A
Good Story: The Plot Thickens
By Karen D’Amore
“Delight yourself in
the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:4
As the pre-test jitters threatened to
overtake me, the early morning email was comforting and affirming. Another piece
of the puzzle had been snapped into place as God’s plan continued to unfold before me. The tests were grueling;
passing was a celebratory accomplishment. Relieved and ready for the next
chapter, I contacted Mary Beth Berns immediately. As email connections
eventually led to face-to-face interaction, I eagerly volunteered to assist
with her charity event.
It was a rewarding day performing
complimentary pedicures on the mothers of special needs children. And after
spending that memorable Sunday at the salon my “melded desire list” was covered
with check marks. Beaming with joy, my heart felt at home in that salon.
Confident that my heart’s burning desire was God-inspired, I trusted assuredly
in His ability to bring His plan to
pass. Sharing my heart and the details of the day with my husband, he asked if
I would be submitting an employment application. My immediate “NO,” caught him
off guard. I explained, “If that’s where God wants me…He’ll prompt Mary Beth to
seek me out.” And so….I waited and prayed!
Over the next month, I ran into Mary Beth at
several community events. When I posted a picture on Facebook of me holding my
official manicurist license, she commented that she wished she had a job for
me. While discouragement threatened to derail my faith, I continued to pray and
wait. Following an upcoming trip home to California, my day timer was inscribed
with “start job hunt” on June 7th, the day of my return. On the
morning of June 5th, sitting at my parents’ computer, I wept as I
read the message I had been waiting and praying for. Mary Beth wanted to meet
with me regarding a job!
Meeting with her, the “He will give you the
desires of your heart” portion of Scripture came to life! She shared, “I don’t
have a position available, however, God told me to hire you…What are you
looking for?” Going through my “melded desire list,” only one item remained
unchecked and unspoken: Prefer Saturdays
off due to volunteer commitment at the wildlife center. Before I could
discuss this last point, she agreed to everything on my list. She continued, “I
only have one restriction. I have a full crew on Saturdays, so you wouldn’t be
able to work that day.” I nearly fell off my chair!
CHECK…my “melded desire list” was 100%
complete…with every desire on the
list fulfilled!
To be
continued…
GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you waiting and praying for God to
fulfill your heart’s desires?
FURTHER READING:
Married
to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at
Craig Berns Salon. She volunteers at a
Wildlife Rescue Center and in Women’s Ministry at Oakwood.
