i am a curious person. even a little nosy.
i like to know how people got where they are now.
i wonder how they bought the house they have.
how they manage their finances.
how they drive the car they do.
maybe because it’s based on an insecurity that everyone else knows something i don’t, like they have their life more together than me.
or maybe it’s just because i want to learn.

there are a lot of areas of life in which our journeys are veiled in mystery.

how you met your spouse.
why you named your kids the names you gave them.
how you chose your major.
and unless we pull back that veil on occasion, and show others our journeys, they may never know that our path from where we were to where we are is just as crazy as theirs, but that God is guiding it every step of the way.

i remember feeling this way about my career path. i graduated with a communications degree from Lee University (then a college—i always feel like i have to put that disclaimer in there). at the time, it was a broad major that covered print and broadcast journalism, public relations and advertising.

i wanted to be a writer. i just didn’t know how to get there.
when i got out of college, life wasn’t like the movies. i didn’t get the internship that turned into a generous salary. i didn’t land that dream job and dazzle everyone with my brilliance.
here’s a glimpse into my life. if you’re a recent graduate or even someone stuck “in transition,” maybe it will offer some encouragement. don’t worry. i’ll give you the abbreviated version.

i graduated from college in may 1990.
my next step? a cushy corner office?
not exactly. just a generous offer from my dad to work in his shop until i could land a job.
so i spent most of the summer there.

then my cousin’s husband contacted me. he needed someone to handle advertising for his new business. i jumped in.
and for five years, i coordinated printing invoices.
set up ad campaigns with newspapers.
crudely designed ads with statements like “timeless elegance.”
wrote brochures.
went with photographers to haul equipment and make sure he got great shots of our product—even though i wasn’t sure what a great shot looked like.
worked with a videographer to script out a promo video.
stood for hours and days at home shows, talking about our product.
stuck labels on direct mail postcards.
you name it, i did it.

then, not long after i married my beautiful wife, i left there and worked at the atlanta journal and constitution selling newspaper ads. i was on the “other side” of my previous position. instead of buying ad space, i was now selling it. i met some nice people and some jerks. but quickly discovered i wasn’t a salesperson.

so after only a few months, i took a leap of faith and did something i was taught never to do—i left a job without having another one. but God was directing me (look for that story in a future post).

i was newly married and unemployed.

(to be continued next week)  

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