The Working Woman - PART ONE

When I came to NY last April, I had spent a lot of time alone in the city. During this time, I was really given the opportunity to spend a lot of quiet time with God. I went to serve at a few places here and God kept presenting different opportunities to me. One day, I went to take a walk with God and ended up at the Manhattan Mall. God’s a fun God, and just like any daddy desires to fulfill the desires of his daughter’s heart, God took me shopping! As I walked through the mall, I found nothing. Not thing to try on, nothing to buy, nothing worth spending my time and money on. On my way out, I saw one of my favorite stores. Aeropostale. I always described it as A&F styles, with Old Navy prices. So I walk in with the desire to buy something cause I love their stuff, but instead I ended up talking to one of the sales associates. I can’t even remember how we got to talking, haha- well I’m a talker so I can only imagine it started by some random comment that I probably made. Anyway, I was talking to her about the desire that I’ve had to work for their corporate office, but considering I lived in Cali, I never pursued. Shortly later, she told me that their corporate office was located right across the street. Not even sure where that conversation ended, I left in a day dream. My dream is across the street and in the palm of God’s hands.

When I moved here, I was making a list of places I desired to work. This list consisted of working in the fashion industry as a personal assistant, working for a magazine company, doing visual merchandising or working for Coach’s corporate office and of course working part time for Starbucks. I had completely forgotten about Aero! How could I have forgotten? So I called their corporate office a few times and got nothing. Aero’s HR didn’t return my phone calls and their website wasn’t updated, so I couldn’t apply to any positions. By this point I had applied to a gazillion jobs and was “over it!” I actually thought to myself and even verbalized, “I’ve tried! I’ve applied everywhere and nobody wants me! This might be it! Maybe God just wanted to test me and to see if I’d truly let go of everything and leave for His sake.”

After some time of frustration, I started to think of all the places and full time positions that I had applied to. God reminded me that I had to think outside the box. Knowing that He had a plan, I had to trust Him. Here I was pursuing all these full time jobs, but what was wrong with finding a few part time jobs? Nothing, so that’s just what I did! Everywhere I went, I’d look and ask if they were hiring. I’d check on Craig’s List for even the small jobs. Again I started sending my resumes and applying to a gazillion places.

Knowing I had to apply to Aero, I made it a goal to do last week. Game plan was to pursue Aero, and the restaurants in Times Square. Last Wednesday I had originally made plans to go to Aeropostale to apply to their stores, but I didn’t because I was dressed for interviews at restaurants and not Aero, so I went on Thursday instead. My roommate invited me to go to Anthropologie to apply, and so I thought, “Well I’m already going to be out, and it can’t hurt to apply to another job.” So we went and it was great. It was fun interviewing together with my roommate. It totally could have made for an awkward situation, but it was great. I left the interview feeling positive and on my way to Aero, I think I walked into Verizon Wireless to speak to a manager about my application that I submitted online. (I’m telling you, I applied everywhere!) So anyway, I got to Aero and asked to speak to the manager. I let her know that I was fully available for any position that she had. I really wanted to tell her that I wanted to work full time across the street in their corporate office but I held back. She gave me an application and asked me to come back at 2PM for a group interview. I left really excited, and stressed our to for a second that I only had a had a half hour to get refreshed and fill out my application. As God had it, I got back a few minutes early and joined about 5 others for a group interview. At this time, she asked us a series of questions and was getting a vibe for who we were. One question she had was “why Aero?” This is where I shared my desire to work my way up to corporate. She seemed really excited and I was definitely proud of myself for boldly stating my goals. Once the interview was over, she asked me a series of questions and really had an interest in me working for her store. Turns out she wasn’t the store manager, she’s the District Manager. She mentioned that corporate is definitely hiring and said she’d try to help me get a hold of someone in HR. She said she’d try to get me higher pay because of my degrees and experience and then said that she’d give me a call once she did my background check. Less than a half hour later, I was offered the position! Her offer was great coming from a retail position, but won’t be enough to pay all my bills so I have to find another part time job.

