Worth the wait
By Juleen DuBois
It was summer 2015 and my husband, David, had been presented with a job opportunity in Georgia. We were living in Texas at the time. We prayed and felt like the Lord was giving us the green light to move forward. The General Manager (who my husband would be reporting to) said that his superiors were all on board with David being the chosen candidate. The job was his! The GM was just waiting on Human Resources to finalize things.
Pressure to make a decision
Circumstances required us to make a decision while waiting for HR.The Lord had instructed us to sell our home two years prior and we had been renting. The landlord of our rental decided to sell and was requiring us to move out by the end of the summer. It didn’t make sense for us to sign a new lease and move somewhere temporarily knowing it was just a matter of time before HR finalized the details of the new job (which would have meant moving twice and incurring lease termination fees).
David was between jobs at the time and with no other jobs on the horizon, we felt like the Lord was calling us to take a leap of faith and make the move. It was a good time to move with our son out of school for the summer. And since I work remotely, it didn’t matter where we lived. We bought a house in Georgia and were set to move in the weekend before school started for our son.
Closed doors
As we were driving across the country with all our belongings in tow, the job fell apart.
We learned that the company was being purchased and, due to the acquisition, there was a hiring freeze. It was disappointing, but it did not shake us because we had really sought the Lord before we decided to make the move. He had even told us to buy a home, not to rent. We felt like we were in the place He wanted us, and we trusted that He would provide another job for David.
We immediately got connected with a wonderful church and met some very special people who became amazing friends. Our son was thriving in school and in the youth group at church.
Life was good, but my husband’s job search was coming up empty. He holds two degrees, is very intelligent and has extensive experience, but he continued to be selected as the runner-up to the chosen candidate each time he was interviewed. We could not understand why the doors were not opening. He did some volunteer work and worked a few short-term seasonal contract jobs during this transition period.
Waiting in the wilderness
This went on for several years. Yes, I said years! It was a real test of faith for us while he did not have a full-time job and the income and benefits that accompany it!
During what I call the ‘wilderness experience’ and in seeking God for help and answers, I came to a place where I recognized that, as believers, God doesn’t just give us a ‘job.’ He gives us ‘kingdom assignments.’ I told my husband that I felt like God had him on a kingdom assignment to pour into our son in ways that he would not have been able to do had he been working full-time.
I told my husband that I felt like as soon as our son went off to college, the door would open for his job. And that is exactly what happened!
Worth the wait
The day after our son left for college, David had a job interview that led to an offer.
As hard as it was while we were waiting for his breakthrough, I wouldn’t trade those years for anything! We saw God provide for us in unexpected and supernatural ways, which led to a greater trust in Him. My husband and I both grew deeper in our relationship with the Lord in ways I don’t think we would have otherwise. Also, my husband came to a place of full surrender to God about his career. He ended up in a career that he wasn’t even pursuing. It came from the hand of God, and it was truly worth the wait!
If you are in a difficult place right now, I hope my story will encourage you! God is working even when you can’t see it. He is faithful. He has good plans and His plans and purposes for your life WILL come to pass! They just aren’t always on our timetable. But, when the breakthrough does come, it will be worth the wait and even better than you imagined!
Juleen DuBois was born and raised in a suburb outside of Houston, Texas. She and her husband, David, currently reside in the Lake Oconee area of Georgia. They have moved more than a dozen times during their 28 years of marriage. Juleen has worked as a Relocation Counselor for almost 30 years. Her own moving experiences have helped her to have compassion, understanding and offer wise counsel and helpful strategies with those she assists in transitioning across the country.
Have you got a story to tell? Send it to Ann Kelley at akelley@justmoved.org. Your story may encourage others!