Max & Annie's Story
No matter how prepared we may be, uncertainties abound in the field. How do we navigate the future and make God-centered decisions? As shown in Max and Annie’s situation, the Lord walks with us through the hills and valleys, allowing us to discover who we are and to experience His providence.
I’d been blessed with a steady career in the IT industry in the U.S. and a clear calling to China. Eight years ago, our family of five moved to China. Work and marketplace discipleship were going well until my company got acquired.
After trying for a year to adjust to new management, I decided to move on. My confidence in the China marketplace was shaken. I longed to work in a "clean" and more predictable environment, where I could trust my coworkers and bosses, and spend my time productively rather than second guessing or playing political games.
But my job search was going nowhere. I began asking about meaning and my place in the marketplace. My calling to the marketplace hasn't changed. So what did I really want to do after 16 years in the IT sector? It's not a mid-life crisis, but a mid-career crisis. Should I pursue some entrepreneurial opportunity or change fields and do something different? I needed clear career objectives. God knows how He has made me, what I am good at and what works for me.
My wife and I fasted and prayed. A few brothers prayed for me too and shared how God was faithful to them in the valley. I experienced the fellowship of brothers in the marketplace. I became eager again for my next assignment with God as my senior partner and legal counsel.
Almost a year later, I found a new job. I went from a big multinational company to a family owned Chinese company. Between wearing multiple hats and having to meet sales quotas, it was all overwhelming and truly stressful. Seven challenging months passed, and my dream job finally came around. Today, I work closely with the CEO of my company to create more jobs for the local workforce and promote corporate social responsibility to help China’s impoverished areas – both of which I’m incredibly passionate about.
In three years, my career has taken me and my family from the Valley of Baca to a place of springs (Ps. 84:6). The valley humbled me, taught me to pray over every opportunity and seek faith for every challenge. During those tough years, God blessed our ministries in parenting, mentoring and prayer, all of them enjoying a wonderful harvest. In the throes of uncertainty, we've learned to hold fast to the One, in whom all things are certain.
