NAS: Challenge Check-In

A couple weeks ago, we set to challenge ourselves! What did you decide on and what did you end up doing? Was this a fruitful experience for you? Why or why not?

A few weeks ago the NAS topic was Challenges - challenging ourselves to do more, something different, etc... I didn't write because I as I noted the week after St. Joseph had been kicking my butt with an answer to my novena intention. I'm sure you all know about the Pray More Novenas reminders (but if not - totally check them out - it's an excellent way to increase your novena devotions). I've been receiving the emails for a while now and love the monthly devotions and new saints, novenas, and opportunities every month.

In preparation for the Feast of St. Joseph (one stand up man), I began praying the St. Joseph Novena on March 10th with more than 70,000 of my closest novena loving friends. I have had a pretty strong devotion to St. Joseph for a while. In November of 2012 a very close friend was going through a pretty severe rough spot in her marriage. She and her husband didn't know if they were going to make it together, so we put St. Joseph on it. And not just a 9 day novena - we went big! I started praying the novena to St. Joseph every morning for an increase in faith for her husband, that he would want to remain married to her, and then added in later that he would be a good father. Their relationship is a testament to me about the power of St. Joseph.

Although the rough patch is over, there are always rocky moments in life and knowing the power of St. Joseph, I've since added more intentions to my daily prayer - for my future husband (who is seriously lost - or maybe I am, anyway), my godson, another friend's husband, and still another's current boyfriend.

So when last month's St. Joseph novena began, I added a second novena time in the evening and asked St. Joseph to help me discern my vocation and my avocation, placing all the pieces in place that needed to be in place. And boy did he move some seriously pieces in place.

I was seeking direction about whether I'm really supposed to get married or not because there are so many times when I think that dream will remain a dream forever and never be a reality. It was hard to turn 30 with no prospects and I needed some serious reassurance. However, that's not what I got, not what I got at all.

On Monday of the Novena someone at work told me about a job advertised in the paper for our Diocesan Newspaper. It's not something I ever thought I might do, nor does my degree in Catholic Theology provide me the background to do. But I could not get it out of my head. I went back and forth about whether I should apply, whether I was even interested in leaving my current position, and if I even wanted the job or to work for the Diocese. After a quick discernment period, I decided I should apply, give it a chance. Sending in my resume wasn't quitting my job, and just because I sent in my resume didn't mean I was going to be offered the job or that I would want it if it was offered to me.

So I began the process on the last challenge day of redoing my resume (haven't done one in quite a few years), gathering references, telling my pastor, etc...

On Wednesday, I called a friend at Our Sunday Visitor to ask her to be a reference for me with the job. She encouraged me to consider OSV if I was looking for employment. I told her, "no way I'm moving to small town Indiana." But there were some things she knew of coming down the pike that would allow me to live in Charlotte and work for OSV, she'd pass my name along if I was interested.

This is when St. Joseph's puzzle work began to shine. On his Feast, I told her to please pass my name along and we'll see what happens. By the end of the day I had a phone interview scheduled for Monday. After the interview on Monday, one was immediately scheduled for Tuesday. On Wednesday, I had a call from HR with an offer that needed to be accepted by Friday.

WHAT? How crazy is that?

Talk about pieces being put in place, all of the doors were thrown wide open, not just cracked windows. So my challenge was to discern whether I was in the right place or not for my job. After much consideration, a few tears, and some trepidation I wrote my letter of resignation and passed it to my pastor. We told the staff, and now I am just three weeks from starting my new job with Our Sunday Visitor!!

I'll be helping parishes in my territory (the south) set up new websites, start on-line giving, and some more new things OSV has coming out later this year. I'm excited about the change. I'm nervous about failing. I'm eager for the challenge.

This is going to be something completely different from what I do now - although we are OSV customers, and my work with our parish website is what got me in the door for this job to begin with.

So a huge thanks to St. Joseph for helping me discern the change, placing the pieces right in place, and being a rock of support as I take this crazy journey! I'm excited to meet tons of new people, encounter hundreds of new parishes, and be stretched in my abilities! I'm sure more stories will come from my time on the road - working in the parish is a crazy, amazing, unbelievably funny job!

Alright, talk to you all later! On a plane, headed to Texas for a visit with my godmother!

Check out Jen and Morgan for more ladies at the challenge check-in!!! Not sure who's hosting the link-up, but one of these amazing girls is!