Resume

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters.

He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

-Psalm 23

…The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

I lack nothing. 

For some people, their resume is just a list of places they’ve worked. But for me, it is a list of God’s fulfilled promises, and the promise that He has and will always provide. It is proof that His rod and staff will guide me. 

When it comes to work, and jobs, I have been abundantly blessed, especially for someone in my stage of life. For some reason that I do not understand, God has seen fit to faithfully provide work for me almost before I have the need! And every job has been one that I’ve rather enjoyed! (Or at least learned a lot). You can call it coincidence, but you would be wrong. 

Want to know what I mean?

Mount Clemens Public Library

I got my first job when I was sixteen. I’d been talking with my parents about starting to look for a job, and had even picked up an application or two, but before I could actually submit anything, I got a call from my local library. The children area needed a page (someone to sort and shelve books) and the librarian, knowing our family and that we were homeschooled, thought of me (they wanted someone who could work during school hours, homeschoolers are good at that). I applied, interviewed, and was hired. (Fun Fact: my last name, “Padgett” comes from the French for “Page”, so I was literally “Page the page”) 

Four years later I left only because we were moving. But I loved that job!

Adventures in Odyssey

Next, I went to Colorado Springs. You know the one, 80995? I was a student at Focus Leadership Institution (where I had dreamed to be all through high school). Part of the program was interning with a department within Focus on the Family. I of course longed to be a part of the kids radio drama Adventures in Odyssey, it was my whole reason for coming! But there were only two positions available with AIO, and more than two students who had applied. Guess who one of the two were?

It was surreal. 

Nanny 

After they forced us to leave FLI when the program came to an end, I returned to Maryland, where my family now lived, and I was sure this would be the time that God made me wait to find a job, to learn the struggle of applying and waiting and wondering. But He had other plans. Before I even got to MD, a friend of my parents had asked about me, wondering if I would be interested in nannying for a family he knew. I called, I interviewed, I was hired. Several months working as a mothers helper for a family of four. 

Cold Stone Creamery 

Then I came back to Michigan. Surely this was it, the time to start worrying. But before I even left MD I threw in an application to Cold Stone in Grand Rapids. Sure it’s a low end job, but I like ice cream, so I’ll give it a try. I got a call, I interviewed, I was scooping ice cream within my first month in GR. 

Barnes & Noble

My first week back in “The Gan” I had gone to the mall and just picked up applications from every store I would ever consider working at. Except, I almost skipped one, because I knew there was no way, and I would be too disappointed not to get a job there because how great would it be to work at Barnes and Noble!? But I applied anyways, and didn't hear back. That was that…until…

After only working about two months at Cold Stone, I was done, the hours sucked, the manager was difficult, and all my co-workers were high school theater kids (no offense to theater kids, I think they’re great, but the drama!!) But before I could fully form a thought about where else I could go, I get a call from Barnes and Noble! “We’re hiring for the Christmas season and would you be interested in coming in for an interview?” Um, yes!

I interviewed, I was hired.

But only for the season, I knew that, it had to end. Except…turns out there was an opening in the children department, and because of my experiance with kids books and my high school job at the library, would I consider staying on part time in that department? Of course I would!

Arnies

Barnes was great! But it was only part time and at this point, I had student loans to pay, so I started thinking I should get a second job. I mentioned this to a woman at my church, and she suggested applying at a local family restaurant, Arnies. I applied, I interviewed, I was hired.

This job had it’s moments, talking to the customers was fun, smelling like food and sweat every day and dealing with people when they are hungry and at their worst? Not so much. But I was decent at the job, and I learned a lot…But when I quit to go work the summer at camp, I can’t say I was too disappointed. 

Nanny part 2

When I came back from camp I knew I’d need another job, Barnes had graciously held my job through the summer, but it still wasn't enough. So I thought I’d try nannying again. I created a profile on an online nanny site, and after a few bumps in the road (which seemed like a big deal at the time, but now I’m thankful for!) I received an email from a family with two kids, a seven year old boy, and a six month old baby girl. I interviewed, I was hired, and my heart was stolen. 

It has been almost three years and these kids have become so much more than a job to me, I can’t even describe how much I have loved being a part of these kids lives and having them as a part of mine. If I have a life calling, this is it. And I know without a doubt that God orchestrated that our paths would cross.

Now, I am about to be jobless again very soon, my precious nanny family is moving to San Francisco in just a few weeks. I have another part time nanny job lined up for the summer, and the hint of a second part time opportunity (another “it just so happens…” instance that just might come about to fit perfectly as these things so often do). But then what? Do I worry? YES! Should I worry? NO! If I know anything about God’s track record in my life, He’s going to provide in surprising ways before I’m even looking for it! He has led me besides still waters and green pastures, guided my path, prepared my table, anointed my head and surely His goodness and love will follow me like it always has! But I still worry, still fret, still wonder, and still doubt. 

Just look at these other things He has provided, undeniably, for me just in the past few years:

• I won a contest (that I have no memory of entering!) for $800 to JC Penny!
• My school debts, which were minuscule compared to a majority of my peers, were paid off by a timely circumstance.
• I live in a huge house with three other girls, which is cared for by my church, and the rent is hardly a drop in a bucket compared to what a tiny apartment would cost. 
• This may seem silly, but there have been many times when I was craving chocolate and in need of encouragement, and the next day someone randomly gifted me the exact kind of chocolate I was wanting, often accompanied by kind, encouraging words or actions. Laugh if you want, but the timing was just too perfect. 

God is good.

He provides.

He refreshes my soul.

My cup overflows.