Watching Airplanes

It has been such a long time since my last post ... almost a year! My senior year at Auburn went by way too fast due to the extremely good times had. Before I knew it I graduated with a Building Science degree in May '11, and was committed to work at Brasfield & Gorrie as a Field Engineer in Birmingham, AL.

I think I mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to work at a camp or be a missionary upon graduation. Well, God had different plans for my life. During my thesis project in the spring semester, all of us were job hunting and I was very lightly pursuing construction and praying to have a door opened into a different field, such as the third world mission field. Opportunities arose, but I just knew down deep that each opportunity was not for me. After a couple months of having no idea what I would do after I graduated, Brasfield & Gorrie called to set up an interview with me in their home office. I had interned with them in the summer of 2010, and it went well. I did office work and field work that summer, and knew that I wanted to work in the field with the workers and have hands on experience with the actual construction process instead of managing from a distance.

The interviews went very well, and weeks later they offered me a job. I prayed about it and talked it over with the parents and knew that was where I needed to start my career. It just made sense - my top pick of contractors to work for, great project (Birmingham Airport Modernization), position I wanted (Field Engineer), and it is the job that the past 4 years at Auburn have been training me for.

The summer started out rough. A friend of mine from my Building Science class is rooming with me and we have encouraged each other to keep pushing on. It was such a weird transition from college life to work all the time with no sight of a break. Before, all my jobs would only last several months, then I could go back to Auburn. But this job would go on and on until ... who knows? That was a scary feeling to me.

After realizing I hadn't been fully trusting in the Lord daily, I made it a priority to get up early every morning so I would have time to spend with the Lord before I had to be at work at 6 am. He has taught me so much during the summer - about how to "delight in my Father's will" Psalm 40:8 and to "endure through suffering" James 1 and having confidence in the Lord (Heb. 13:5-6).

Realizing that He is trustworthy and actually taking that leap of faith into His arms is the best thing one can do. I have been reassured many times that I am living in His will, although many days I wanted to leave the job out of frustration with certain conditions (not unusual or harmful conditions for construction) that I will leave unsaid.

It took a breaking from the Lord to get me to the point of faith I am at now. I felt like He slowly picked me apart inside out until I could do nothing but literally fall on my knees in tears asking for His comforting hand to forgive me for my hardheaded independence and help me to not only be content but be joyful and thankful for the tough job and be a shining light in the field.

He has blessed me with these summer trials so that I may grow. There is a long way to go, but I know to take it a day at a time and not worry about the future, for tomorrow has enough troubles of its own (Matt. 6:33-34)