Testimony of Healing

Trusting in God brings employment

In the fall of 2001 I became interested in purchasing an established business from someone who planned to retire. Although I was employed at the time and not specifically looking to make a change, the move looked like a great opportunity. The venture seemed to have potential and matched up with many of my business skills. It also appeared to fit in with my desire to do God's will and to serve other people.

Initial meetings went well. Cash flow and financial statements looked favorable and a source of investment capital presented itself effortlessly. I went through the legal steps of forming a corporation to purchase the business's assets, equipment, and client base. Things were coming together fast, and the seller seemed very motivated to have this transaction take place quickly.

The next logical step was to resign my full-time position with a software company. My resignation was accepted and I was able to leave my job on a positive note. Then everything began to fall apart.

Upon deeper scrutiny, the company's financial claims began to look questionable. Employees who had been represented as valuable and important to the future of the business were now being replaced or not showing up for work. Further inspection of the equipment proved disappointing. Given some of the apparent misrepresentation, it seemed wise to not go through with the purchase. I phoned my previous employer to ask for my job back. Unfortunately, the company had made other plans, and reversing their direction was not possible.

I was tempted to feel silly for leaving a steady job during a time of rapidly rising unemployment and for not examining the business venture more thoroughly before resigning my position. But I trusted that God had a plan for me and that it was already in place, even if I couldn't see it at that moment. I held to the idea that my true vocation was to be God's reflection, to express His qualities to my brothers and sisters in the family of God's children. I had a quiet confidence—greater than I had felt during previous professional transitions—that God was directing my steps. And I was willing to trust that direction. I didn't even feel the need to prepare my resume, look at employment listings in the newspaper, or post my resume on the Internet. I simply continued to pray and trust in God. I knew I'd be directed to take the right steps, whatever those might be.

My desire to help others was fulfilled during this time in some unique and unforeseen ways. For example, several different friends asked me to help guide them through the process of making major purchases or sales in an industry where I have a great deal of experience. I was grateful for these opportunities to serve.

I was also able to make a number of extended trips to the Oregon coast during this time. I was working on the conversion of a commercial shrimp trawler into a yacht, readying it to be brought up the coast to Seattle for us to live on board. If I'd been working during this period, I wouldn't have had the time to complete this project.

Before long, a friend informed me of a business contract that was open for bid at a university near my home. Although the bidding process was lengthy, I continued to trust in God's direction and moved forward step by step. After several rounds of questions, presentations, and approvals, I was eventually awarded the contract. As it turned out, forming a new corporation several months earlier had not been a lost effort, as this new company became part of my contractual agreement with the university.

My new contract position provides me greater income, opportunities, and flexibility than I believe I would have had if I had purchased the other business. This experience also taught me the value of trusting God's guidance. I was so grateful to see that His divine direction leads me exactly to the place where I'll be most blessed, whenever I am humble enough to listen to it.

Steven Agnew
Seattle, Washington

Reprinted with permission from the Christian Science Journal
Copyright © 2003 The Christian Science Publishing Society
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