My Work History
I am a former employee with combined work experience of over 40 years. Now, I’m retired…thank God! It’s a good time to be retired because recently, 1 in 4 Americans in U.S. were out of work due to COVID-19. Over 40 million people filed an unemployment claim. No doubt, the loss created serious problems for some of them.
Retirees have guaranteed pay! Yet, I’m not insensitive to the fact that COVID-19 impacted some in ways they never imagined. Prior to retirement, I had two major jobs, Norfolk Police Department (NPD) from 1978-1983 and Department of the Navy (DON) Federal Government (Fed Gov) from 1983-2015. God’s orchestration was strong, the entire time, for both jobs. My focus here is my federal civilian career, though. He worked for me in 1983, prior to the start of it, continued to work throughout and had He not worked for me prior to the inauguration of it, my retirement would not be as sweet and wonderful years later. Needless to say, that’s how He works. He knows the end from the beginning and works according to perfect wisdom and knowledge.
God’s Timing
When I started working in 1983, I had no idea that God was operating in perfect timing at the beginning of my federal career for purposes of the end of it. Timing would be instrumental in the comfortable retirement I would later enjoy. Apart from His timing, I would’ve missed out on the federal retirement system I believe allows one to live comfortably on their retirement salary without social security, other retirement savings, or part time employment. Other federal employees, I know, feel the same way! God was keeping up with federal laws for my sake. He orchestrated my steps accordingly!
God Orchestrated Steps
After applying for federal positions in the administrative arena, He started orchestrating the actions of others. I couldn’t just put in an application and begin working, a skills test had to be taken, too. I complied, and took steps to get tested. Here’s a specific example of God’s orchestration regarding the skills test: a woman, unfamiliar to me, administered the skills test. I struggled to pass and qualify for entrance into the Fed Gov, but the Lord worked it out…it was a matter of the right person being at the right place at the right time. Our steps were ordered by the Lord! Had she not been on duty, I would not have gotten my foot in the door of the Fed Gov! Years later, I found out that unknown woman at the testing center was a Christian!
My First Federal Job
Finally, the day came in February 1983 when I got my first telephone call from a federal government manager wanting to interview me. He was a Christian. He selected me! God still at work on my behalf indeed. My first federal boss…a Christian man–God worked for me! Prior to getting the job, He worked! During my government tenure, He worked! Now, today, I’m blessed with good benefits after retirement, and He’s still working for me!
I Changed Jobs
Like many of my former colleagues, I changed jobs, too, a few times because employees can work for the Fed Gov and retain benefits, for retirement purposes, while going from job to job.
I know some non Federal workers who have concerns about their future retirement. They despise their current job, want a new job, but have too many years invested in their current job to move on. For them, to go from job to job means a loss of time and benefits. In hindsight, I know God WORKED for me! This type of forum won’t permit me to be specific in all the ways in which He worked for Vanessa but He’s WORKED many times!
But the grass didn’t grow under my feet! By the time I retired, I had been promoted several times…up to the level of EEO Manager. Certainly, not without God’s intervention neither without challenging moments.
EEO, My Specialty
EEO became my specialty in the Fed Gov. As EEO Specialist, employees lodged discrimination complaints with me; the result was a written, sometimes lengthy, EEO Counselor’s report. As EEO Manager, I managed employees, but also reviewed, sometimes edited, their EEO Counselor’s reports. I was able to hone my writing and editing skills through work experience and training sessions. The Fed Gov is big in both professional and personal development. It benefits them! Little did I know I was being prepared for my “after-retirement” life! I did say God worked for me throughout my work career, right? Perhaps, you believe me when I say, God WORKs!
Your Work Career
So enough about my work career. Many of you have your own career stories. Some of it is good. Some bad. Perhaps, all of it, so far, has been challenging. You may be one of the 40 million workers who recently filed an unemployment claim. God’s an equal employment opportunity God…He is no respecter of persons. God worked for me; He will work for you! Probably have already worked for you but rest assured that as a child of God, He will continue to work for you! He won’t quit on you! No-one can terminate or fire Him! Your issues may be work-related. Or maybe not. They may be personal issues. Whatever they are, He’s well-equipped to work your problems out! He specializes in all things, and He can do what no other power can do!
God’s Credentials
Prior to a specialist’s hire in the Fed Gov, credentials are checked. For God’s credentials, His prior work experience, and more, check it out below. I strongly recommend you give Him the opportunity to WORK FOR YOU! After review of the below, totally based on His Word, contact me here https://www.vanessbooks.com/contact-me/, or let me know in the comments section, below, if you would select Him for your personal jobs.
People Problems? Personal Problems? Parenting Problems? Pressing Problems? Petty Problems?
