The Job Story

So Peter's been in his job for 2 months now, which just feels wild! Little did we know that something we had prayed so long for would be such an incredible adjustment for our family, probably more for Peter than for the rest of us.

We miss having Peter around the house during the day. And I know it's been strange for Peter being in an office 5 days a week, trying to balance 2 jobs, school, a wife and kids, friends, gym time, and ministry. The week goes fast! And I know it's been hard for him only really seeing the boys on weekends.

But the one thing we keep coming back to is this, God is faithful. And this job is an answer to so much crying out and so much prayer.

And we are so grateful.

And in the moments that feel hard, like when the boys ask where Dada is, and I kindly inform them he's already left for work, or that he woke up early to go to the gym, or that he's not coming home till later as he's working his pizza job tonight, I hold fast to the fact that God is faithful.

His provision of this job was so very clear and it's such a beautiful story. And I can't believe I've waited two months to share it with you.

So here I go before we completely forget all the details.

May we steward this story of God's faithfulness well and may you see Him in all the details.

So as many of you know, Peter was in the job market, and he had been looking for meaningful employment since October 2015. And he started at his new job just two months ago. When I type it out like that, I can't help but think WOW that was a really long time! 

And as I've said before, this season was so incredibly hard. Through it, we experienced so much growth, so much pain, so much grief, and so much joy. And as hard as it was for me, it was so hard to watch Peter go through it. He would continually put himself out there, only to face rejection after rejection. And then he would get back up and do it all over again. The questioning of his worth, of his skills, of his calling, of God's provision was hard for me to watch and witness.

But then something happened as God continued to chip away at all the things that didn't honor Him, He was reminding us of who we are and whose we are, and that our identity is fully in Him. Nothing else matters. And we had to enter into a new level of humility and a new level of laying down of self time and time again.

And even though the journey felt so long, I feel like it took us that long to get to the place where we could fully trust God whatever the path may be and however long the wait may be.

And the Sunday before Peter saw the job posting and applied for it, our Pastor was preaching on Blessed are the Pure in Heart, for they will SEE God. And he ended the sermon with two questions. How do you see God showing up in your life right now? And how do you want to see him? And we were each given little pieces of paper to fill in this blank, I want to see God.... And I turned to Peter and said should we bring them forward, and he said, no I'll bring them forward when I go for prayer after the sermon. I almost started bawling right then and there as I knew he had entered into an even deeper level of humility.

The truth is, we had nothing left in us. We had reached the end of our own ropes and we needed others to carry us, so we stepped forward for prayer. And when the two lovely ladies asked how they could pray for us, Peter got a little choked up as he shared the season we were in, and I started crying as I asked for prayer as to how to support him well in this season. And then they laid hands on us, and we just fully released the tears and the control, and allowed their words to wash over our broken spirits, to heal us, to restore us, to encourage us. And when the Amen arrived, we all looked at each other with tears in our eyes and I thanked them for their words and for that Holy Spirit moment as they spoke truth right to the depths of my soul.

And then just a few days later Peter found a job that he was excited about applying for. It was a position with an organization called Forest Stewardship Council, an organization he had heard about, but most of their jobs are in DC or elsewhere, not here in Washington. So he was intrigued, and figured he had nothing to lose.

So a few days later, when he finally had the time to sit down and apply, he went to look for the job online, but he couldn't find it there. So he called the number he had to see if the position was still open, and he reluctantly turned in his application thinking it was probably too late. And his now boss emailed him back, stating that the position was closed, but she wanted to set up a phone interview with him. And she also asked him how he got her personal phone number as the number he'd called her on was her personal number!!

So a week after our momentous moment at church, the moment where we truly let go and just fully released everything to the Lord, we began to see the FSC logo everywhere! And that Monday, Peter had a phone interview, and it went really well and they asked him to come in that Friday for an in person interview. And Peter left the interview just feeling like if it's not me, then it's someone else who is truly incredible! And then the next Tuesday morning they called him and offered him the job!

Thank you Jesus.

