And those are the kinds of companies I’m more keen to partner with. I do this in part because I’m curious about people and the way they think, but also because I’d like to be as ready as possible if the Lord asks me to open up my own business someday. I was also in university/college for the last 4 years, so that would predominantly be why the roles I’ve had have been smaller, and more temporary. I’m actually really excited about the being able to really make a name for myself, and am really working on my own life consistency right now, since He’s asked me to stay planted in Medicine Hat.
BUT, the number one reason I’m pushing this today, is because we have all been asked to open our hearts to having our lives show as personal working ministries unto the Lord. Your daily heart posture towards your work is a huge deal to the Lord. He wants to be in it with you. He wants to be alongside you in every encounter and every detail of that day you are maybe not so keen to relive. God’s heart is for your life. And most of our lives are spent working 90% of the time and if you start developing a lifestyle spending all of your day taking Him alongside you, you will never question where he has placed you. Obviously there will be transitions in your life and you will have to make bigger decisions as you and your relationship with the Lord mature. But maturity in your relationship with Him sharpens every sense, including your hearing capabilities. You will know when something isn’t a right fit you anymore, because His Spirit will be guiding you. But all He’s asking for now is your partnership. Personally, I would like to be a solid woman of the Lord, and know that I specifically, have been designed to fulfill the identity He laid out for me in the 31st chapter of Proverbs. So I’m going to invite you to pray with me to ask what your next step should be, for Him to open new doors if there aren’t any, and/or to help you invite Him into the situations and jobs you are in already that might feel like they are sucking the life out of you. To work hard is a blessing. Believe it.
“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
“Dear Jesus,
Thank you so much for this life that you have given me. Thank you that there are so many opportunities around me, that even at times it’s extremely overwhelming to think about all the doors available to me. I ask you to silence any voices telling me to walk through doors that were not made specifically for me, and to silence any lies of the enemy breathing down my throat to quit or move on before it is my time in the job/jobs I am currently working in. I praise your name that I get to really show people what a hard-working Christian looks like. I am not an aimless wanderer because I’ve been founded in your blood and you have adopted me into your Kingdom. Lord thank you for missionaries, thank you that there are people you have called all over the world to bring forth the gospel and to help others in developing nations in their standards of life, Jesus. I ask that these people continue to do good work in your name, and continue to melt hearts with your love. Love, I ask you to show me how to live my life in an artistic expression of ministry just by the way that I do things, by the way that I listen, and by the way that I speak, at my current places of employment. Jesus, I ask you to come with me everyday to work. I ask you to sit with me, stand with me, read to me, and be with me. I ask you to whisper truth into my heart and ear all day long. I don’t want to be apart from you. I want you alongside me in every breathe I take, and every decision I make. I know that you are with me. Lord thank you that all you do is good, and because of that when you are inside of me, all I can do is good. Lay down my pride in times where I need to be corrected in my daily actions, and give me wisdom to know when to speak. Lord just let me shine your good name in every instance. Thank you for all that you do, and I’m now officially pumped to be your catalyst in this community. No job is too big or too small.
Thank you Jesus, I love you. Amen”
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