By Robin Sam
June 24, 2009 | 00:46:06

AGNES OLUBUNMI AMOS had everything going her way. She had a good job as the director of marketing and events for the Society for Biomolecular Sciences. In a career spanning nearly 20 years she had seen highs and lows as a business professional in the field of events/marketing. She had also worked as the conference operations manager for Platts/McGraw Hill, conferences and exhibitors director for Mediaoutsource, head of customer service/project coordinator for Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society, and the exhibitions and marketing manager for the Labour Party in London. Agnes, who holds an executive MBA from the University of Hull, United Kingdom, currently lives in the United States. | Order the book now |

 

However, a gnawing thought in her kept telling her that her life had not been a testimony at least as far as her job search was concerned. She had hopped from one job to another with the ease of a trapeze artist never really knowing that Jesus Christ, savior and Lord of her life, wanted to be taken into confidence on that aspect of her life, too. She had been praying for a break, she wanted to move on to another job, a possible hop up the corporate ladder with a decent pay hike to boot. However, it took Agnes 15 months, over 1,000 resumes and six failed interviews to land another job. For 13 months, she looked around for a job while still holding on to her position at the Society for Biomolecular Sciences. When nothing materialized she quit in sheer desperation in October, 2008. A week after her resignation, the stock market in the US crashed leaving both employers and job seekers in a state of panic. Potential job offers were frozen. 

 

But our God is the God of the impossible, and nothing that that happens here on earth limits what He can do from his throne in heaven. Crashing world markets and economic turmoil mean nothing to Him, because He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Agnes had learned that lesson. In February, 2009 she joined the National Tour Association management team in the US as senior vice president. 

 

'The Journey of a Christian Job Seeker' written by Agnes Amos is the result of a remarkable discovery about God, life and herself. THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER spoke to her on June 23. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:

 

Your job search, you say in the book, began in Sept, 2007 with a belief that God placed in your heart that you were to change jobs.  Tell us how you responded to the belief initially and what prophetic messages you received that confirmed the belief as truly from God.

 

A pastor friend of mine in Germany was praying for me over the phone one late evening  in the fall of  2005  (though I had been silently praying to the Lord to change my job and promote me) and he shared with me that I will get another job soon – however, I will not stay too long in this job because a greater opportunity awaits me.  A week later, I did get a new job with Society for Biomolecular Sciences as their Director of Meetings and Events.  I was overjoyed and embarked on this new exciting role.  I started with this company in December of 2005 and in the summer of 2007, the Lord reminded me of the prophetic message given to me in 2005 “You will not stay too long in this job because greater opportunity awaits you.”  With this reminder, there was a force in me driving me to seek greatness, but I can’t quite explain it now.  My friends and family thought I was crazy, because I had a good job and they didn’t understand why I should look further. After careful thought, I launched my job search in faith September 10, 2007.  Because I truly believe He spoke. I was convinced that I would get the first job I interviewed for - but I was wrong.

 

You say you sent out over a thousand resumes during the 15 months that you hunted for a job. Did you actually send out that many resumes or is it just a fancy number?

 

This was not a fancy number at all. America was entering into a recession and the job market was beginning to slow down. For the most part I never even got any responses back from these resumes and the employers who responded were just exploring and did not really have any job openings.

 

What kept you going through the ordeal of sending those resumes?

 

The grace of God, hope and trust that God is not a man that He should lie, and the support of my families as well as my former boss whom I confided in about my job search.

 

A week after you resigned from your previous company, the US stock market crashed. Did you ever feel like picking up the phone and calling up your former boss with an offer to withdraw your resignation then?

 

The thought of getting my job back certainly crossed my mind.  However, in God’s own divine plan I did not go through with it because He wanted me to use my “waiting period”, as I call it, to trust Him for my provision and write this journal.  If I had gotten back my job, this journal would not have been published.

 

When rejection became routine did you ever think you had perhaps reached the end of your career and may never land another job?

 

I knew I would get some sort of a job – but doubt certainly set in that I would never land that promotion and greater opportunity that the Lord had promised.

 

Were you willing to take a pay cut when you realized the global meltdown was real and here to stay for some time?

 

Yes, I was willing to take a pay cut and, in fact, at one point I was willing to take any job out of desperation and self doubt.  I convinced myself that God would not come through for me – so I need to settle.  Wrong mindset!

 

What should be the Christian’s response to the all-pervasive gloom and despair?

 

Hope. Someone once describe hope as a built-in compass to help us get to where we desire. I also believe that in every wilderness journey there is a well of provision.

 

What advice would you give those who lost their jobs around the world in the recent economic turmoil?

 

Never give up in the heat of battle because that is when your miracle is about to happen. We serve a God who specializes in impossible situations; nothing that happens here on earth limits what God can do from His throne in heaven. Crashing world markets and economic turmoil mean nothing to Him.

 

Many corporates have the concept of buddy mentoring to help their employees tide over difficulties at workplace. What value can a Christian add to this?

 

I truly believe that God has given to us all tremendous wisdom and understanding, and as Christians we should share our gift to bless one another. Providing mentoring, coaching and emotional support to Christians in their time of need would certainly please our heavenly Father.

 

What important lesson do you think God taught you in all this?

 

God has taught me patience through this journey.  I am naturally not a patient person.  I want things to happen and happen now.  However, God has made it clear through all the disappointment I have endured in the job search that, He will walk with me at His own timetable, not mine.

 

Tell us a little about your family. Who plays the role of a mentor and a prayer warrior for you in your family?

 

I am very blessed to come from a family that loves the Lord.  I was taught as a child that when I am in trouble I should go to the Lord in prayers and He will deliver me.  Everyone in my family is a prayer warrior and I give God the highest praise for blessing me with families who are walking in His will. Often in my life when I have given up Hope, my families have reminded me to count my blessings one by one and be thankful because we serve a good and awesome God. | Order the book now |

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