The Flexible Blessing Pt. II

You haven't been humbled until you have been humbled by God.

I speak with people everyday who tell me what they won't do in order to survive. They turn up their noses at people who work at McDonalds or the garbage men; they insist they will not settle for anything less than 50K, corner office, employer paid benefits....

....and no experience.

I smile. I used to be just like that.

In the summer of 2004, I was a brand-new college graduate and the world was my oyster. I hit the ground running, applying for jobs all over this nation. I went on interviews and received several job offers, but I scoffed.

Don't they know who I am? I am Kayla Marie Woodberry! I will not settle for mere crumbs! I mean, I graduated with a 3.5, people....HELLO?!?!?!?


And then, the phone that had been ringing off the hook stopped ringing altogether. I started getting mail addressed to Ms. Woodberry from my student loan company--'cause that ain't free money. I needed a job, bad.

I'll spare you all the gory details, but I ended up at what I thought was one of the worst jobs ever. I hated everything about it: the pay, the people, the commute and the hours. This is not where I was supposed to be--or so I thought.

God has this way of knocking me in the head with what I like to call a spiritual 2x4. When I am sitting at the stoplight on the corner of Pity and Despair, He helps me see that I am where I am (wherever I am) for a reason.

At that job, I was humbled. I cleaned up messes I did not make. I took the blame for situations which were not my fault. Everyday, my body, mind and spirit were pushed past my breaking point.

And when God opened the door for my next assignment, I cried. I wasn't ready to go.

If God had handed me a six-figure gig straight out of the gate, I would have been eaten alive. This "pit stop" changed me and the way I viewed the working world. While there, I learned how to cope with just about everything a job can throw at you. I learned a lot about myself too.

I never knew I was capable of making such a difference.

I never knew I had that much strength in me.

I never knew I could run that fast!


Now, do not misinterpret what I am saying. I will never discourage anyone from dreaming big and chasing their dreams until they are breathless. What I am saying is that this journey is a staircase....and even those of us with the longest legs can't get from the bottom to the top in one fell swoop.

Remember this when you come home from work, exhausted and feeling like you cannot bear clocking in even one more day. This, dear hearts, is just one step.

Be encouraged and be flexible.

--K.