Saturday, June 17, 2006

Do not fear

This has been my verse lately. Isaiah 41:13.

"For I am the Lord your God who upholds your right hand.
Who says to you, "Do not fear, I will help you."

This is His promise to me for Diva NashVegas. I'm so very glad!!!

YYY

Isn't typing fun? I love to type. I don't think I'd be a writer today if it weren't for computers, and back spacing.

Although, true confession here, I was a terrible typist in college and (laugh) after I graduated I flew to NY City job hunting.

I stayed with my Uncle Phil and Aunt Carol. They had a beautiful home outside the city, New Rochelle. Those of you who watch the old Dick Van Dyke shows recognize that name.

Every day, I road the train into the city and wander the streets, looking for a job. Like it might just fall out of the sky and hit me on the head.

I applied at a publishing house and a PR firm. This was part of my application: typing test. Laugh out loud. I typed 40 words a minute with like 10 errors. Yeah, not quite what they were looking for. But I didn't want to type for someone else, I wanted to type for me.

Two words come to mind when I remember that week: tears and fun. I had a great time with my aunt and uncle, and my cousin, but what a horrible week career wise. I was so lost and desperate to find God's will for me. To get that big corporate job. This was the '80s and I was bamboozled by the Yuppy movement. That God, He delivered me.

NYC wasn't for me. Not God's will. But I had to walk through the NY wilderness to realize.

I went home to Tallahassee and got a part-time job at a TV station running the teleprompter and finally, wooo, being promoted to camera woman.

The hours were bad, the pay horrible, but I had decided this. I wouldn't go back to my old job at Publix. I'd worked there for 10 years, and been very, very blessed by them, I knew I couldn't go back to what I always knew. I couldn't choose the safe route.

And, if they hired me on full time, I couldn't look for another job. I'd more or less be saying, this is my chosen career.

So, I worked some stupid jobs before God opened the door to move to Melbourne and work for Harris.

Almost twenty years later, here I am. My decision to look forward, and not behind, propelled me into the calling God had for me. To meet and marry Tony, to fall in love with teens, to learn how to be a worship leader, to become a writer, to be a part of this city's spiritual destiny.

Press forward. Don't look behind. The High Calling is in front of us.

Peace.

3 comments:

Christine Lynxwiler said...

What a wonderful story, Rach! And a fantastic verse. I love your blog, even when I don't comment! Keep up the good work and keep typing away on Diva Nashvegas. It's going to be perfect! ~ Love, Chris

Heather Diane Tipton said...

Thank you, Rachel. I won't go into detail... but just know that this post spoke right into my life and what's going on in my head and heart tonight

Ame said...

Thanks . . . pressing forward is tough ... and I'm at a place where turning around isn't an option ... forward is my only place to go :)