HOW DO I NAVIGATE THE VALLEYS OF MY CAREER JOURNEY?
Max's passion is marketplace discipleship in creative access countries. Highly competent and bilingual, he advanced his IT career with a clear goal toward an international assignment. Finally, Max's family of five moved to Asia. He loved his job. Heading a new division for his company, he was knee deep in work. But bringing young colleagues to faith energized him. Then his company was acquired, and Max found himself an unwelcome outsider in a new division. For over a year, he tried in vain to adjust. Their prayer updates chronicled the journey:
Month 1 Annie: "We are desiring to stay...However, our confidence in the local marketplace is shaken and we do long to see Max working in a 'clean' and more predictable environment, where he can trust his coworkers and bosses, and spend his time productively rather than second guessing or playing political games."
Month 1 Max: "I continue to search for meaning and my place in the marketplace. I found myself asking what it is that I really want to do after 16 years in the IT sector. Not quite a mid-life crisis, more like a mid-career crisis. Should I go out on my own and pursue some entrepreneurial opportunity? Should I change fields and do something different?"
Month 4 Max: "We are agonizing whether to even consider US job openings...I really need to be clear with my career objectives. I have started job hunting in earnest. Pray that I would have divine appointments, making the right connections. There are a lot of headhunters and some are better than others. I will need to do a lot of networking. May God lead me to the right people. He knows what I am good at and what works for me."
Month 5 Max: "We started fasting and praying for my work situation…During the past month a few brothers prayed for me and shared how God was faithful to them in the valley. I experienced the fellowship of brothers in the marketplace…Money can't even buy the lessons I am learning. I can't wait to start on the new assignment with God as my senior partner and legal counsel!"
Month 8 Annie: "Max is expecting a formal job offer this week. We will send another update with more details if the offer does come. If not, the reality is that we already thanked God for His provision for us to stay in this city, so even if this opportunity does not pan out, another one will... More and more we are learning and trusting that things established as real in the spiritual realm is a lot more trustworthy than the material world. Our God is so good and so big!"
The following month, Max landed his second job in Asia. He went from a big multinational company to a local family owned company. But wearing multiple hats and meeting sales quotas proved to be too stressful. After seven challenging months, his dream job finally turned up. With his boss' blessing, Max moved on to work for a Fortune 500 company. As the CEO's right hand man, Max is working to realize his vision to create more jobs for the local workforce and promote corporate social responsibility to help the country’s impoverished areas.
In three years, Max's career took him through many turns from the Valley of Baca to a place of springs (Psalm 84:6). The valley humbled him, taught him to pray for every opportunity and excercise faith for every challenge. Through the highs and lows of one's career, work done in God's way will accomplish God's will.
Reflection Questions:
What can you learn from Max and Annie about career transitions or changes while tentmaking overseas?
What are other job-related concerns on the missions field would you like more information on? Let's talk.