Over the past year, I have been unable to lead this group due to a battle with cancer. While I continue to fight this disease, I am in much better health and anxious to serve those in need. I believe that 2023 will be a time when many choose or have the opportunity to change their job for one that aligns more with the vocation to which God has called him or her. If you have never considered approaching a job search from a Biblical perspective, please consider connecting with our group and see how that changes your process.
In light of this "relaunch", my good friend Amy Smith posted a passage from a daily study with a declaration which I believe fits members of our group very well. I share it with you, now. Feel free to provide comments to this blog entry as you are led. Title: Fresh Inspiration and Vision Declaration Today, we decree that lost vision and purpose are restored. We pray that you receive refreshed inspiration concerning every project before you and for your future. May you see your God-given destiny with a renewed mindset. We declare that you become motivated to accomplish everything God has called you to do. We bind up the power of discouragement, lethargy, and indifference in Jesus' Name! We break every pattern and repetitive cycle of failure and say it will not continue. We speak new life to everything that has grown stale and fallen dormant. We decree your gifts and talents are stirred up afresh. We call for a supernatural wave of enthusiasm, passion, and determination to finish everything you have inside your heart from the Lord! You are called, anointed, and appointed for something amazing - for such a time as this!
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Coach Scott Oatsvall of LT360 made the following observation about "waiting": Are you waiting for something in your life right now? One thing I’ve learned is that waiting is not a spectator sport. When we’re waiting for a breakthrough or an opportunity or a door to open for us, we need to be active in that waiting. We need to speak positive like we KNOW its going to happen. We need to act like it’s going to happen. We need to work like its going to happen. Most importantly we need to believe and expect it to happen! It’s just like when you’re expecting a guest in your house. You don’t wait until they show up before you decide to start cleaning the house in preparation for their visit. No, you start days and sometimes weeks in advance. You make sure the house is clean. You go to the grocery store and get the necessary supplies and food you may need for their visit. At Sabbatical Search, we understand that the time between work assignments in a "God-gifted" time to accomplish some specific purposes. Our waiting for our next assignment is by definition filled with activity. We need to be expanding our network of connections. This requires research into with whom we should be meeting, participating in 20 minute coffees, writing thank you notes and following up. We need to be sharpening technical skills, including taking courses and sitting for certifications. We need to actively be spending time with our Heavenly Father to understand how He intends for us to exhibit the passion He has placed inside us. Clearly, the waiting period of our Sabbatical Search is filled with activities for us to pursue! Got to sing another of the great old hymns, today. It is amazing the comfort that can be found in their rich theology. See how this resonates with you:
Frankly, I am not sure how non-believers deal with being between jobs. Once again, sitting in church, singing from the old hymns, the promises of God ring out to meet all our needs. While engaged in the search for our next assignment, we can become frustrated with the pace of the effort and the lack of response from places where we have applied. Frankly, I have heard (and probably you have too) seekers rant and rave over the fact that they have not been contacted by a potential employer or offered an interview.
In reality, we know very little about what is going on in the company. They may have some crisis with which they are dealing, and bringing in a new hire is the least of their worries! God knows what is happening and when is the best time and the best company with which you should connect. Have peace that He knows best and continue to work through the Sabbatical process. In the meantime, God will provide for you. Today, during worship, I was amazed and encouraged by the message of several of the old hymns we sang. Consider these verses: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past Our God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home! Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone and our defense is sure. Our God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while life shall last, and our eternal home. And in another old hymn: Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts Jesus, Thou joy of loving hearts, Thou fount of life, Thou light of men, From the best bliss that earth imparts we turn unfilled to Thee again. Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood; Thou savest those that on Thee call; To them that seek Thee Thou art good, to them that find Thee all in all. We taste Thee, O Thou living bread, and long to feast upon Thee still; We drink of Thee, the fountainhead, and thirst our souls from Thee to fill. Our restless spirits yearn for Thee, where’er our changeful lot is cast; Glad when Thy gracious smile we see, blest when our faith can hold Thee fast. O Jesus, ever with us stay, make all our moments calm and bright; Chase the dark night of sin away, shed o’er the world Thy holy light. https://youtu.be/1oYeRE0ehPg?rel=0 In between jobs, many people think they have little for which to give thanks. In reality, I give thanks for each one of you as God has brought you to the point that your eyes have been opened to see more specifically how He works in you and for you. To view the time between work assignments as a God-given sabbatical to expand your network of associations, to sharpen your technical skills, and to spend time with Father to understand better how He wants you to use the passion He has placed within you shows a significant growth in your relationship with and your trust in His Love and His leadership in your life.
