I learned how someone else’s ministry is continuing to jump out to her – to make a difference and I learned that she knows the Lord is keeping her going in it – all this while looking at the cross below the PowerPoints – learning about life and career networking, AI use for resume review, research and job hunting, as well as an Emotional Intelligence review, and how to beef up my Linked In.

(And lunch for a minimum donation fee) – wow…

The Jump Start your career search is a ministry by one woman who also engages her friends to help teach – and they together provide an opportunity tor the attendees to network with each other – and wow so many folks – and such good conversation. Yes, I did get to learn and push myself a bit further into the AI tools understanding, and found myself agreeing with the Emotional Intelligence (EQ) discussion – although my stress level response to the group had more to do with my concern that I might be allergy coughing in my “pollenhate stage” = than it did for a job search. But by the end of the presentation and very little coughing thank God because of the rain taking down the pollen pollution, I found myself more stressed in the AI tools and Linked In work that I surely must employ in this phase of job search. 

But the one non AI technique that allowed me to be part of the ministry was when a woman so overwhelmed was trying to hold back tears and i got to give her a hug. Please pray for her and all the job seekers – this woman was downsized from the social security administration and still in the grips of sadness and I could tell she needed to both let down her guard to cry it out – as well as she needed the hug to bring it back in – as well as she could see that the Lord was sending her so many messages this day…  Yeah – the truth about networking is working nets and it is about mutual conversation back and forth… I told her about my stages of brief (stages of grief in job loss and company transition) that I wrote for hopeful inclusion in an industry trade magazine, and she wanted to read it! so I emailed it right away. I would never choose to be unemployed but I would never not choose to be in a ministry that jumps out to me too – to be present.

See, Ministry should jump out at you – what is your ministry but to pay attention to what God wants you to do – whether you are helping to raise kids or grandkids – or run career advice workshops – or music ministry (actually the sound guy for this church was there and we chatted and he flies military helicopters for VIPs in the area – wow), or lunch and coffee ministry – which trust me is must appreciated. Then there is teaching preaching and reaching – there is building and vbs – and cleaning and supporting and speaking and wow – you name it and it is a ministry – depending on how you craft it – who motivates you to do it – and how you can praise God through it.

We even prayed at the end of the day – and she asked folks to either pray or simply be still while she prayed in thanks to this ministry opportunity. This organizer as 6000 followers on linked in and she was simply helping to put sandwiches out – as well as give a talk. Yes – a career ministry with seminars started jumping out at her years ago – and it surely helps us.

I appreciated that behind the lunch station was a basket of communion – I am not sure how they share it at this church or if it is always available, but it was nice and open and that it was simply there – in silent witness that this was a church that shares – and that people do care to let you know that churches and peoples care. 

So let us let our ministries jump out of us and let Jesus jump start one in us… 

There are so many roads to take – take HIS.

Amen