Give God work assignments! He wants to work them out! Throughout my work career, I had problems…people and workload. Some days were very challenging. After arriving home many days, I turned my face to the wall, in tears, and vented on God! The Lord WORKED for me; He sustained me! By the time severe problematic issues began occurring in the workplace, retirement was available as an option!
God’s Retired?
We have a lot going on in our world today…COVID-19, racial tensions, and other fires stemming from those two major issues. When we thought it couldn’t get any worse than COVID-19, the racial tensions began. COVID-19 has lasted longer than we desired or anticipated. People have been praying. Yet God’s been silent, unresponsive seemingly. It appears God has retired. He’s a consuming fire according to Hebrews 12:29. He sure hasn’t put out this “COVID-19” fire! All these destructive flames connected to COVID-19 have yet to be extinguished after a few months of constant prayer. He’s no longer putting out fires? His acting position of “FireFighter” is vacant?
No! He Still Works
Friend, it may appear He has retired from working miracles, ordering steps, even being a gracious God…one thing is sure, He is still God! He still WORKs! He will work these major issues in His own timing and own way, according to His own plan!
If any of the above major issues or others have impacted you in a negative way, I assure you He’s at work on your behalf! He’s working beyond what human eyes can see.
Since, He works for you, tell Him what you want Him to do! He did say, “Ask and it shall be given, (St Matt 7:7).” He also said, “Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show you great and mighty things you know not of (Jeremiah 33:3).” God WANTS work assignments!
Micro-Manage God
Here’s where we fail in our role as HPIC (head person in charge) in this one aspect of giving God work assignments, we give Him assignments then start pacing the floor in fear wondering if He heard us, wondering when and how He’s going to work. The problem is constantly on our mind. Friend, there’s no need to micro-manage God:
- He is more than able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that WORKs in us (Ephesians 3:20); and
- He is timely at all times. His sense of “time” is different from ours…one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Peter 3:8), but He’s always on time for our individual issues. When I managed employees, I had tardy days, but God is not man…He will NEVER be late when working for you! At no time will you be able to say that God did not show up on time! Check out Lazarus, Mary, and Martha’s story in St John 11:1-44. He’s an on-time God, even when we think He’s late!
Cease micro-managing Him! I found out, in my own life, when I give work assignments to God, via prayer, get up off my knees trusting Him to answer in His own way and timing, there are no regrets!
His Work is Superb
Trust Him with your cases. Like a good defense attorney, He’s undefeated! No need to feel anxious because He’s silent. He’s working the parts and pieces of your life together for good according to Romans 8:28. It’s part of His work processes. Intervention in your situation may be delayed but something positive is happening as a result of delayed intervention! Maybe He’s working something in you via delay or out of you! Maybe He’s BUILDING excellent character within as a result of what you are experiencing. Fiery trials have a way of accomplishing His purposes! Who likes fiery trials, right? I don’t care for them either!
Your life may be on the verge of ruin if God don’t intervene. There’s no dilemma too hard for Him! No case too difficult for Him to work out! Things may keep happening. Keep believing when everything within you wants to resort to disbelief in Him. From everlasting to everlasting He is God, Psalms 90:2. Therefore, for as long as you live, He will be working for you!
Complaints
Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and He hears my voice (Psalm 55:17)
Unofficial Complaints
Some of what’s trending in the news world today fall under racial discrimination. Christians and non Christians are victims of racial profiling, discrimination, sexual harassment, and other factors prohibited in the workplace by Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964. Those of us who are born again Believers may or may not have experienced workplace discrimination, but a good portion of our personal dilemmas are either the works of our own hands or close relatives or acquaintances. Truth is, some of our problems/issues are self-made. We create problems for ourselves then lodge accusatory complaints against God as if He’s biased and/or unfair. We eat wrong, get into bad relationships, do the wrong thing physically, and so on. Things began happening and we complain to Him. We complain about Him. The essence of our complaints? We’ve been discriminated by God.
Complaints Against God
They’re unofficial and invalid complaints, of course, but we really do believe He’s mistreating us. Our new perception of Him is due to a constant flow of difficult problems likely brought on by us. We believe God could have stopped them or should have intervened. He didn’t. The conclusion of the matter, “Life is unfair” because of God.
Unfair Treatment like Discrimination Complaints
Another circle of folks, in a different setting, who experience unfair treatment, but outside of the workplace, Christians and non Christians, are those who, at some point in time, experience harassment in the home because of a physical disability. They’re treated badly because of it.
Some women have been mistreated by a male acquaintance who used his manly strength against her due to her gender. He harassed and physically abused her because he physically could (sex discrimination/sexual harassment).
Or what about this scenario: two siblings are different in color, one lighter than the other…the darker one is treated badly in the home due to being darker in complexion (discrimination based on color). It happens in the workplace. It happens in the home.