PRAISE THE LORD! He totally knows what He’s doing!

www.aeropostale.com

Today is the Day

If you could only be here with me to feel the presence of Jesus himself! Since before even coming to the city, people kept telling me how bold of a move I was making moving to a city where I had no family or friends. But God kept assuring me that I would not be alone. He kept reminding me that He'd be here waiting for me. Not only that, He'd be the man sitting by my side holding my hand as I cried in my seat. I sat there hugging George (you didn't think I'd fly to NY without him did you!?) with my bible in hand, along with love letters full of encouragement from my friends, family and youth group family. I vowed not to read in my “yearbook”, which was a notebook that people wrote in, until I left. Of course it was one of the first things I opened up as I sat there before take off. I teared up and teared up and teared up, and that's probably why God blessed me with my own row on the plane. Nobody wants to sit next to the teary girl. haha.

I was given some advice by a very wise man during the process of making the decision to move to NY. He said, “You have to find a scripture that will support you through this time. Every time you read it, it will give you peace and encouragement. So when times are rough, when you want to rejoice, when you lose all hope, or when you want to give Him praise, this scripture will support you!” I had so many scriptures in mind and didn’t know how to decide. After a few days, I still had been thinking, how am I supposed to find just one when there are so many? And right before my eyes was a post-it was that one of my high school girls had left on my computer. She had left me a sweet note a few days before I had even had this conversation and it included scripture on the bottom. Jeremiah 29:11. I wasn’t sure why she did it, or what it even said before I looked it up, but this is what I found, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This was it! It was perfect and exactly what God had been speaking to my heart. The post-it was God’s love letter to me and He used my sweet little girl to speak to me! Although I was sad on the plane, and a huge piece of me wanted to stay at home, referring back to His words gave me peace and comfort. After reading this, it reminded me that I was pursuing the plans that He had set before for me.

While flying JetBlue, I’m usually way excited to have my own private tv on the plane to watch marathons of "MADE" on MTV or some sort of sitcom. This time around, I was so stoked to find a Christian radio station.Little did I know that God had a soundtrack prepared for my flight- I'll call it my iGod (lame, I know- iPod, iGod…whatever. lol). Here’s the first song I heard on this encouraging radio station. Even though I have never heard this song before, I thought it was the most appropriate song that God could have chosen for me to fly out to:


Today is the Day by Lincoln Brewster
click here to listen

Here we go!
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh

I’m casting my cares aside
I’m leaving my past behind
I’m setting my heart and mind on You
Jesus

I’m reaching my hand to Yours
Believing there’s so much more
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good
Is good

Chorus:
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
And I won’t worry about tomorrow
I’m trusting in what You say
Today is the day
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Today is the day
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh

I putting my fears aside
I’m leaving my doubts behind
I’m giving my hopes and dreams to You
Jesus

I'm reaching my hand to Yours
Believing there’s so much more
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good
Is good

Chorus:

(Guitar interlude)

(2x`s)
I will stand upon Your truth.
(I will stand upon Your truth)
And all my days I’ll live for You
(And all my days I’ll live for You)

Chorus


That song is beautiful and is my theme song for this adventure in NYC. Of course it made me tear up while I was listening to it. What can I say? I was emotional! lol. Here are a few more songs that really spoke to me on the flight:
This is Home- Switchfoot
Thank You- Katinas
Smiling Down- Pillar
I've Always Loved- 3rd Day
Still Believe- Jeremy Camp
Homesick and Imagine- Mercy Me

I do have to admit that the very first song I heard when I got on the plane, before finding this radio station, was Fergie- Big Girls Don't Cry. The irony of this song playing as I'm crying on the plane makes for a story in itself! I'll blog bout that later. lol...something to look forward to.

