I GOT MY FIRST JOB!!!

Today was a marvelous reminder of God’s perfect and amazing timing. For the last year and a half, I have not had a job because of schooling. My elderly grandmother and her sister have been supporting me month to month and I constantly believed the lie that I was selfish and ungrateful. I constantly guilt-tripped myself and told myself I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do anything right.. I was consumed by fear of making mistakes.

I have never worked a job in my life. Yea I do informal jobs like cleaning a persons house or babysitting, but never anything in public. I am 20 years old and I have never worked! Lol!

So I began to cry out to The Lord about it last year around summer vacation. My family was harassing me and telling me I was selfish. But I heard God through the midst tell me, “don’t worry about it Alex. Don’t even search for work. I have it under control.” “But God- what about when I am done with ministry school?!! I can’t even do-” “Alex. I said don’t worry about it.”

What I have found is that God often tells us what is counterintuitive to what society tells us. “You have no job? Look for one- freak out about your joblessness because money equals power equals pleasure.” But God did a complete 180 and said “nah. Don’t even go job hunting. Just do school and continue following me. I don’t care about the recession and how ‘hard’ it is to find work. I am The Lord and I will provide.”

So after many months grappling with this and not searching, I began to feel hopeless. Obviously, not everyone can just get a job by doing nothing. It can’t just fall in your lap, and work is definitely involved. But was that the case for me? I would sometimes fantasize and say, “you know what God? You know what would be cool? If I got a job in a Japanese restaurant and after ministry school gets out if I studied the language and became fluent! Yeah that would be awesome!” But could the job I most wanted actually be available? I’ve asked for job applications before in Asian restaurants and sadly they’re mostly family owned and want to have nothing to do with anyone else. I fought with worry for a few months recently, until Christmas break.

My roommate had let me know that a sushi restaurant in town was hiring part-time, and said they wanted me to come in for an application. I was not looking for work, merely praying about it.

Terrified, I went in as soon as I got back from visiting family for Christmas. I wrote my name and number down and that was all they asked for. Today, I got a call to come in for an interview. I couldn’t believe it! Here I was doing my own thing and suddenly this opportunity shows up. “Wait a minute God..you actually HEARD my desire for a job at a Japanese restaurant and you actually CARED that I wanted such a job??”

I went in shaking with excitement but also a level head knowing that they could say no to me. I had prepared myself for the worst and the absolute best. I went in, had my first real interview in my entire life, and got the job.

Yes they knew I never had a job before. Yes they knew I was going to school. Yes they knew I was going to need lots of training. But they took me anyway!!!

That is unheard of in the state of California!!! It is so hard to get any work anywhere. And if you’re lucky you can get hired at a fast good joint. But a formal sushi restaurant?? A popular one with a bar and everything?? For a first job with no experience to your name??

Jesus was plastered ALL OVER this event. He told me to not look for work. He told me to rest in him and here it is- a job-seemingly falling from the sky and into my lap. I don’t encourage others to do what I did unless God told them. But what God told me to do I did and he was faithful!!!!

I start work on the 11th at a “dream job” of mine, working part time. I am so excited and so nervous at the same time my heart is full of joy!!! The Lord has supplied and he has supplied well. He has not only given me just any job, but THE job I fantasized about!

Our Lord is AMAZING and Powerful and often times unorthodox, but He loves all of his children and loves to provide! Thank you Lord!!