Throw Away Your Map

I graduated from nursing school on August 6th, 2017.

I planned on getting a job shortly after.

I was going to start saving money so hubby and I could build a house, buy me a shiny black SUV, and hopefully start our own family.

Life had other plans.

Here I sit, still searching for a job.

I know that it's partly my fault. I'm being picky because I want to make sure that whatever job I have is a good fit for both me and my employer. I want a cheery work atmosphere and normal hours. Those are hard to find when you're a baby-nurse, at the way bottom of the totem pole.

But I never dreamed I'd still be searching for that dream job.

If you're like me, you spent the end of your teen years planning out your life. You drew yourself a perfect map, complete with a plan B, plan C, and escape routes for every imaginable obstacle. You added the last stroke of road on your beautiful map and sat back to look at your creation. You couldn't help but smile at the way your life was going to go. Nothing can go wrong now.

You started on your life journey. Sure, you had to take a couple detours, but you planned for those, too. There were even a couple times when you shrugged and said "Oh well. Plans change" and you added another road on your map.

But then, the unthinkable happens. That one detour you didn't account for springs out of no where. The one thing you never dreamed would happen. Or, maybe the one road you were sure on taking turns out to not exist. Either way, you suddenly realize that your map is now worthless.

I know, I'm incredibly naive.

I'm not saying that plans are bad. It's great to have a game-plan. But as I said, it's so naive to think that our plans aren't going to change. Doors open and shut and we have to learn to trust God in the hallway. We have to accept that we don't get to decide what opportunities we are given. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. And sometimes, good things don't happen to good people.

Am I disappointed that I don't have a job yet? Of course. But at the same time, I've been able to spend lots of time focusing on being a new wife; I've been able to go to a weekly Bible study that I wouldn't have been able to go to if I had a job; there were times this winter where I would never have been able to get my car out of the driveway due to snow. While I don't necessarily believe that there is a specific reason for not having a job yet, I do think that it has benefited me in a lot of ways. It for sure has taught me patience!

So from here on out, I'm going to throw away my map, because the truth is that I can't map out my life. All I can do is my absolute best, and put the rest in God's hands. Besides, sometimes it's fun not knowing what is going to happen next :)


Emily
xoxo