A Job in New York? | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: A Job in New York? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ruth DESBOROUGH
01/15/09
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A Job in New York?

Jane stared at the empty sheet of paper in front of her. The only writing on it was her name and address. Her mind just seemed to have gone blank.

Why was she doing this, she asked herself. Perhaps it was all a waste of time!

Jane Richardson, twenty-five, lived with her parents in Croydon on the outskirts of London, England. Each day she travelled by train to the big city, where she worked as a secretary in a large insurance company.

She was good at her job and quite enjoyed it, but ever since her best friend had gone to live in the U.S.A. she had set her mind on what she thought would be greener pastures.

Her friend had written saying what a wonderful country the U.S.A. was — lots of opportunities for good jobs with high salaries. Why don’t you come over, she had urged.

But there seemed no opportunity, at least not until the other day. She had seen an ad in a magazine for a job in New York. As she had all the necessary qualifications and experience she had sent in her application, and had been placed on a short list of ten.

Having been called for an interview, she was now sitting at a desk with this blank sheet of paper in front of her. Each applicant had been asked what they knew about the U.S.A. and why they wanted to work there.

Her friend had written lots of letters and described the beautiful countryside where she lived on a farm in California. But then that was only a small part of the great big U.S.A. What else did she know.

Well, she had heard something about Disney Land. A school friend had been there and told her all about it. She hoped to go there one day too.

Then she had read about some of the big cities. The bustling noisy streets of New York; the skyscrapers; the night life; the dangers and the never ending streams of traffic.

Jane thought too of the Space programs that had taken place. There was the good and the bad, she knew. She thought about the War in Iraq and the soldiers who had died and the families left behind. She remembered the floods and other disasters. She knew all about the election for a new President. Yes, she did know something about the U.S.A.

Time seemed to stand still as Jane let her mind wander.

But time was not standing still and the paper in front of her was still blank.

The U.S.A. is a great country, she pondered. Isn’t it called the ‘‘land of the free’. And don't they say ‘In God we Trust’. Surely that means it is blessed.

Jane was a Christian, but she had not really asked the Lord about going to New York. She just wanted to go. Yet, somehow she could not write anything on that sheet of paper.

Reluctantly, as time ran out, she handed in her blank sheet of paper and left the office. Now her hopes were gone. Maybe she would not get such an opportunity again.

That evening, as she sat thinking about the day’s events, she could not help wondering why she just could not write anything on the paper. She really had wanted that job. She really did want more pay.

But what about her parents. They were not getting any younger and New York would be a long way away from them.

And what about the Sunday School class she taught on Sundays and her part on the Visiting Committee of the church?

And what did the Lord want her to do? She had committed her life to Him long ago, but she admitted to herself she had not been giving Him first place in her life. She had not prayed about going to New York.

“Lord, forgive me, “ she prayed. “I have not been seeking your will or even following your ways. I am sorry. Thank you for your leading today, although I did not ask for it. Teach me your way and lead me in the paths of righteousness. Help me like Paul to be able to say ’I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.’ Thank you for my church and my job. Amen.”

Contented now, Jane went to bed, trusting in the Lord for the days ahead.

739

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