And in the week or two of waiting, we saw God's hand in all of it. Time after time, we heard Him say, I see you, I know you're there. From Peter's favorite song, How He loves by David Crowder, coming on Pandora right as he's breaking a fast, to going back back to work at Pagliacci after like a 6 week hiatus from being out of the country and not being scheduled and realizing they had changed their boxes to include a diagram outlining their Paper trail and FSC gets a shoutout, to being able to use examples from his Pagliacci job in his second interview.

God's hand was in all of it, and we felt that hand so profoundly.

And looking back, I'm just blown away by God's provision every single step of the way through the extra income from Peter's pizza job and the random financial gifts that would show up just when we were questioning whether we should dip into our savings or wondering whether it was financially wise to take time off work to travel to Ireland for a very important wedding!! He provided and you guys we didn't spend an ounce of our savings during that entire season of waiting, or maybe I should say, the balance remains the same as it did 18 months ago, which truly blows my mind.

And as I said, we are so grateful for this job, for a different season, and we're now trying to find balance within this new season. Change is hard, but we're adjusting. And I think it's easier to adjust when we truly feel like God has called Peter to this job in this season.

Again, a huge thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement, we are just so grateful!

If you want to read more specifics about this particular interview/job journey, check out this post.

It is Finished

Just wanted to thank you all for following along with us in this job journey. What a journey it has been! I left for MOPS early this morning as the husband was awaiting the phone call, which we assumed was to talk with him further about the job. And as I was sitting down with the women at my table, I received a text from Peter with the below photo that said "Dada got the job!" I gasped and just praised God, Thank you Jesus! There's so much I want to say, but words just feel so insufficient right now. We are so overwhelmed with gratitude and pray that He has been honored and glorified through us in this journey. May you come to know His goodness and His faithfulness and His mercy in your own life and may our story somehow encourage your own. I can't wait to share with you all the details of this journey and of the past 2 weeks. He has shown Himself in so many ways, and I'm thankful for the eyes to see His hand in everything. He makes all things beautiful, and this journey is so beautiful. I invite you to rejoice with us as we will be doing some serious rejoicing in our house tonight!

And here are the other posts I've posted in the past week relating to this job. Part One, Part Two, Part Three. And it's funny that I even posted about this job in particular as I haven't done that with any of the husband's previous interviews. We just knew. It felt so different.

And the final installment.

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Jesus said "It is finished"

At 9AM this morning, our world spun on itself. The phone call we have waited on for 18 months arrived, the call we fell on our knees for, the call we cried, yelled and screamed for arrived. Today, I was offered a job for an organization that I am super stoked about. To say I am thrilled is the understatement of the millennium. To say I am humbled by all of your prayers and for God's reckless love is also an understatement.

This is an org that seems to perfectly fit my skills, knowledge, and passion. My first love was forests, and my first passion was environmental causes. Today, I come home, today I get to join a team seeking to certify 1 Billion acres of forest land as being sustainably managed. The implications for people, and planet are profound. This is such a good fit, a fit forged in 18 months of seeking and praying, a fit that almost did not happen. I could have stopped searching and given up on my dream, and taken a recent offer to fertilize grass for a living...But It felt like there was something else out there...something better. This job was actually closed when I applied, but by God's grace it was mistakenly kept posted online...and by God's grace my app was too good for them to not take a second look at, position closed or not!

Today, I cry, and I laugh as I look back and I see God's hands all over this past 18 months as well as this whole application process. From the moment I saw this job, everything felt different. It felt like this was it, could it be? Dare we dream again? They wanted an interview within HOURS of seeing my application. Dare we dream? Friends said I was perfect for this job. Dare we dream? We saw the FSC logo everywhere. Dare we dream? We fasted, God moved the process forward. Dare we dream? Breaking our fast, and at that exact moment our favourite David Crowder song comes on Spotify. Dare we dream? They want an in person interview - I nailed it, dare we dream? They want references? Dare we dream? I really want this job. Dare we dream? Today, no need to dream, it has happened!

