The Walls Come Tumbling Down

Within the month, after more job applications filled out and places of employment visited, at the urging of my girlfriend; I reached out to Lowe's one more time.

I was supposed to hear from one of the managers and I hadn't yet, so I reached back out to them again. But this time; something was different! I could sense it as soon as the assistant store manager Shelley picked up the phone. Although she was eating breakfast; she dropped what she was doing and told me about two jobs they had posted just minutes earlier.

I wasted no time. I jumped in the car, since the jobs weren't posted on the website yet, to go into the store to fill out the applications . . . I was standing in the store in a nice shirt and jeans within 20 minutes. It was a Monday. Before I left the store, with tears in my eyes, I told Shelley how grateful I was for the oppportunity to interview as she assured me I would at least have that.

This was only the second interview I had been granted and the first one for a full-time job in since I had lost my job. I heard from Shelly six days later, telling me I had an interview the next day-- I was ecstatic!

Most of the time when I pray; I pray for God's will to be done, but I do believe there are times in our lives when He wants us to step out in faith, saying, "Lord, I know You are going to move on my behalf. I am not asking for anything excessive. You say You will give me the desires of my heart if I delight myself in You. That's what I've been doing, so I believe you are going to give me this."

That's what I did. I had marched around these walls for six days and I was believing Monday was the day they would come crashing down! I had marched around these walls for over four years-- through the loss of my job, loss of lives and loss of relationships depression (the only one I've ever experienced in my life)-- and this was the moment I was going to seize not what I deserved, but what I believed God was going to be so gracious to give me.

My approach to my interview was CX4-- Christ, Cool, Calm and Collected. It was two parts-- two managers taking 30 minutes apiece to drill you. In the interview, I was told it was the best interview she had conducted in 13 years. That's what happens when you put your faith, and trust, in God . . . He does exceedingly more than anything we could dream, ask or imagine! (Ephesians 3:20).

Never in my wildest dreams, would I have pictured me getting the job on the SAME DAY I interviewed for it, but that is exactly what happened! All of the prayers, all of the tears, all of the sleepless hours, all of the frustration and all of the discouragement were WORTH it-- the monkey, no one thousand pound gorilla, was off my back! As I was officially offered the job; I cried . . . slow, sweet tears of JOY and gratitude. Feeling the tears flow down my face was one of the best feelings I've ever felt in my life.

My family showered me with love, telling me how proud they were of me. Their words made me feel great. I love making them proud of me. I don't always need their validation, but any time I receive it . . . it always means the world to me! After I had soaked in their praise, I couldn't wait to tell my girlfriend Sara.

When I got to her house; I could barely hold in my excitement. I handed her my work schedule and asked if she had left her work schedule in my car. She looked at it, studied it for a minute, before handing it back to me. "No, that's not mine," she said. "It looks like your handwriting," she followed up as she awaited my response.

"That's because it is MINE," I said smiling.

"You're kidding. Are you serious!?!"

"I'm not. I'm serious . . . I told you I was going to do it this month and I did."

"I am SOOOOOO proud of you. That's awesome!!," she said.

I was so grateful. Without her encouragement, and direction, I never would've followed back up with Lowe's after already doing so once. She had lit a fire under my butt. She had pushed me to reach my potential because she cares about me and about us. She wants to know I will help provide when that day comes we are a family and that I will meet her at least halfway in every area, what a job is symbolic of, and I am more than happy to do just that. I also was excited about how a good job, with a proven company, would impact my girlfriend, her kids and me in the future. There were not enough words to reflect my gratitude to her and my family who believed in and pushed me along the way, but being able to tell them, and us sharing in that special moment, was the best 'Thank You' I could offer.

With as much love and respect as disgust and frustration, in earlier conversations, which were meant to motivate me, she lavished me and I soaked in every single minute, every single second! Each of her words were like small hugs wrapping their arms around my heart and telling me how special I was. There are few things I enjoy more in life than making her smile. I'll never forget that moment-- the moment where the one I love the most and I overcame our first major obstacle!

It was a milestone moment, a benchmark, it was the moment the walls came tumbling down!