My Journey Across Town

When I think of my journey on this earth there is one particular time that comes to mind. It was a time of stress, confusion, disappointment and fear. My family was one of many who had fallen victim to the Michigan economy. Neither my husband nor I had employment. This was not typical for us. My husband is an educated, intelligent person who gives 110% to his employer. I was the stay-at-home mom busy packing lunches, driving one of our four children to an activity and attending U of M. Nevertheless, we found ourselves searching frantically for employment, researching housing markets and selling our personal items to lighten the load.

My husband was busy flying around the country on job interviews and I was busy trying to make sense of it all. My family was very supportive and our church was the nucleus of our lives. I was teaching preschool at a local church in my community where I had attended pretty regularly for 20 years. One of my very good friends was the Director of Children's Ministry. I remember her telling me that she was considering and praying about different opportunities. She strongly encouraged me to apply. However, I could not focus on the possibility of taking a position that may or may not become available. I had volunteered for many years at church and in the children's department. I thought for sure this would be a good opportunity for me to serve the Lord, broaden my horizons and deepen my involvement in the church.

I let the ministry position float in and out of my thoughts while trying to stay alert and attentive to my husband's job search. While he traveled to interviews, I researched different cities, the economies, housing and schools. Then the offers started pouring in. The first one...Las Vegas! That's right, Sin City! What a great place to raise the kids, right? My husband, myself and our 2 older children made the trip together. In 116 degree heat, we looked at house after house in city after city. I came home completely dismayed and utterly panicked. My husband was ready to pack our toothbrushes and make the move. I, however, was not sold on the idea.

I do believe that if I pray one prayer to God, he listens and I was sure He was listening to me. I don't have to keep praying the same thing over and over again. But somehow I needed to keep saying it, more for personal sanity than anything. He knew what was in store for us. I knew that He had big plans for my family. I had faith that we would find our corner on this earth. I just had to listen and, like Abraham, allow God to lead me and believe that whatever the plan is, it's His plan, not mine or anyone else's.

But like Abraham, at times we slip into our worldly ways and allow our own personal desires and needs to come first. The employment offers were monetarily wonderful, benefits were exceptional and the relocation package was unheard of. There was just one problem; I knew we were not supposed to leave. Now, convincing my husband of that was going to take some time. He was in survival mode, focused on taking care of his flock. In spite of everything, he was going to pick up the pieces and move on. And moving on to him, at the time, was moving away. It all made perfect sense. It was what we always talked about Florida, Texas, and Nevada...a warm tropical location heavily strewn with palm trees. Why didn't I feel great? What was wrong with me? Why can't I embrace this? What kind of person am I? How could I possibly not be supportive of my husband? What was to become of my family?

In the midst of all the employment chaos, I applied for the position of Children's Director at my church. It would be a perfect solution to our problem. My husband was offered only one position in Michigan and it wasn't particularly appealing to him. However, if I could supplement his income by having my own, we could be about back where we started. Everything would be great, right? I even had him convinced it would work. Let's cut to the chase, I didn't get offered the job. Talk about hurt. I thought about the time Jesus was rejected by the Jewish people. How could this happen? They didn't want me to be a part of the one thing that I really loved and thrived on? Hey...this was my servant heart you're messing with here.

With much negotiation, my husband eventually accepted the Michigan position and agreed that moving our family of six 2,000 miles away was not the solution. I knew that God was in the driver seat and that this rejection experience really made me understand what being a back seat driver meant. It meant that I needed to find peace and be still. I needed to really stop and allow God to speak to my heart. I needed Him to set my pace. So, I did just that and in December of 2006, I picked up the Flint Journal for no particular reason and skimmed the want ads. It was there that I found the position for childcare coordinator at a local church. I sent my resume in not knowing where it was headed and the following January I found myself in the infant steps of following God's plan for my life. Don't get me wrong, I have always tried to follow God's word but he had never worked so strongly and so forcefully in my life. Through it all, I finally learned how to really listen to Him.

The plot thickens. While working as the childcare coordinator at First Presbyterian, I applied for a position as a Director of Children's Ministry at a local church in my hometown. I and 12 others interviewed for the position. This was the same week that I was asked to interview for the interim director position here at First Pres. I received a phone call from both church's offering me both positions within 24 hours of each other. Okay God, it's your call. You lead, and I will follow. You have called me and I will answer...just say the word.

I think most of you know the story from there. I remained in the childcare coordinator position for seven months. There were some times when I was tested in those seven months. I remember someone saying to me "do you ever feel like a glorified babysitter?" "No" I thought, "I don't, I feel like a servant of God." Did I know what was in store for me? No I certainly did not, but He did. God's plan for my life is immense, marvelous and truly amazing. My journey did not take me across the country but rather across town. It didn't take me months of interviews, phone calls or business trips. I was offered the interim position of Director of Children's Ministry in June of 2007 and in March of 2008 was hired as a permanent and full time staff member.

There are times when I walk through the doors of First Presbyterian Church struggling to hold books, papers, notes, a hand of each of my four amazing children with my husband at my side and tears fill my eyes. I have been given the opportunity to work with the children of God. What an awe-inspiring and gratifying blessing. No matter what I am going through, no matter how difficult or stressful, no matter how long it takes me to recognize it, He is standing there waiting for me. What a loving, miraculous God I serve.

Jaime Powell