Designed by God

This morning I was thinking about the job God has called me to do here and really, this may sound like a cliche...it was designed by Him, just for me!

I think it is really cool that God knew before He laid out the foundations of the earth what He wanted me to do here and that He has brought situations and different training and educational opportunities into my life to train me specifically for the job He called me to do.

As I was thinking about work, and the ways that I was trained for the job before I even knew I wanted it...it made me think of how sovereign God is and how ignorant I am.

After all, most of my life, I thought I was learning things for my own benefit, not for God's...

So this is how God has prepared me...I think its cool to think about...

1. At GBI, I have to conceptualize what a building will look like before its there and plan for the space...When I was a kid, I learned how to conceptualize buildings that weren't there as we built our own house. I enjoyed drafting as a teenager/young adult and significantly developed my conceptualization skills doing that as well.

2. At GBI, I have to draw up plans for buildings and how furniture will be laid out and exactly how much furniture will fit into any given space. During drafting classes, I learned how to draw plans, I actually have an associates degree in mechanical drafting (yes I know its not the same as architectural drafting, but it is still very helpful). I also had a concentration in math when I got my bachelor's degree...very helpful when trying to calculate furniture sizes and classroom spaces.

3. At GBI, I oversee the library, the wrapping of books, cataloging, etc...On my 2nd short term trip to Uganda, I was asked to work mostly in the library...I learned how it operated and how to do most things in there before I even knew I would oversee it someday.

4. At GBI, I am in charge of writing and developing the new child development curriculum for our diploma program. In college, I got a master's degree that I didn't really want...a masters in curriculum and instruction. I then went on to get the master's I did want...a master's in early childhood education...both are perfect for this job. The first one taught me how to write and develop the curriculum while the second one gave me a handle on the content to base the curriculum on. And I just thought I was taking classes to get a raise at LAUSD...silly me.

5. At GBI, I am in charge of revising major documents, and helping schedule courses...I have to know what documents are needed in a college, know how course schedules need to be set up, and what documents need to look like, etc...this is very easy for me...being that I spent 10 years as a college student...

6. At GBI, one of my side jobs is networking with local NGOs and getting them on board with what we are doing...basically creating partnerships. When I was in college, I spent a year as the president of a club on campus...it gave me leadership principles I needed to talk to people and share the vision of where our club was going...the same principles I used then, are the ones I use now, to network and share the vision of GBI.

7. At GBI, I am in charge of new purchases for our school...especially books. As a kid, I LOVED books. Now I get to read up on books, determine good books and purchase them for everyone here to have access too...Honestly, I am not going to have time to read them all, but they are all books that I would love to read someday.

I am sure there are more ways, but I think that gives you a pretty good picture of just how, from childhood, God prepared me for Uganda!

I love having a job specifically tailored to me and I am glad I followed God in His leading, otherwise I would still be in the US, thinking I wasted 10 years in college because more than half of my education wasn't being utilized in my elementary teaching career!