This is the story of how my life got flipped, turned upside down, and changed forever. And it all started with an answer to a prayer.
Sometimes God speaks to you in that almost audible way that you feel compelled to do what He's asking, even at 11:00pm on a work night. That's just what happened to me in October 2010. I had been attending newhope church's newly opened satellite campus in Garner, NC since it opened on September 19th of that year. And God had been speaking to me clearly about every facet of my life each Sunday since I walked through newhope's doors.
The week prior, I had asked the then campus pastor's wife if she knew whether or not a weekday preschool was in the works for the following year. She wasn't sure but I couldn't get the idea out of my mind. On that particular evening I distinctly felt God prompting me to send my resume to the children's pastor of the church. I remember thinking I could just do it tomorrow. However, God was not satisfied with that. The urge I felt was, "NOW!"
Who am I to argue with God? So I sent it.
During my planning period at school the next day I checked my email. Fully expecting a "thanks but we're not quite ready yet" response, I was amazed by what I read. The children's pastor had *just ordered* a sign for the new preschool to put out in front of the Garner campus the day before. The same day that God prompted me to send my resume.
Furthermore, her question to me was whether or not I was interested in a teaching position or the director position. Well, now that she mentioned it, I just might be interested in a director position.
We exchanged several emails over the next couple of months with more details and dreams for this new preschool nestled in this fledgeling satellite church campus. Finally, in December, we both were able to make time to actually meet for an official interview.
There was little question that this was a situation that God had crafted just for me. He had been preparing me for this position in many ways for many years. I just had no idea. But what struck me the most, was something that I didn't fully realize until several months later. During that interview, the children's pastor told me that she and other staff members had been praying for the right person to become the director of this special little piece of newhope's children's ministry...and God used me to answer that prayer! I was that person! I have never felt so humbled, so honored, so completely in the right place at the right time as I felt in that moment. That reailty continues to give me strength, comfort, and motivation to do God's work to help expand His kingdom.
And of course, this is just the very beginning of the story...
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
