“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.”
Psalm 18:2 NIV
I sat outside on my apartment balcony, a light breeze wisping strands of hair against my shoulders. My fingers sat atop my laptop keyboard, my heart pounding with every press of the keys. I googled, “How to write a resignation letter” and slowly began crafting my own. Was I making a massive mistake?
I had a clear path in front of me, each rung of the corporate ladder shiny and sparkling above me. I knew I could keep climbing. I could stay comfortable. But the still, small voice inside me was inviting me to leave my job and enter a new season. Truth was, I had no inkling of what that new season might contain. The idea of leaving my job felt akin to jumping off a cliff, and I hadn’t a clue what was waiting for me below.
I was an associate producer for the largest news corporation in Canada. Everyone disagreed with my decision to leave. My family. The news corp. Normally when everyone disagrees with me it’s a sure sign I ought to listen to their wisdom and not my inner rebel.
But it wasn’t my inner rebel I was listening to this time . . . it was my Good Shepherd.
I’d fasted and prayed for months. I’d asked a spiritual director to talk me through the decision. And over and over, I kept getting a word from the Holy Spirit: He was my Rock. I didn’t know what was ahead, but I knew I had a Rock to land on. I was still afraid, but I trusted that God would lead me. He did.
I left the world of news producing and weeks later found myself accepting a job to plant and pastor a small church. I had planned to be a journalist, telling the truth to hundreds of thousands. Now I was a pastor, telling a far greater Truth to a congregation of eighty.
I never thought I’d find myself here. But my Rock did. And in Him, I will always take refuge.
By Aliza Latta from 100 Days of Strength in Any Struggle
Thousands of women are finding fresh hope and renewed strength in our favorite (in)courage devotional journal, 100 Days of Strength in Any Struggle. Grab a copy for yourself or a friend. We know God will meet you on every page as you meditate on Scripture, learn alongside (in) writers like Aliza, and journal your own prayers and reflections.
Tell us: How have you experienced God as the Rock in your life?
Where do you need more of His strength today?
Aliza,
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not for harm. To give you a hope and a future.” We must trust that God’s plans are better than our own. He sees the future and knows us better than we do ourselves.
Blessings 🙂
Aliza,
Thank you for sharing. You inspire courage in listening to and partnering with The Holy Spirit.
Have a blessed Lord’s day,
Lisa Wilt
He has always directed me, even when I didn’t listen the first (or few times), He has been compassionate, generous and relentless not to give up on me and that’s exactly what I need!! I’m facing yet another scary, discouraging help scare, on that this threatening my life. I need strength to trust Him more, trusting that He is the GREAT PHYSICIAN, He knows what’s happening and knows every hair on my head, every hour of my life and every breathe that I will take this side of Heaven. Father God, thank You for Your relentless pursuit, do not stop. Please save Your daughter’s life and turn this around. I pray in Jesus mighty name. Amen
Dear Aliza……What a story to read on Sunday right before church. I have gone through a very similar situation in my whole work life of 55 years. When I left college and got married ( a very sad story in itself ) after my baby was born and 1 year old, I knew I needed to get some kind of job, but what? I was very young, but a whisper in my ear, was my Rock and He told me not to rush things. Start at the bottom and observe everything no matter what kind of work it is. So I started by cleaning women’s houses. They liked me and told their friends about me which gave me more clients, but my husband and I did not have much money so I asked myself, do I need to quit this job and find another making a little more money? Yes, I did with anxiety, but I found another job making much more. This happened 4 more times until one day while I was working elsewhere, I got a phone call. I had sent a resume months before and forgot about it. They had an opening that they asked me to come in an interview. Long story short, I ended up getting this job ( my dream job ) and ended up there for 30 years. What my Holy Spirit whispered in my ear 20 years ago was my Rock that I listened to and because of this I ended up being one of their best Managers. Today I need to pray for more strength, at 77 years old and have been sick with one of these awful viruses going around the country. I am alone and nobody to help me and I have to go to get groceries this afternoon as I have no food left. I haven’t really been out of my apartment let alone outside and driving for almost 2 weeks. I will say, I am a little scared. Back when I was 35, it would have been no problem , but as the years go by, your body changes and family situations can change and not for the better. So I will go to church, eat lunch and then try to go. The bitter cold has left us today for the next week which does help we older people and there are over 100 residents where I live and that is a story for another day. One last thing Aliza. I have the book 100 Days of Strength in any Struggle. I love it and am starting it for the third time. Thank you for your comforting words this morning and I feel like you, Aliza have given me some strength for today. Blessings for you today and always. Love to you as I go to church…………….Betsy
As a recovering journalist, I love hearing stories like this! It takes courage to start over. When I finally left the industry I was horrified! I had no idea what was coming next. But God did! And it was good.
Love everything about today’s reading. We can be scared to make the first step to doing what God wants us to do. It’s not about money. Especially if we have a good paying job. Family might think your daft leaving it with the cost of living. But sometimes we have to do what God wants us to do. Not what Family tell us because they see the good job and they think if we did something else even with less money. We be daft for leaving as they think we never be stuck to pay our bills. But what if was God will for us to leave and do something he wants us to. That is something like a person I know that had a great Job in Nursing with good pay. She felt God telling her to give it up to become a Salvation Army Officer. Her Dad was not amused with her giving up the job in Nursing with good pay. So she did what God told her through the Holy Spirit that spoke to her. She glad she did. As she loves it don’t get me wrong she loved her job Nursing. This person is now a Salvation Army Officer for the Salvation Army. She said sometimes you have to leave your well paid job to do what God wants you too. Even if means less pay. God will honour you for doing that. If we don’t do what God tells us to do we could end up like Jonah who ran away from the calling God has asked him to do. He ended up in the belly of the whale. Only way out was for Jonah to commit to the task God had for him. Then God made the whale spit Jonah out on dry land. When the whale did Jonah did God what God wanted him to do. So it says in Philippines 4:19. “My God shall supply all your needs” How true that is. So if go God way leave the good paying job to go what God wants us to for him. God will never let us down. He will provide for our needs not our greeds. So we will not be without. In the end we will see God’s way ways best. Not staying where we were if God wants us to do something for him . Even if have time give up the good paying job. God will reward us for leaving it to do what he wants us to do for him. He might not reward us this side of earth but he will when we leave this world one day. If it is of God your not making a huge mistake. As God is with you through it all. You can trust him that it will work out. You will be pleased you trusted him. Love today’s reading Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
The lord always help me through. Even through all the health struggles I’ve had, He has helped me continue to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving
I found out I have precancer on my nose.
I had the spot frozen.
Waiting 3 week for follow up.
Praying for God’s good will.
Thank you.
Linda