The Rollercoaster: Part 2
I had scheduled a couple of office hours the next morning as dead week culminated and I strived to make a couple extra bucks before summer. As I was walking to the admissions office, my eyes still puffy, the Spirit prompted me to call Joe. He picked up and my voice trembled so I could barely speak. I reiterated the message God had laid on my heart - the same message delivered by Reyna, Jeff, and Steph:
"Baby, I am so sorry I have never paused to acknowledge how hard your job has been."
Joe responded with such grace, such kindness, and in a powerful act of mercy, he comforted me, "You're forgiven times a million. And I don't care what that email said - I'm praying specifically that you hear today and that you get the job today."
Peace flooded my soul. His steadfastness and confidence moved me, even more, to tears. I was overcome with a sense of hope and joy - for the first time in what felt like a long time. The morning that followed was restful. Amy, my boss, was transitioning out of Taylor and looking for jobs as well. We were very much in the same boat. We prayed together, cried together, sipped coffee and leaned into each other.
I felt like a new woman. The grace of God had peeled back the planks in my eyes and allowed me to see Joe's hardships, which squelched any bitterness. His prayerful confidence in God on my behalf gave me strength. For the first time throughout this whole journey, I wasn't dreading a phone call. I was eager to hear what plans God was going to lay out for me.
The day followed like any Thursday would: tidying up the apartment, lunch with Maggie Theaker, a baseline workout in my functional fitness class. And the whole time, peace. True, genuine peace. Not forced. Not feigned. Not fighting fear or bitterness. Peace.
And then, the phone call came.
I was giving a campus tour to a sweet family from Coatesville, Indiana. My watch vibrated: Westfield Washington Schools. I reached into my pocket - it was true. I turned to the family and said, "This is so unprofessional, I'm sorry. I just need to take this call."
I took a deep breath. "Whatever happens, God, I trust you." Accept. "Hi, this is Cali."
"Hi, Cali! How are things going?"
"Things are going well!" I finally meant it.
"Well, Cali, things are going well here too. We've done some talking, and we would like to offer you the ninth grade English position at Westfield High School."
I could not believe the words I was hearing. My legs and hands started shaking. The rest of the phone call was a blur - something about payroll and meeting with HR and coming in to meet some people - and yet all I could say was thank you God, thank you God, thank you God.
Joy flooded my heart. It was truly a miracle - a powerful and undeniable display of God's faithfulness. And the craziest thing is that even if they had told me that they were giving the job to someone else, it would still be a powerful and undeniable display of his faithfulness. There was not a moment where he was not faithful. Not a moment where he was not comforting me, surrounding me, flooding me with his presence and peace.
Not for a moment was I forsaken.
God is good. I can honestly say that. But I would be able to say that even if I didn't get the job. Even if I never got a job, or anything else in my life. I would still have far more than I deserve. Simply because I have the presence of Abba Father, the God who has promised to never leave my side.
The true win here is not the job. As sweet as it is, that's not ultimate. It's not even getting to work with Joe. As I think back to Job, at the end of all his suffering, he was blessed abundantly more than before the boils. But that wasn't the best part for Job - not even close. Job learned to cling desperately, humbly, and wholeheartedly, through fist-shaking and pillow-punching, through tears and triumphs, to the God who never left his side.
Oh Lord my God, let that always be true of me. Thank you Joe for your mercy, Westfield for seeing potential in me, and God, for never leaving me. That is the sweetest gift of all.