“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.” Psalm 28:7

As I reflect on the last year, I am reminded of how many wonderful opportunities I am blessed with in this life and how God is at the center of each one in a special way. At the beginning of 2022 I was feeling discouraged at my current job. I tried to always have a positive outlook on life, but my patience was being tested day after day! During the months leading up to 2022, I submitted job applications and interviewed for positions that could potentially be a good fit for me with my marketing and communications background. After months of being told “no” and not finding a good fit, I decided to take a break and focus on myself and the people closest to me.

One night, I was walking with my fiancé, Hunter, and my dog, Thunder, when I got a message on LinkedIn from a connection asking me if I would be interested in an upcoming Communications role at Bethel. I immediately sent in my resume and started reminiscing about the 2016 National Youth Gathering in Detroit, MI that I traveled to on the Big Blue Bus with Bethel Youth because of the recent loss of Pastor Van.

After attending interviews with staff and pastors, I accepted the Communications Director role at Bethel and my prayers of finding a job that aligned with my passion had been answered! I know that I had trusted God through the process, even when I was getting discouraged. I knew He had a bigger plan for me and that He was preparing my heart for what was coming next.

A similar trust was needed when Hunter and I were in the market to purchase a home in the summer of 2022. We were first-time home buyers, and the housing market was insane. We had no idea what to expect! We submitted multiple offers on houses in the area and heard “no” quite a few times. Before and after each offer was placed, Hunter and I prayed together that God would make His greater plan for us known. We put our complete trust in Him and closed on a beautiful home in Hammond, WI in June 2022.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, We pray that You guide us so that we may see Your light in the darkness. Help us seek You in times of discouragement and always. Amen.