Non-Work Complaints
These examples may not be workplace matters but they are matters of mistreatment based on the same prohibited factors covered by workplace laws. They’re similar issues prevalent in homes, they’re just not called workplace discrimination because of where they occurred. If it’s wrong in the workplace, it’s wrong in the home! It’s wrong in God’s eyes as well. He’s not the author of such things! They’re the works of others, yet God can and will let them work for the good of the one affected by the bad behavior of others. He can and will work them out, too!
No Valid Complaint Against God
Friend, there’s never a valid reason to file complaints against God saying things like, “Life is unfair, or You’re treating me differently than other saints.” Cease complaining to Him because another known saint is not experiencing what you are, or because a non-Christian is faring much better and not experiencing the hell you are. These type of complaints are against God’s intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, His love, and His claim of sovereignty. They accuse God of being less than the loving God He is. Besides, He hears them.
My Complaint
Prior to getting a job at the NPD, I lodged complaints against God…the same complaints as others, “You’re not treating me right. You’re taking too long to bless me.” I prayed for my unemployment season to end. God was not listening, or responding, so I filed a barrage of other complaints against Him. Eventually, I received and accepted a job offer at the NPD. When I started working there, I realized that God had a valid reason for not responding to my prayer request immediately. By the time I started working there, spiritual stability had been BUILT within me that I would need while working there. All the time I was unemployed, He was working (BUILDING) within me necessary spiritual stability. I learned from that experience, He knows what He’s doing when He close some doors and open others!
EEO Complaints
I spent many years working EEO complaints in the federal sector world. Discrimination is real in the workplace. Several laws prohibit discrimination in hiring, firing, promotions, pay, job assignments, training, benefits, or any other term or condition of employment. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin with recent provisions added. ADEA prohibits it on the basis of age, ADA prohibits it on the basis of disability. Other EEOC laws exist because discrimination is prevalent.
God Will Work Complaints & Other Issues
Are you dealing with difficult workplace discriminatory issues? Difficult personal issues? Then you’re entitled to both Title VII and St Matthew 7:7, or one or the other as needed in life. Ask God…He will work your matters out! Ask God for guidance and direction when you lack wisdom to move forward in life. Whether workplace or non work-related, He can and will work for you. Faith without works is dead. Some of your solved situations may have God’s handiwork alone. Others may have God’s work in conjunction with systems in place, or via the intervention of others. Let God lead you…His leadership is His work, too, on your behalf.
You’ve read my story! There’s another story you should read…the story of Esther. I promise you, it’s an awesome story that confirms God WORKs! God worked for Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews. It’s a short book of 10 chapters. Every chapter displays the handiwork of God though He’s not mentioned in any of the chapters. The book will bless your intellect!
God Works for His People
I firmly believe God works for His people as He did for the Jews in Old Testament times. Everything God does for us is on account of Christ’s work on the cross. We are blessed and highly favored because of that work! Man became separated from God way back in Adam’s day, Christ’s death on the cross put us back in fellowship with Him! Now, we are adopted into the family of God with many wonderful benefits that surpass any benefits pertinent to retirement!
Work for God
God WORKs for you! Your responsibility in the matter? “Believe!” Faith pleases Him! Exercise it! It’s the buzz word for moving Him to respond to your prayer requests. The truth of the matter is God’s our Boss! He works for us because He’s a gracious God, and we desperately need Him! We work for Him because we are indebted to Him as Creator of the universe and Savior of the world! He works from home (Heaven)! Our work for Him is here on earth! It’s the only work that can eradicate sin…the effects of sin, including racism, murder, violence, robbery, stealing, etc. If we will work while it is day…do His work, i.e., His work of evangelizing and calling others to salvation, there will be less crime, less insensitivity, less sexual harassment, less of every sin that can possibly be committed. This is what the Bible says in James 5:20,
Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
In light of coronavirus, we must work the work of Christ in ways as the Holy Spirit leads! Definitely, from a distance!
He Works for You
God WORKs for you! If you’re still not convinced He does, read Psalm 111 and see He works for the children of men…that’s you and I! Reader, I’ve prayed for you that your faith fail not…that you will believe He’s working for you! One thing I know about God is that He works in us when He works for us. He achieves perfection (spiritual maturity) in us when we allow Him to work for us! But we must let patience have her perfect work that we may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. See James 1:1-8.
Promote God
Friend of God, no one works with His caliber of excellence and not get promoted! His superb record of service calls for promotion to His rightful place in your life…Lord & Master! It calls for devotion to His works while it is day, the night comes when no man can work! This current season of life is difficult for everybody…COVID-19 have terrorized people. Folks are looking for comfort, solace, hope, and for change. You and I have the answer!
Your Work has Benefits!
Now is the time to work the works of Christ! Now is the time to promote Him to the fullest extent. He said, If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me! Promote Him, especially since He’s ALWAYS working for you! Then, too, only what you do for Christ will last! What you do for Him today will benefit you in your next life! Child of God, get to work today! Don’t delay!
