Following the two weeks of rigorous and seldom overwhelming training to swiftly prepare me to fully take on the role of my colleague, I relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 26, 2021. As I predicted and slightly underestimated, moving the online-ordered furniture from the ground floor to the second, with the exception of those already placed in my kitchen by the generous landlord, and transferring all of my property from my car into my new virtual-dream studio apartment that offered me two months’ rent free felt like an added part-time job; I must have spent roughly twenty hours on assembling the entire set of new furniture. Running on a beautiful running/biking trail right across my apartment, located only minutes away from the largest mall in the state capital, combined with breathtaking nature, I jokingly asked myself, “Am I in Heaven?”

I prayed every morning and evening, asking God to provide me with heavenly wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, refresh me and renew my strength and motivation, be with me, and bless my day ahead full of productivity and efficiency. With His help, I immediately picked up all of my responsibilities and even exceeded my own critical self’s expectations with regard to catching up and learning to work independently without constantly needing to ask questions. More than anything, leading up to my employment at Personify, I had become so accustomed to doing all the work and some person(s) stealing credit while treating me horribly that my new all-positive cheerleading-style employer in which everyone encourages one another and gives full credit to and celebrates what each colleague does initially felt peculiar; the former had been the norm. Although I only work for the honor and glory of God and do not hold much weight on human praise, I began to understand what a healthy work environment actually meant rather than simply fantasizing. I realized why so many employees at Personify remain with the company for years and not even contemplate any other option.

For my last three Sundays in Atlanta, Georgia, because churches remained closed, I prayed for the right church for me in Raleigh and tried Providence Baptist Church online. Seeing its similar environment to Kearney eFree back in Kearney, Nebraska, I adored and enjoying the depth of the sermons from two separate pastors, I decided this would be my church, not knowing this also happened to be one of the nearest churches to my residence. I began to comprehend the meticulous planning and timing of God, that He had lined up everything that I have undergone thus far. “Good things come to those who wait.” My miserable unemployment of over fifteen months when I felt utterly lost and purposeless to the point I longed for nothing more than going to Heaven ultimately came to an end, and now the script has entered an unfamiliar territory and I feel more joyous than I have in years. Albeit likely ten times as busy as my previous job in higher education, I feel ten times as alive and time flies due to nonstop activity. Executing every step of the hiring process, I now play the opposite role I did during my period of applying for thousands of jobs consecutively, allowing me to internally empathize more deeply with many of the candidates struggling to find work. I am always reminded of the privilege and blessing of having a job, which makes me stay grateful and complain less than I have in recent memory. I only wish to remember this moment and not forget like the Israelites repeatedly did throughout their time in the wilderness. I cannot wait to continue to witness and walk along the path the Lord has set before me.