Thinking About Your Next Job

On Monday, November the 19th, I began a new job here at LifeWay.

In my post-college career, this is actually just my third job. I’ve been with LifeWay for five years now, and can honestly say that I’m hoping to spend many more with this ministry. Changing jobs is always an interesting time because you are changing tasks, changing daily routines, and changing the everyday people you see. Amongst all those changes inevitably come reflections and new hopes and dreams for the future.

My first job here at LifeWay was working with Fuge Camps, doing a diverse number of tasks for their media production. I produced videos, ran sound, programmed lighting rigs, and set-up innumerable computers to get our teams ready for a summer of life-changing camps. The people I met working for them have become some of my good friends and helped set me on a good “career,” rounding off some of the edges of my youth. It was my first job out of college, and the leaders in that department gave me the grace to find my footing. Thanks, James and Lance. And, perhaps most importantly, working camp gave me a chance to meet my beautiful wife, Ashley. Can’t argue with job perks like that!

In my second job, I got to interact with the users of our products on a consistent basis. I got to support them and help them learn how to best use our technology and services in their churches. I have a passion for churches to be able to speak the language of the culture we find ourselves in. There’s nothing better than hearing a smile in someone’s voice when they figure it all out. I’ve been there for two and a half years. I’ve gotten the pleasure of getting to sit in a cube next to one of my best friends; it’s a luxury that I know I will miss.

And now, I get to help continue to move things forward in LifeWay’s online world, working with our online media and digital downloads.

I sometimes struggle with the balance of deciding what is/was God’s plans and what is/was hard work and simple opportunity. I’m not always sure what’s divine providence and what’s free will. But I know that I am thankful for this opportunity. I believe that this role will allow me to help support ministries across the world, not just in the states. Knowing that people in countries where shipping products is nearly impossible, or at the least highly improbable, can jump online and download a PDF or a video is amazing. Knowing that I’ve got a meeting next week to explore products in other languages is amazing. Knowing that we can offer even more materials at an even lower cost to even more people… it’s amazing.

This change, this new role… I can’t attribute it to simply hard work and opportunity. Looking back upon my five years at LifeWay - the people I’ve met, the discipleship I’ve had (both spiritually and in business), the products I’ve gotten to touch - I can’t help but believe that God did orchestrate it all. That He did have a plan.

When I first came to LifeWay, Lance would always talk about how he had the best job in the world - that he woke up every morning excited to come to work, desiring to begin the day. He was doing ministry every day. He was in a role that he was made for.

I can’t explain the feeling of joy and relief upon coming to work, knowing you’re in the right spot. Knowing that someone greater than you planned it all. Knowing that God didn’t just know you from before you were born… but that He might have been thinking about your next job even more than you were.