What's Next?

We all have found ourselves in a place where we are in between destinations. In between meaning we are no longer in our previous season, but we have yet to figure out what will happen next. It’s this transitional stage of life that brings a lot of uncertainty, doubts, and sometimes even fears of the unknown. It can be a transitional stage where you are no longer in that relationship with that guy you thought was your forever. Or, you may find yourself in between jobs, not knowing when the next door will open. It may even be that you have graduated, and that you are not sure what exactly comes next.

This was the case for me when I walked across that glamorous stage, in May 2016, with my B.A. in Mass Communications. I proceeded to celebrate my accomplishment by going on a graduation trip to Cancun. I was on a high and could not believe that school was finished. It felt like I was on top of the world and everything was perfect; until I returned from my trip and touched back down into the reality of my unknown future.

As I moved out of my memory-filled college apartment, and moved into my parents' home, I was haunted by this daunting question; what’s next?

Day after day as I sat in my parents' home, I brainstormed various ideas on how I would step into the next phase of my life. I eventually realized that I had one of two options; I could either be stressed and tormented by the uncertainties of life, or I could trust that God had a perfect plan for me, being assured that His plans are greater than mine.

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way

(Psalm 37:23)

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

( Isaiah 55:9)

As I began to seek God every day, He gradually gave me direction for my life. God revealed to me His vision of Church Girlz and what it could be one day. I was constantly affirmed of who I am in Christ, and why God chose me to carry out this specific assignment. God wanted me to trust that He was going to make all of His plans happen for me. I simply needed to have faith.

During that time, I learned that faith is not something that you magically have, but it has to be built. I learned that you cannot be lazy when seeking God. I had to actively be in His word, be taught about His word, and spend time with Him. I constantly listened to sermons as the Bible states that faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).

Once God showed me His plans for my life, I did what a lot of us do; I tried to make it happen immediately. I began to brainstorm how to launch this ministry. Before I could get ahead of myself, God stopped me and said:

"You need to push back the launch of Church Girlz, I need to develop you into the leader you need to become in order to lead Church Girlz on the magnitude it needs to be ran. "

I was grateful that God stopped me and showed me that I was not ready for Church Girlz. There is a process to everything. At first, I did not understand what I needed to learn as I assumed that I knew all that I needed to know to get started. I have a degree in Mass Communications, I spent 4 years learning how to speak, write, create graphics, etc. What did I need to learn? But I trusted that God knew what I needed and humbled myself knowing that I actually did not know much of anything.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

At that point, I had direction and instruction, and all I needed was the way that would get me from my current location to the destination of Church Girlz. As previously mentioned, I knew that God needed to work on me, that He needed to develop my skills. Therefore, I knew that the job opportunity that God was aligning for me would prepare me to lead Church Girlz, equipping me with the specific skills that I would need.

This process of believing for what was next began to get very uncomfortable and I wanted it end. I wanted to stop this faith thing to go back to school to get my masters. Getting my masters seemed a lot easier than having faith that this job, that I saw no sign of, was coming. I began to get discouraged, but I soon came across a sermon by Steven Furtick titled, "Don't Stop On 6", which gave me my second wind.

A few days later, my mom and I sat in the living room and talked. She asked me how things were going with my job search and if I knew what direction I wanted to go in. At first, I wanted to cry and to express that I had no clue what was next. Then something arose in me. Without a second thought, I began to say everything that God had been telling me, the word that I had been building my faith upon and declaring what was going to happen next. All of it spilled out of me, and at that moment, my faith was where it needed to be.

A few days later, my brother-in-law called to notify me that there was an open position for the company he worked for. He asked if I was interested and if I would be willing to move 500 miles away from home. I told him that I would think about it. That same day, other companies contacted me to set up interviews for the positions I had applied for. I was excited, yet faced with another dilemma; do I take a position that is 500 miles away from home, or do I take a position here at home where I can remain in my comfort zone?

I immediately knew which door God wanted me to take, but I was afraid. It’s funny how we sometimes pray for God to open doors that no man can shut and pray that His perfect will be done, but once it is presented to us, we are tempted to decline the offer.

I pushed past my fear and took the position that my brother-in-law offered. It was not because it was my dream job, but because I knew that this uncomfortable step was going to be how God was going to prepare me for what He had planned for me next.

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