My latest testimony tells the story how I ended up with an
internship (New Chapter Of My Life). And that’s exactly what it is: an internship. I wasn’t a full-time
employee. So this testimony will express the tale of my endeavor towards
earning a fixed position.
The Ticking Bomb
My original contract was set out to end on May 30th. However,
I refused to apply to other agencies even when other people told me to. Part of
me kept holding unto the strings of hope to get a permanent position. Part of
me believed this was an act of faith. Part of me was lazy to start the whole job
searching process all over again.
A week before the contract ended, I received an email
offering me to extend the internship for another month. I was happy and
accepted with no hesitation.
However, the same cycle kept repeating the following month,
and the month afterwards. When people asked me how my job is going, I always
reply: “I don’t know, I might just leave this month.”
In August, the extension offer came again. They would
usually offer one extra month. Note, however, that they offered me 15 days this
time. My heart sank as I came to face the truth I had been denying all along:
This is it. This is the end.
Holding On
All this time, my relationship with God had been complacent
– at least to me. In all honesty, I had been skipping my Bible reading and
morning devotions. This was a wake-up
call that I still needed Him. So I pursued Him back, as I continued to chase
after a permanent position. It was a behavior I found so disappointing – only calling
out to God when I’ve hit rock bottom. But then again, I’m not a perfect human
being.
In my final attempt to cling onto this agency I had grown to
love so much, I wrote another email. I explained my desire to stay there because
of it’s great environment, the valuable learning experiences I obtained, and
the wonderful people present. I finally asked the dreaded question: do I have a
chance to stay, or is it time for me to move on?
An email came shortly afterwards, saying: Let’s talk
tomorrow.
The following day, the manager asked me to follow her to the
back of the office space. It was a wide area with a lot of couches, which the
creative department tends to use to hold meetings. This morning, it was
drenched in darkness. They had for some reason opted to leave the lights off,
which gave a more dramatic tension. There, the president and executive creative
director were also awaiting my arrival.
“So we understand that you want to keep working here. What
are your plans for the future? Cause we understand that you have a deadline
with your OPT?” the manager started to ask me.
I explained how I planned to stay until my OPT ended. That
was my intention since the beginning. What came afterwards was the most
pleasant surprise I had ever heard.
“We are willing to offer you the H1B working VISA if you
choose to keep working with us.”
Words couldn’t express my feelings. I just sat there, looking
dumbfounded at the three most important people in the hierarchy. This was way beyond
my expectation. I am the person who didn’t attempt to get one. And yet, here I
am with the offer of a lifetime. My mind got jumbled up. My firm decision to
return to Indonesia got shaken. The offer was too tempting to resist.
God had answered the million-dollar question as soon as I
decided to come back to Him. There was no delay on His behalf - He answered
right away.
The End Of A New
Chapter
Another streams of dilemma hit me as I struggled to make up
my mind. In the process, I even wrote a new song called “Close A Door.” Sometimes,
God opens a million doors, and you become so confused on what to do. It was in the
middle of the composition where God spoke to me and revealed which door He had
closed.
I chose to politely decline the offer. I had to go back to
Indonesia.
However, the agency had decided to let me stay until the end
of the year. So I am no longer an intern, I am now finally a Jr. Designer~
Wohooo~
Friends, it is amazing how God works. The whole job searching process since the beginning until I claimed a permanent position took more than a half-year. But the journey was worth it. God never left my side, even when I left His. He continued to wait, even as I wandered elsewhere. He answered my prayer, even if I sought after Him only during a time of need. He loved me, even when I was unworthy.
And He will do the same for you.
Especially for those who are looking for a job, I can’t
emphasize enough how He has already prepared a plan for your future. Your path
has already been laid out in front of Him. Just follow its tracks and watch how
many doors shall be opened, and closed. Endure it. Pray for it. Believe in it. And
you shall obtain it.
So, let me present to you the most quoted Bible verse,
because it truly sums up what we need to hear during a waiting period.
“I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of
success, not of suffering.” – Jeremiah 29:11