There are moments over this past 18 months that will live with us forever. Getting prayer at church and crying as we desperately wanted God's eyes, and to understand his plan. Learning to let go of our career and hold on to Jesus. The generosity of friends, sending us letters of encouragement, even money out of the blue. The deep love of my wife, the time with my precious boys. The lessons learned about sharing and opening up our hearts to friends. What it feels like to to be low income, to depend on benefits and minimum wage. The love of our family. The hours spent with my life coach and friend, and the new way of being we dreamed up. The countless times at church when our pastor told us about God's love for us, about His presence even in hard times, about our worth being in Him and not what we do. The sermon series about Moses in the desert. Living simply, and within our new means and finding a new way to be - discounts people! The close calls, and near misses.

We are so grateful for you, and all that you have done for us through your presence in our life. It has been a wild ride, thanks for riding with us.

Blessings and love,

Peter, Malia, Jack, and Ryan.

Note from the Husband

Just wanted to update you all on the job front. Peter received an email last night asking for references, letters of recommendation, and they requested he fill out a background check form. Things are moving along, and we are really hopeful. Again, we truly feel God's hand in all of it. And we continue to wait with anticipation for what is to come. And it's strange for me to think about being in a different season, other than the one we're currently in as we've been sitting in it for so long. I've found I've gotten quite comfortable with it, with the waiting, with the full reliance on Him, with the presence of my husband around the home. It's been a season of growth and a season of transformation and a season of being deeply reminded just how loved we are. And as much as I wouldn't wish this season on anyone, I'm just so thankful to be here, in this place, resting in this season as we await what is to come. And I know with the changing of the seasons, we look back at the mud and the dirt and we can see life sprouting up from it.

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Hello,

Yesterday morning I had my interview. The short version was it was highly enjoyable. I left the interview knowing I had taken a good hard swing and could not have done any better. If they do not hire me then whoever is hired will be spectacular. I felt the levity of your prayers and the confidence of the Lord and He gave me the comfort to relax and basically hit a home run. Of course there a few things I would have added in hindsight or done differently but I also know I gave it my best shot and if I do not get it I will be surprised but also stoked for the FSC as they will have hired someone else who must be amazing! I also know that if I get this one, it will be divinely appointed and all glory will be to God. This position was actually closed and they had their final two when they got my application and realized I was worth a shot!

The best question was "What is your spirit animal?"...would love to hear your off the cuff answer! As well as why it is your choice...

Blessings and thank you. We should know within the next few days...till then we continue to pray. 

Peter

Another Note from the Husband

So Peter has a second interview at 10:30 this morning and as I've been reflecting on the road to this interview and the possibility of this job, we see God's hand in all of it. I can't wait to share it with you all. If not this job, then something soon, I can feel it. We are so hopeful, probably more so than ever before, and that feels scary as we've walked the hall of so many closed doors. Could it really be that one might be opening? Or is it too good to be true? And we pray, please God show up. Show up on Peter's bus ride, show up in the interview, show up on Peter's ride home. We need you all our days. May we have eyes to see You in the many ways you show up. May we recognize your hand and the deep love you have for us! And may your will be done. And if this isn't it, then may you comfort us when the grief comes and when we mourn another closed door. And may we hold fast to our anchor knowing that regardless of the storm and the choppy waters, we are anchored to you and we have hope in you and your faithfulness.

And here's the update email from the husband. 
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Hello!

I hope you are well. I wanted to give you an update on the interview I had yesterday. It went really well and felt like an open, honest, and fun conversation. Your prayers played a huge part in my confidence and clarity during the interview. Thank you. 

In the end, I felt pretty good about how it went, but also more excited about being selected to join the team. The org is called Forestry Stewardship Council or FSC for short. They work around the globe to ensure thorough independently audited and verified practices, that forestry management and timber processing is done ethically, sustainably, and in an environmentally friendly manner. The certification reduces deforestation, increases revenues for companies, combats climate change, and builds community resilience and improves health outcomes. Basically a dream combo for me! 

To cut to the chase, they have asked me to come in for a second interview. I am, of course, stoked about this. The interview is on Friday of this week, not sure yet of times and places. Please continue to pray with us, as we hope the corner is turning.  Pray that I can continue to be bold, confident and enjoy the interview process! 

