Job Opportunity, God "Set Me Up!"

According to the Merriam-Websters Dictionary the phrase "to set up" means: "to make carefully worked out plans for". To fully appreciate the depth of this story I will have to give you a brief review of my career life for the past four or five years.

It all began back in 2006. I was working at PPG Industries Inc. in Lexington just minding my own business when, thanks to foreign trade I was laid off. Because my lay-off was trade related I qualified for TAA Government benefits. Translated into English that meant that Uncle Sam would pay for me to go to college and get an associates degree. Manufacturing jobs was all I had ever known and the thought of going back to school was overwhelming to say the least.

To make a long story somewhat shorter, I graduated from Forsyth Technical Community College in 2008 with an Associates Degree in Applied Science with Biotechnology as my major. Just prier to graduation I did my internship at North Carolina A & T State University working in a laboratory within the Department of Natural Resources/Environmental Design. The Mushroom Biotechnology Lab was enjoyable work for me, giving me good "hands on" experience working in a "real" lab setting. I completed a research project without a hitch and ended up with a 3.3 GPA upon graduation.

By the grace of God I landed a QC lab job at a specialty fabrics plant in Greensboro within two weeks after graduating from FTCC. The only draw-back was that it was a third shift (11:00 pm - 7:00 am) position. It was the best paying and best all around job that I have ever had but constantly put a strain on my home, church and social life.

I have endured the "grave yard" shift for about two years now and recently made a lateral move to another lab within the same plant. Being a glutton for punishment I went from working third shift (8 hrs. a day) to working second shift (12 hrs. a day, 3 days/4 days a week)! Sure I had more time off but it further alienated me from church services, choir/band practices, etc. The main bummer was the fact that I had to drop out of my much loved guitar playing at church (policy:not at practice, no play Sunday). So much for a short story! Sorry, but it gets better.

Here comes the "God set me up" part. Check this out! Earlier this month I get a call and an email from the head of the laboratory back at A & T State University and he offered me a full-time job in his lab. Needless to say, I was totally blind-sided and was astonished at the fact that he considered me after a period of over two years! I forgot to mention the lab working hours are 8:00 am till 5:00 pm, five days a week. Needless to say, with some family discussions and prayer I excepted the staff position of Research Technician with N.C. A & T State University in Greensboro.

In this time of job losses I feel guilty in some ways because within a period of about two months I have technically had three jobs back to back. I guess the main thing I want to express to everyone is don't give up on your dreams. Put your trust in God and he will "set you up" in a good way. We all want what we want now and the heck with waiting for anything in this fast, microwave society. We see things on a day to day basis but God looks at the overall picture of our lives. The lessons that I have learned from my experiences is to never give up or underestimate yourself but above all stay diligent and let God "set YOU up"!