Rooted in Love

Cleaning, packing and leaving was so hard, stressful and not so exciting. Yet I had peace through it all, which made everything so much easier. I remember crying, packing, stressing out about money, being really sad to leave my family and friends. Nothing about leaving was easy except for the fact that I knew it was all happening for a purpose, and that this adventure was all a part of God's perfect plan for my life.

A few weeks before leaving, I was so blessed to have the time with my best friends. I had to make time with them individually because they mean so much to me, and have played such a huge part in getting me here to NY through love, prayer and encouragement. I especially had to make time with them because they were both not going to be around for my send off. One lives in AZ and the other was about to fly out to Thailand. The time spent with them, were definitely divine appointments that I will cherish forever. They'll never know how much they mean to me, but I think they have a pretty good idea.

My farewells at the Rock were very sad and draining, and full of love. I’ve spent the past 6 years developing relationships with these people through volunteering, attending and through working there. I’m so blessed to have had soooo many people shower me with love, time and devotion. Expecting nothing in return, these people have encouraged me to deepen my faith and walk with the Lord, have financially provided for my needs and have loved me unconditionally. I will never forget all the growth that has happened through the Rock, and when God reveals His plans for my future, I’ll know a lot of what I accomplish will stem from what I learned through the Rock Church.

My sweet mommy. I tear up every time I think of our bitter sweet farewell. I love my mommy with all my heart! Just as I feel like a little girl in the palm of Jesus’ hands when I pray, when I’m in my mom’s arms, I’m a vulnerable child. She’s a living example of God’s love, my beautiful and strong role model and the greatest encourager that has ever lived! May God bless her for allowing her lil girl to spread her wings and fly away to grow closer to Him.

My sweet big sis. She asked me all the right questions that a big sis should ask before allowing her lil sis to fly away to a far away land without her. She helped me stand strong in my decision to move here to NYC, and reminded that everything and anything was possible. Not only that, but she’s my doot doot!! No words can explain what that means, but she knows it’s the most dearest spot in my heart since childhood. I could never thank her enough. I love her with all my heart and pray that she’ll follow the big plans that God has planned for her too. May she trust Him through every aspect of her life and always trust in Him.

My amazingly strong little big brother. What would I do without this man in my life? No words could ever explain the role that he possesses. He’s so intelligent and is always one step ahead. He’s not afraid to say what’s on his mind, and although we don’t agree on things, he’s always willing to listen to my side and explains his side after. Although eight years younger, he’s always teaching me things, is always protecting me. He’s such a strong young man who desires nothing but the best for his family and friends. He’s so passionate about people and cares so deeply about them in the most sincerest way. I don’t even think he knows he has that gift. Some day he’ll see the man that God’s created him to be. Meanwhile, I pray that God protects his path in getting to that point.

My amazing family and friends. I do believe I’m the most blessed woman on earth to have all of you! Thanks for all the laughs, hugs, tears, love, encouragement and for every heart beat you’ve spent with me. Moving here would not have been possible if I didn’t have my team cheering me on. You all hold a sweet spot in my heart and will be blessed with a special crown in heaven for loving me soooo much!

And last but not least, Rock Youth and Academy. The reason why I love people so much is rooted from all the love you have given me. I’d like you to know that my life is changed because of you too! Because of you, God has softened my heart toward so many of life’s issues. My heart aches for the youth! If it weren’t for you guys allowing me into your world, I would never have understood what brought you joy, never would have known struggles or your dreams in life. You are what I’m passionate about, and I love you guys so much! May God bless you for being so honest and for trusting in me enough to share your hearts.

And of course, my Abba Father. I love you daddy. You hold me in the palm of you hands and you’ll never let me go. I have full trust in you and depend solely on you! Jesus, you are why I’m here. You are who I’m here to serve. You are the one I want to follow.

If it weren’t for all of you, my dreams would not have come true. This is something I could not have done alone. Thank you!


Ephesians 3:16-21
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.