My New Job

I'll get to be a serious player again really soon. For the past several months, I've been writing my dissertation on the concept of serious play. A serious player is someone who is able to use their skills (their training, their background and/or their exposure) in conjunction with their passions in a way that is meaningful (or has purpose) beyond just the scope of the person's own needs. Serious players can typically say that at least 80% of their week is spent doing stuff they love, and they typically don't even really mind doing the remaining 20%.

It's not that I've not been a serious player in recent years. I enjoyed the two years in early childhood education, doing research for my writing. I also enjoyed this year of being a full-time student, working on completing my research and my dissertation. But I am thoroughly looking forward to being in a job once again where I can wholeheartedly use my skills and my passions in a purposeful way!

Forty months. That's how long it took from when I left my job in Kenya till I signed the contract for a great position with Compassion International, an amazing group that works in 27 developing countries around the world. My role will be with their Leadership Development Program, which focuses on college students. I'll be working closely with our offices in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

I couldn't be happier about the new job!

The journey over the past 40 months has been one of "doing the next thing," of believing that God is at work even when I didn't understand the process, of trusting him even at times when I thought that an opportunity before me might be a good one, only to watch the door close.

It's been 40 long months, and every month of the process have been worth the wait. I don't believe the role I'll be in could suit me any better! In my new job, I'll get to use my academic training in leadership development. I'll get to incorporate my faith values as well as my passions, working with the poor, seeking to make a profound difference in the lives of young people. I'll get to learn from amazing coworkers all over Asia, and I'll get to keep traveling, writing and taking photos. I'll get to share stories from around the world not because I'm required to, but because I love doing it.

In the next three months, I'll be in Utah (visiting my sister and her family), in Indonesia (for the launch of a new leadership class), in Iowa (packing up my stuff), in Korea (for meetings), in Thailand (to look for an apartment), in Seattle (for graduation), in Colorado (for training) and then in Thailand again, since that's where I'll call "home" next. Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Walking with God has never been a boring journey.