God Pokes & New Adventures

Recently, I was presented with an opportunity. The kind of opportunity that reaches out and grabs you before you even notice it’s there. Sometimes in life, things are hard. Sometimes in life, things don’t go the way you want. Sometimes in life, you get rejected and miss opportunities that you’ve prayed for. This wasn’t one of those times. This was the opposite.

This time it was as if God was listening intently to the passions and desires in my heart. It was as if he was taking the people in my life and using them as personal guides to a new adventure. My guide led me an interview for a position that I didn’t seek out, but rather it sought me out. Sometimes, if you’re paying attention, life can deliver exactly what you’re looking for, even if you haven’t asked for it yet.

You see, this year I left my teaching career to stay at home with our son. Being a “Stay-at-Home Mom” has been a dream of mine. Here I was, living out my dream, loving every minute of this new path. Yet, sometimes, I found myself still longing for the spark that ignited when I was teaching. One night, very nonchalantly, I told my husband that I wished there was a teaching position that would allow me to stay at home with our son, yet still be an educator. We both kind of laughed about the idea. After all, to be an educator you need students, and most students are found in schools, not inside my home. Two days later I got an email from one of my old professors. Truth is, she’s more than a past professor. She’s a woman that I look up to and admire. She sent an email catching up on many things and inside, it said: “You’d be a good Student Teaching Supervisor!” That phrase was just one of many in the email but it stopped me in my tracks! Student teaching supervisor? Why hadn’t I thought of that? There it was, a sign.

Most of the time you ask for signs and never get them. This time, I hadn’t asked for it but BAM, it was there! I emailed back and asked for details. Within a couple of weeks, I was sitting at a table at Anderson University being offered a part-time faculty position where I could still be at home with my precious baby and also have a role in education. I sat there telling the Dean how shocked and grateful I was. Things were flowing so smoothly, so effortlessly. The Dean looked at me and said, “We call those God pokes”! I smiled. Until that moment, I had never heard that phrase. Two simple words, but boy were they mighty.

“God pokes!” I wonder how many other times I’ve been in the midst of a “God Poke” and never recognized it. I’ve learned so much from this simple experience.

I’ve learned that there are angels on Earth. They may not have wings, but they are there. Mine came in the form of an old professor, turned friend and mentor. These angels are guiding you in the right direction, towards blessings you haven’t even asked for yet. Once you realize who your angels are, tell them.  (Jeannie Ecker, you are one of mine!)

I’ve learned that sometimes life is easy. Sometimes it’s beautiful and smooth and effortless. It may not be often, but when it is, sit in it. Sit in it and be grateful.

I’ve learned to never dull a passion. Never stop igniting the light that makes you shine. Find a way to fill each passion you have, even when it’s hard, and even when it doesn’t make sense. After all, not many teaching jobs allow you to work from home. My prayer was answered. Yours can be too.

I’ve learned that signs and “God pokes” exist. You just have to have faith, patience, and the ability to recognize them when they arrive. They might not be what you’re expecting, or what you’re envisioned, but they are there, waiting to be fulfilled.

So, tell me friends, have you had a “God poke”? What “signs” have you seen in your life? I’d love to hear your stories! Please comment below or send a personal message. Someone out there needs to hear your story so they can still remain hopeful for theirs! 

xox, Chels

*This post is dedicated to Jeannie Ecker, one of the kindest souls I know. She started out as a college professor and became so much more. She is the kind of person that brings out the best in you. She’s the kind of person who helps you see your best qualities and use them to make the world a better place. She is one of the most wonderful woman I know. Today, if you have the time, take a minute and pray for her. She is strong. She is fierce. She is brave. Let’s lift her in prayer to keep her that way.