What an amazing place to be at this special time of Thanksgiving. Come, Ye Thankful People, Come ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home; All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin. God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied; Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home. All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield; Wheat and tares together sown, unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade, and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear; Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be. For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home; From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away. Give His angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast, But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore. Even so, Lord, quickly come to Thy final harvest home; Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin. There forever purified, in Thy presence to abide; Come, with all Thine angels, come, raise the glorious harvest home https://youtu.be/AJn3B7Yebnc Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Tim Cummings Once again, the hymns from this morning's worship service seem divinely focused on aspects of our sabbatical search. Consider the following: Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to your God to order and provide; In every change He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: your best, your heav’nly Friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Be still my soul: your God will undertake To guide the future as He has the past. Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below. Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on When we shall be forever with the Lord, When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past, All safe and blessed we shall meet at last. What better words could there be for us when in the midst of a God-given Sabbatical! I pray that your soul responds to these inspired words as has mine. I could not sing them without tearing up! You can enjoy a version of it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/mq59iE3MhXM?rel=0 At our last meeting, towards the end of our time, we hit on the concept of who is our customer in our job search. This may seem a bit confusing as we are looking for a job placement. Let me see if I can clarify the thoughts and by doing so, help you see your job search in a bit of a different light. We spend time understanding our transferable skills. We look for specific jobs that call for those skills. This process tends to funnel us into job openings which are very similar to the jobs we have had in our past work history. How about considering, instead of jobs, clients and customers who need those skills. If we can discover businesses that need the skills we have, we then can examine the job openings in those businesses for a position were we can serve them well with our skill set. Once we have found these "clients" who need our skills, we can drill down to the jobs that are attractive to us. Folks who are capable of "seeing" these relationships are often successful in securing new and more demanding positions, with competitive pay and benefits. So, spend some time reflecting on the "clients" who could take advantage of the transferable skills you control. As we worshiped, today, I was reminded of the sound theological teaching that is contained in so many of the "old" hymns. While we often remember the first verse of these hymns, it is usually in the second, third and fourth verses that the richness of their faith is demonstrated in the deep theological truths about which they write. When those truths are written into the great patriotic hymns of our country, the impact of their wisdom, faith and understanding of our roles in Christ can literally explode into understanding. Let me share the lyrics of the hymns we sang today in our service: God of Our Fathers (NATIONAL HYMN) God of our fathers, whose almighty hand Leads forth in beauty all the starry band Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies, Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise. Thy love divine hath led us in the past; In this free land by Thee our lot is cast; Be Thou our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay: Thy Word our law, Thy path our chosen way. From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence, Be Thy strong arm our eversure defense; Thy true religion in our hearts increase, Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace. Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way, Lead us from night to neverending day; Fill all our lives with love and grace divine, And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine. America the Beautiful O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet, whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm Thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine, Till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea! Eternal Father, Strong to Save Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm doth bind the restless wave, Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep: O hear us when we cry to Thee for those in peril on the sea. O Savior, Whose almighty word the winds and waves submissive heard, Who walkedst on the foaming deep and calm amid its rage didst sleep: O hear us when we cry to Thee for those in peril on the sea. O sacred Spirit, Who didst brood upon the chaos dark and rude, Who badd’st its angry tumult cease, and gavest light and life and peace: O hear us when we cry to Thee for those in peril on the sea. O Trinity of love and pow’r, our brethren shield in danger’s hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, protect them wheresoe’er they go; and ever let there rise to Thee glad hymns of praise from land and sea. The God of these hymns is the God who guides us on our sabbatical search. I pray that the words from these hymns will stay with you as we celebrate our country, this week. I recently attended a networking event where Joe Graves shared some great networking tips. They are provided here for your consideration:
Sitting here on Sunday afternoon wondering what I could say that would be helpful for you in your search. I realize that it has been a while since we have discussed elevator pitches ... so let's do that now. There are a lot of different approaches being taught when it comes to elevator pitches. They tend to focus on your dumping enough information in a short amount of time so as to impress the person to whom you are speaking so as to hire you. Yeah, ...fat chance! Let's go back to Job Search 101. Our sabbatical is a gift from God to provide us the opportunity to expand our network, sharpen our skills, and discover how our passion will be acted out in our next job placement. So how can we use an elevator pitch to expand our connections? What if we conducted our Elevator Pitch so that we were able to schedule a 20 minute coffee with whomever we meet "on the elevator"* What would that pitch look like? If we can construct our pitch in such a way that we cause the person to ask us a question, what happens? Well for one, they expect an answer, so it might get us some extra time with the person as we explain the answer. But wouldn't it be better to say, "I would love to answer your question, but I have an engagement, and I am sure you probably have one as well. Perhaps we could meet for 20 minutes over coffee and I could explain the answer to you. I also would love to ask you a question or two about your job/company/industry. When and where could we meet?" An elevator pitch can be a very powerful tool for generating coffee appointments for your job search! |
AuthorsInformation presented in this blog come from a cross section of our team members and staff. Archives
January 2019
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