The mystery of God's plan

I never seem to end up where I think I'm going. I try to surrender my plan for my life and hesitantly accept what I think God is nudging me towards instead only to realize months later that that probably wasn't His intent either. I walk towards one destination only to be spun around and turned in the opposite direction. I say all of this because I have been reflecting over the last couple of months noting how many times I have surrendered my desires and adopted an alternative path believing it was in God's plans and thinking it quite comical. Who knows maybe all my changes in direction have been His way of creating the bigger picture for me and each new plan has prepared me and somehow led me to what lies ahead now.

When I graduated I was determined to stay in Oregon, but scared of moving too close to Portland because I'm not a city girl. I had to get over that quickly because cities or suburbs of cities is the only place one can really find a job these days at least in the field that I'm pursuing. So I fell in love with Portland and decided that's where I would live and work for awhile. Once I made up my mind about that and was passionately pursuing my new found dreams God presented me with job opportunities else where. Naturally. He has to be up there laughing at me, right? :)

Currently I have interviews for jobs in Seattle, Washington and Omaha, Nebraska. I've also applied for a job in Phoenix, Arizona. There's no telling where I'll end up, only that it will likely be somewhere I'm not anticipating. Maybe the ultimate twist of irony is that I'll still end up in Portland since I have about 10 resumes floating around this city....

Why I choose nonprofit

When ever the topic turns to job hunting in a conversation, especially with today’s economy, I feel that more and more I am getting confronted with the question “why not work for a for profit?” If jobs are so hard to come by and I need the money (lots of it) to pay off my student loans why don’t I retire my dreams of working in the non-profit sector (at least for now)?

Reflecting on my experience as an intern here at Oregon Independent College Foundation I can tell you a number of reasons why I’m still pursuing a nonprofit career. You’d be mistaken if you thought it might be the luxury of having your office in an old dormitory or raising a million dollars with a staff of three. Charming nuances that bring a smile to my face and make for a good story, but not the reason I’m still bent set on having a nonprofit career.

More so, it’s the ability to feel that in selling your organization you’re helping people. Not in the superficial infomercial way that convinces people they need things they don’t really need, but in a way that addresses real needs present in society and offers a service to assist. I find myself being most passionate about my work outside of the office when I’m having candid conversations with friends about the struggle of affording higher education and the frustration in finding proper financial assistance.

I love coming to work knowing that I’m making a difference to someone. That’s what keeps me positive about the world I’m living in and energizes me to push through the challenges. When I can channel my past frustrations into a platform for creative solutions for the future it makes my struggles worthwhile and gives me motivation that will likely last a lifetime. I think for me personally it also allows me to be a better employee because it inspires drive and creativity.

The simple fact of the matter is that I need a greater purpose behind my work than just making money. I want to address needs not to gain stature and self-assurance, but because that’s what makes me come alive and I see it touching peoples lives every day. Part of it too, perhaps a more selfish motive, is that I want to enjoy my work and I know that serving people brings me joy.

I know that it’s not everyone’s passion and that there are certainly people gifted with talents meant for the for profit world and they can make a difference too. I don’t think there’s a superior choice, that’s not my point. I believe that individuals pursue one sector or another because it rings true with who they are – their beliefs, their values, their intellect, their talents. You see it’s not just my mind that is set on working non-profit, it’s my heart too, and that tends to be a powerful guiding factor in my life.