Blessings and thank you. 

Peter Drennan

A Note from the Husband

This season has been so incredibly hard, one we'll never ever forget, one I don't want to forget. We are either on our knees with tears streaming down our face as we wrestle with the grief of this season or reaching up toward the sky with our outstretched arms with tears streaming down our face as we rejoice in this season. There truly is a time for everything.  

The below words were written by my husband and sent out to friends in an email. And if I'm honest, his words brought me to tears. So much truth, so much vulnerability, so much growth, so much pain, so much grief, and so much love. 

And I wanted to share it with all of you - his interview is at 9 AM this morning. We covet your prayers.

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Hello,

I hope you are doing well. We are in Gig Harbor this weekend, to celebrate our Colombian sister-in-laws golden birthday. As I sit and look out over the harbor, the still waters, and sailboats while the boys seem to grow before my very eyes I am reminded of how GOOD GOD IS.  It has been 18 months since I stepped away from Pilgrim Africa, into the unknown of unemployment. What I wasn’t banking on was the next 18 months would be so full of doubt, fear, anger, and tears. That I would doubt my worth in the world, that I would be so thoroughly stripped down, and rebuilt. I was not banking on the stress, the way it would send shock waves through my marriage, and leave it creaking to its foundation. Who am I when I no longer work, or when I work “meaningless” jobs? Am I still worthy? Am I enough for my kids, my wife, enough for God? I had no idea I would have all of these questions! Nor was I banking on having to pry open my introverted soul and share with people what is going on inside! I preferred to keep my inner dialogue to myself thank you very much. BUT God has made me much smaller and in much more need of him and others…great…right?!

This next week I am interviewing with an org I am really excited about, and perhaps this is the corner I have been waiting to turn. I think I have been deconstructed and rebuilt, and let go and so I am hopeful about this opportunity. We would love for you to continue to pray with us as we navigate what we hope is the tail end of this season.

Blessings and Love,

Peter

God is your Provider

God is your provider.

It is so easy to speak this, but how many actually believe it and live into it?

How many of us actually witness God's provision?

And how quick are we to actually play God and be our own providers?

And what does it even mean for God to provide?

These are the questions we have been wrestling with as we enter into month 11 of unemployment.  To say this has been a trying time for our family may be a bit of an understatement, and we have good days and we have bad days.

Over the last 11 months, I've seen my husband wrestle with his calling, his sense of worth, his trust in the Lord, his (fill in the blank). And I've wrestled with my own issues, mainly how to support and encourage and love him well in this season.

And yet amidst all the wrestling, God has provided. We've been blown away by His provision. And as I type this, tears stream down my face as I'm just so overwhelmed by His faithfulness and His goodness in our lives.

We have had the privilege of witnessing God as our provider in a way we never have before. And if I'm incredibly honest, it's so humbling and beautiful. We have surrendered everything to Him and it's so freeing, yet also incredibly terrifying.

And through it all, I've realized just how little money we can actually live on. It's truly all about choices, the financial choices we make or don't make. And the money we save, spend or give away.

We have learned so much about stewardship and how we spend our money. We've made sacrifices and cut costs even more than I thought possible. I've cut back on my retirement contribution and we've changed healthcare plans. And I can't remember the last time we went out to eat with friends or with each other. We simply don't have the luxury right now to spend money on anything extra or unnecessary.

And although it's terribly humbling, I've learned so much. And we've learned to truly trust God as our provider. We've learned to rejoice even when we can't see what's ahead because we know what's there. We hold fast to God's faithfulness and to the joy that comes from Him and through Him. Our worth is in Him. It doesn't come from a job or a paycheck and this season has reminded us of this truth.

And everything we say and do should bring honor and glory to Him. Does this honor Him? Does this glorify Him? That should be our measure. And that doesn't mean we can't grieve when Peter's not offered a job he's interviewed for, nor does it mean we can't cry out to Him. It doesn't mean we don't come to Him kicking and screaming but it does mean we don't let that grief overcome us because we know His lasting joy and His everlasting hope.

May we continue to hold fast to our faith as we continue to witness God as our provider.