Exciting News

Today I have something very exciting to share!! This morning I had to do something that was very scary for me. After ten years at a job that I loved, where I have made amazing friends and served beautiful children, where I have learned so much as an Occupational Therapist, where my OT journey began...this morning I turned in my resignation. I did not come to this decision easily, and certainly it did not happen quickly! I will admit that at the start of this school year, events were happening that had me thinking that my journey in the schools was going to be drawing near the end, but I thought I had another two years before I would leave. I love early childhood, love my coworkers, love my kids! I couldn't imagine that I would actually be able to leave it all behind, although I did think about it...but I thought it was just bravado that came out of stress. When I went around to tell all of my coworkers today, the overwhelming response was the same as my own emotions...excited for my future, but sad for me to go. The outpouring of support has been a little overwhelming, again making me marvel at the fact that I am really going to walk away from it all. So let me tell you how I got to this place where I feel confident that this is the right choice...

 

Great things really started happening for me in the fall of 2017 as far as my photography was concerned. I attended a local photography conference in August where I entered print competition for the first time. It was a breath of fresh air to receive positive feedback on my work, after having been brought pretty low by the CPP (Certified Professional Photographer) image critiquing process. In September, I shot a wedding for the beautiful couple that I had witnessed (and photographed) getting engaged in Faust Park, and I felt God calling me more and more to pursue my photography more. In October, I decided to join some of my new friends from the conference in August at another local conference, and this time I entered print competition again and won two actual awards!! I won First Place in the Wedding Category and the First Time Entry Award (meaning of all the first time entries for that conference, I had the highest total score for my 6 images). Also in October I submitted my portfolio to become a Certified Professional Photographer. It was not long after that when I came upon a job opportunity that got me excited. Something that called to me...a part time position as a pediatric OT. I knew that this was the job that God was leading me to pursue. I interviewed in November, the day before I found out that I passed the CPP process. And then I waited. For almost two months.

 

During that time of waiting, God made it more and more clear that this was His will for me. (Not that I always believed it was really him, there were many times I thought I was just making it up to make myself feel better!) One of the clearest moments when I felt God speaking to me was the morning about two weeks after the interview when I got a response to my email inquiring after the position, when I was told that they were still interviewing. I told one of the few people who knew that I had applied for a job something to the effect that I had gotten "no" news basically. Then, I remembered that my devotional that morning had been titled something to the effect of "Just because it seems like nothing, doesn't mean God isn't up to something." Okay God, point taken!! I'm sure there were many other times that God was speaking to me, but the other time when I felt it most was the day after I finally heard from HR 7 weeks and a day after the interview.  I was driving and thinking about the idea of changing jobs and praying about it because I was freaking out a bit at the idea. In the middle of my prayer, I tuned into the radio. It was Casting Crowns, God of All My Days (a song I never remember hearing before). It was the part about seasons changing but God stays the same...at that exact moment! I thought, "Ok, I got it God, thanks!!!" Then, it really happened. The day finally came when I got the job offer. I'm not going to lie, I had a very strong urge to turn and run and stay in the safety of the job I knew. But I knew that I couldn't because I knew in my heart that this had been what God had been calling me to. So the next morning I accepted the position. I agreed that I would leave the comfort of a job I know so well, the people that I have loved working alongside so much that they feel like family, and the kids that I love so much. I am leaving it all behind so that I can pursue the next chapter in my life. I am so excited, but also so terrified because life as I know it is going to change so radically! I am trusting though, that God has an awesome plan for me and this next chapter. I will be able to focus more on my photography, and I will be meeting my long term goal to become a part time OT and do photography the rest of the time. This has been my dream, I just didn't think it would happen so soon! In December, I found a little sign at Hobby Lobby that has a quote on it that I will end this blog post with: Faith Doesn't Make It Easy, It Makes It Possible. I am holding onto this thought and my faith as I enter this new exciting phase of my life.