Monday 17 September 2007

Chances are* - Vonda Shepherd & Robert Downey Jr.

Today, the preacher mentioned something about the miracle of God's providential leading and timing. I looked at me life and i can only testify to the truth of such miracle.

A fine example is how i got my present job. It wasn't planned for initially. Heck, i wasn't even supposed to be in this continent if i had had my way. But when i did return, i started looking for a job. As there weren't any openings for anything related to human rights - nothing that they would pay me for - i went back to me original plan - to teach.

Yet, for some reason - unknown at that time - i wasn't getting any offers. I wasn't even called for interviews!!! There has to be something wrong - even me mates were wondering. After all, armed with a Masters' degree and many years of experience under me belt, surely getting a post to teach law wouldn't be all that difficult. But it was.

Weeks turn to months. I finally got a temp position at UM as a research assistant, something to get me by as i search for the elusive permanent employment.

I had a call from a local college to teach A-Levels. I impressed the principle - that's what he said. But i did not receive a call from them after that.

But my time as an RA at UM wasn't wasted. It was in those few weeks when i realise a few things. First, working with a human rights' NGO wasn't what i really wanted - and i turned down an interview with Amnesty M'sia. Secondly, for reasons best kept to meself, i knew i wouldn't like working at UM - and when a position finally opened up, i turned it down too. Lastly, one of the lecturers at UM got me an interview with a local University College - which happened to be my top choice for a place to teach. I went for it and i got the job.

The week after that, the local college i went for an interview earlier called. Apparently, there was some mixed-up and they were supposed to call me much much earlier to offer me a job. If they had done so earlier, i would have jumped at it - even if it wasn't my first choice. But now, i had the luxury to turn them down. Another University College called me for an interview too and i said no.

Looking back at those months, i realised that if i had been offered a job elsewhere, i would have taken it - even if it wasn't my first choice. Or i would have joined an NGO or UM and later regretted it. Yet, i believe that God was holding back all these things so that i can finally get to the place where i wanted to go to. On top of that, the timing was perfect - i really wanted to go for the mission trip to Romania but was initially doubtful i'd get leave if i start work. But the place where i am now - they only required me to start one month after the Romanian trip. Which meant that i had time to return to UoE and to London, and then back here to relax for a couple of weeks b4 starting.

As i look back now, i can only testify to God's providential leading and timing. The timing was perfect and the job was what i wanted. Some might say that it is all just a big coincidence. To me, i say that it takes a greater faith to believe that it was all down to chance than to believe that God was in control of everything.

Note: What i've shared here above is just the condensed version. If you wanna hear the full version, we'll have to do it over many cups of coffee or teh tarik!

*Taken from one of the soundtracks to Ally McBeal when Robert joined the cast and won a Golden Globe award.

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