I love listening to people talk about their past experiences especially when it’s a testimony of how they got through a difficult or a seemingly impossible situation. There’s something very encouraging and inspiring about someone who went through a challenging time and came out strong on the other side. I love hearing such testimonies because they bring hope and inspiration. Also, they remind me of God’s power, His goodness, and faithfulness.
So after writing the first part of this article (I encourage you to read it here if you haven’t done so yet), I thought hearing a few real experiences from people who had to go through some risky new beginnings will encourage and inspire both you and me.
So I reached out to a few people and asked them a few questions. I hope you get some inspiration from their experiences and embrace your new beginnings!
A: What was a new beginning in your life that required a big risk? And what were things that urged you to do or not to do it?
L. Edwards: I have many stories of risky new beginnings. Moving to Turkey for education, leaving my banking job to go to Guanajuato, Mexico for four months, getting married to my husband after his family opposed and countless others. However, I would say the greatest leap of faith was trusting God for better employment. I was employed at a real estate company for almost two years. In that short time, I was promoted for my work as I enjoyed the work environment. However, when I was promoted, my direct supervisor changed to an individual who gave me hell. He not only served it to me, but everyone else and conditions in the department begin to deteriorate. I was shocked to find after 6 months, I was served with a letter stating that if my manager was not happy with my work, I would be fired in 30 days. I was so unhappy that I began to pray to God, who eventually prompted me to start looking for a new job. I was afraid because this job was close to my university and I made a good salary; in fact, it was the best salary I ever made at that time although I had no insurance or pension. I listened to God and started planning for the move. Eventually, I took the only sick day I would ever take at the company and delivered resumes to various companies. He didn’t know that God had already set my move in motion. A week later, I received an employment offer at a private bank which offered me full insurance coverage, 4 weeks of annual vacation and a bigger salary which was pensionable. It was God aligning me for my career as I was studying International Banking and Finance. A year after employment, the bank paid off my final year of university! There is nothing God can’t do if we trust him.
A: What were some things that made you want to be comfortable; to not take risks at all?
L. Edwards: I was comfortable with my pay but had I not taken the risk, I would have been unemployed in a month. After he served me the letter, I offered my resignation. The company then had to pay me vacation pay and two weeks’ pay. I would have gotten nothing had they fired me. The boss was so upset that I resigned that he told me not to come in for the final week of my employment although he had already paid me for it, because “I was not needed.” I used this time as vacation and to prepare for my upcoming job! God is faithful!
A: What was the new beginning in your life that required a big risk?
Nadege: The new beginning in my life that required a big risk is my present job. Ok, now the previous job I had was cool and kind of classy. I was the controller in a big microfinance in my town. With this position I was like the second in command after the acting manager then, thus in relation to earnings, I was earning more than everyone in my branch. Being the youngest controller amongst other controllers in Cameroon under the microfinance was very prestigious too. That position gave me respect because I was like a boss controlling all departments.
A: What were some things that urged you to want to go for it and take the risk?
Nadege: Now, the crisis in Cameroon made work boring for me in particular. I was being paid very well yes, but I wasn’t enjoying the job because I had little or nothing to do since the crisis crippled the working environment, coupled with the fact that my position demanded I stayed in the office from morning till evening controlling how activities in all departments operated. This gave me some ideas to start looking for a plan B. Secondly I heard of an opportunity of a Project under the Agribusiness field which I really love so much, I went in for the exams and made it. Thirdly I had been working on faith and to develop the crazy kind of faith that trusts God ‘foolishly’. This motivated me to step out from my comfort zone. I trusted God for the unknown future.
A: What were some things that made you want to be comfortable and not take any risks?
Nadege: A couple of things made me very comfortable. Firstly, the prestigious nature of the job. Also, many people equally encouraged me to stay back, some really thought I was going crazy when I mentioned I was about leaving. Moreover, the comfort knowing that I was receiving a monthly salary with no stress got me thinking. Secondly, regarding the new adventure, I was going to sign a contract for 6 months which wasn’t a guarantee that it was going to be renewed later. So I had some fears about future uncertainties. Leaving a prestigious lifetime job for a 6 months contract without knowing the outcome sounded crazy especially in the country where we are where jobs are hard to get. The question many people asked was, ‘what if after the 6 months the contract is not renewed, what will u do after having resigned from a very cool job especially with the situation of the country?’. Moreover, the new job demanded I work with maize cooperatives as an Agribusiness advisor which is a title many won’t understand as compared to the nice ‘controller’ title. Also, the fact that I had to leave a nice and cool office and go out to the field with the sun, heat and all that….got me thinking seriously.
However, at the beginning of this year, I had decided to trust God crazily for whatever task he had for me, I decided to seek him on this and finally had my peace and stepped out of my comfort zone. Presently I’m on my 8th month already working with the project. The 6 months got expired, the project has been extended for another 4 months and I’m trusting God for it to be extended for the entire period. The pay is good, the experience is awesome, I think am moving towards my dreams. Recently traveled to Kenya for a workshop as I got a recommendation from one of the cooperatives I work with, so as a result of this job I achieved one of my goals for the year which was to travel out of the country. The trip was sponsored by the African development bank and it was awesome. Never the less there has been some challenges working, like payments coming in late and others, but God knows am enjoying the job still. I believe there are more good things to come. I don’t regret stepping out, I now fully believe that life begins at the end of the comfort zone, and it takes faith in God to take a risk to step out.
There you have it! Two awesome and inspiring experiences about taking a leap of faith and trusting God with your new beginnings. I hope this encourages you too to go out of your comfort zone and go after that dream that is tugging so insistently on your heart.