brittany nicole

I love a good secret.

I’m actually really good at keeping those.

This secret that I kept came with a valuable lesson in the end, and I felt led to share.

So let’s rewind back to March 2017. I had just returned back home from a (Saved in the City) retreat in the mountains. So refreshing to be surrounded by a group of women who desire to go deeper in their relationship with the Lord. The retreat was a nice break from my daily routine.

The daily routine of working through my frustration. Frustration that was continuously building…

Building blocks of confusion,

Confusion about why I’m no longer at peace with where God has me.

So I start to overthink, overanalyze, overwork… to the point that I rushed ahead of God.

So here’s the secret:

I accepted a part time job at Kirkland’s as an Assistant Manager in Florence, AL when I was living in Huntsville, AL.

WHY?

Well I’m so glad that you asked.

I started a job search in April 2017, but I was only interested in jobs located in Huntsville. Huntsville was where I initially had no desire to live, but I fell in love with the city instantly. Huntsville provided me accountability, room to discover who I am, and the opportunity to work one on one with students transitioning from high school to college. The Lord sent me to this amazing church to serve, love, grow, and be challenged to get out of doing what feels comfortable.

For the whole month of April, I lost count of how many jobs I applied for. I never received an interview. So I changed my prayer unto God.

“Lord I know you to be faithful. You’re such a good, good Father. I’m asking that you help me to be open minded during this process to trust you wholeheartedly and that no matter what the journey ahead looks like, I will not lean on my own understanding. Instead Lord, I will lean on you to be my strength, my joy, my peace, my portion, my inheritance. Lord lead the way through this process. Rid me of any distractions. Open up the door that you desire for me to walk in, and close the door that you have no desire for me to walk in. Keep me in a position to learn from every opportunity, even if the outcome doesn’t turn out in my favor. Increase my level of patience and the ability to keep pressing by faith. Amen.”

So for the month of May, I began to apply EVERYWHERE… (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, etc.)

On my 26th birthday (June 7th), I received an email from 2 different universities about an interview. I was overjoyed with excitement. Outside of being a judge on the scholarship panel for Miss Alabama that day, this was the best birthday gift ever.

Little did I know, that it was just the beginning of a long, downhill battle before I would ever see up kind of journey.

June 16: Interview with Southwire- based in Florence, AL (Production Operator)

June 20: Phone Interview with The University of Alabama- based in Birmingham, AL (Regional Recruiter)

June 26: Interview with the University of Alabama at Birmingham- based in Birmingham, AL (Admissions Counselor)

Hello Month of July…

July 7: Skype Interview with The University of North Alabama- based in Florence, AL (Data Analyst- College of Business)

July 12: Skype Interview with The University of North Alabama- based in Florence, AL (Career Development)

July 14: Interview at Kirkland’s- based in Florence, AL (Assistant Manager)

Insert My Little Secret:

So I applied at Kirkland’s for a part time position because I was convinced that God was about to place me back home in Florence, AL. (Not my heart’s desire at all) but Why else would he give me the opportunity to interview for 2 different positions at UNA?

I

WAS

WRONG.

Unfortunately I didn’t figure this out until after I had accepted the part time Assistant Manager position at Kirkland’s. So there were many days that I would cry driving 55 miles to work in Florence, AL from Huntsville, AL every other day, because I knew I had placed myself out of God’s will for my life. Talk about a place of frustration! Now the beauty in this mistake was that I wholeheartedly made the wrong turn but God met me where I ended up. At work I was surrounded by his promises, which helped me to work through the frustration that I had placed myself in. After working there for 2 weeks, I finally mustered up the courage to inform the Store Manager that I did not receive either of the jobs at UNA and would not be able to continue the commute to work from Huntsville. So tough for me to do, but in return he offers me a full time position at the Kirkland’s in Huntsville. Lord why? #FavorFindsTheFaithful (Whole different blog topic, but just know unexplainable things happen when you work diligently unto the Lord.)

So I finished strong by working the 2 weeks that I agreed to. On my last day, we were super busy and I was just trying to make it to 5:00PM. Around 4:45PM, an older lady stopped me in my tracks and asked me to explain what one of the sayings meant. The framed item read,

The Will Of God Will Not Take You

Where The Grace Of God Will Not Protect You.

 I gave one of my good #BNspired2day explanations and now I realize that was God speaking directly through me about my current situation. He just used a complete stranger to remind me of His Truth.

July 25: 2 Interviews with UNA based in Florence, AL (College of Business & Career Development)

July 26: Interview with UA based in Tuscaloosa, AL (Campus Programming)

Hello Month of August…

August 7: Interview with Auburn University based in Auburn, AL (Admissions Recruiter)

August 23: Interview with TechUSA based in Huntsville, AL (Tech Recruiter)

August 29: Interview with Madison Hospital based in Madison, AL (Admitting- ER)

Hello Month of September…

September 14: Interview with The University of Alabama based in Tuscaloosa, AL (Admissions)

 Journal Entry Insert:

Month 9, Week 2, Day 16:

Wow! So much has happened within the last week. I received a phone call from UA Office of Admissions about an interview on campus. Thanks (Lord) for the peace you gave me throughout the week and in the interview. Thank you for being such a good, good Father who provides what I need at the perfect time. Lord, let your will be done and continue to reveal to me that your plans are to prosper me, and not to harm me.

Now at this point I am tired. Too tired to apply anywhere else. Too tired to be excited that I just completed my last interview. Too tired to share with anyone the details about this last interview (another little secret). Too tired to not be at peace with how God shielded me from every job that I thought I wanted.

Too tired to do anything really, but I prayed for strength in the beginning.

I prayed for my competition (in the beginning). I prayed for the interviewer to see my heart (in the beginning). I prayed for the person I’d be replacing (in the beginning). I prayed that even if I don’t get the position, I continue to work diligently unto the Lord on my current job (in the beginning).

& In the End…

• God exceeded my expectations.
• God granted me the desires of my heart.
• God ordered my steps.
• God closed doors with my protection in mind.

My Career Journey: God’s plan, God’s way, God’s timing.

#BNspired2day to keep pressing your way regardless of how many times you are rejected. Rejection from people, jobs, places, bae is protection from God.

Keep that in mind and count it all JOY!!!

Signed,

Grateful that just when I was about to give up on myself, God had other plans in mind by saving His best for last.

& Now the secret is out!

 B. Nicole