About a month ago I finally got a "dream job," one that I have been working towards for years. I am now an officially paid "Anti-Trafficking Ministries Coordinator." I even have my own desk, a business e-mail, and half an office. I'm dong what I love and am passionate about, and best of all, I can finally get paid for what I've been spending most of my time doing anyway.
BUT..... This job is super hard! The problem of human trafficking is huge. Systems to fight it or to help victims get their lives back are few and far between. The dimensions of this issue are SO MANY! I have so much to learn. My job means I need to basically be a social worker, an advocate, a politician, a development agent, a grant writer, a program facilitator, a program creator, a volunteer recruiter, a trainer, an educator, a host, a craft teacher, a friend, a fundraiser, a public relations representative, an outreach worker, a team builder, an organizer, a counselor, a social media expert, etc. etc. etc. I never know what this job is going to throw at me, and I feel completely unqualified and unprepared. I feel like I should go to school for fifty more years or something. And then I still wouldn't feel equipped to do this. Pretty much every morning I wake up feeling like I have some huge life-determining exam and I've completely forgotten to prepare at all.
I've been feeling like this a lot recently. And then this morning, I was working on my assignment for this online spiritual formation class I've been taking. The current class is about social justice. One of the other students had written about how it's difficult for her to get involved with social justice issues, because it seems like everyone in social justice groups has a masters or a doctorate. I immediately wrote this back to her:
So, in God's strength, I'm off on a new adventure!
BUT..... This job is super hard! The problem of human trafficking is huge. Systems to fight it or to help victims get their lives back are few and far between. The dimensions of this issue are SO MANY! I have so much to learn. My job means I need to basically be a social worker, an advocate, a politician, a development agent, a grant writer, a program facilitator, a program creator, a volunteer recruiter, a trainer, an educator, a host, a craft teacher, a friend, a fundraiser, a public relations representative, an outreach worker, a team builder, an organizer, a counselor, a social media expert, etc. etc. etc. I never know what this job is going to throw at me, and I feel completely unqualified and unprepared. I feel like I should go to school for fifty more years or something. And then I still wouldn't feel equipped to do this. Pretty much every morning I wake up feeling like I have some huge life-determining exam and I've completely forgotten to prepare at all.
I've been feeling like this a lot recently. And then this morning, I was working on my assignment for this online spiritual formation class I've been taking. The current class is about social justice. One of the other students had written about how it's difficult for her to get involved with social justice issues, because it seems like everyone in social justice groups has a masters or a doctorate. I immediately wrote this back to her:
I work in social justice areas, and although I have a college degree, I don't have a masters or a PhD. I'm only 24 and I look much younger. I'm not an officer, and I lack a lot of the life experience that those I work with have. But God who has called me has also equipped me to be able to speak out and question systems of injustice alongside those who are more educated and experienced. He will equip you too. Paul tells Timothy not to let anyone look down on him because of his age, but I think this could also be applied to education as well. If you are seeking God's truth and compassion, he will give you words to say.Obviously, it's okay that I'm ill-equipped and unprepared for this job. This is where God has called me. He will continue to lead me and give me strength and wisdom. I don't need to worry that I'm not good enough, because I'm not doing this out of my strength. I'm doing this out of God's strength. It even makes sense that I'm not prepared, because God uses the foolish and weak things of this world to shame the wise and the strong.
For even more encouragement, I happened to read these verses in Proverbs this morning. These are from my "Sunrise Good News Bible" which is full of beautiful line drawings and is meant to be easy to translate into other languages and cultures, but consequently has a much different translation than most English Bibles:
Proverbs 1:2-6
2 Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom and good advice, and understand sayings with deep meaning. 3 They can teach you how to live intelligently and how to be honest, just, and fair. 4 They can make an inexperienced person clever and teach young people how to be resourceful. 5 These proverbs can even add to the knowledge of the wise and give guidance to the educated, 6 so that they can understand the hidden meanings of proverbs and the problems that the wise raise.Even if I am feeling overwhelmed and inadequate, I can turn to Proverbs and the rest of the Bible too for "wisdom and good advice." It can "make an inexperienced person clever" and "add knowledge to the wise and give guidance to the educated." I don't need to worry about not knowing what I'm doing. God will provide knowledge and wisdom for me.
So, in God's strength, I'm off on a new adventure!
