I just submitted a job application. A corporate application. As I said in an email to my principal the other night, “About the last thing I was expecting to do right about now was to apply for an SEO2 position.”

That’s a Level 2 Senior Education Officer position. Thank-you public service and your ongoing and consistent use of acronyms. Where would we be without them?

Perhaps with a lot more clarity, but what would I know?

And frankly who knows where the application will get up to, but I felt convicted that God wanted me to apply for it. So I’ve bundled it all together in the last 24 hours and thrown it all into the online portal today. Thankfully I have referees who were only a text message away and happy to oblige.

I didn’t give myself much time, but that’s the way it is when you only discover the advertisement 4 days before it’s due.

It really does feel like a side-step. If anything, I thought I’d be leaving the world of education soon. Perhaps God has other ideas.

I always operate on the belief that I have no idea what I’m doing but God knows exactly what’s happening. So I just follow along when I get the lead from him.

And I’ll be the first to say that this has taken me to some places I never thought I’d be. And things I’d never choose to do either. But he knew all along and I trust he knows what he’s doing (most days…).

We all love a straight path. A clear direction to just step out and head on along. But he frequently seems to prefer the back roads, side streets, scenic routes and frankly, a few walks up and down some dead ends.

The impatient ones among us (this blog writer) have to continually remind ourselves that he’s teaching us things along the way.  

I’ve been told on multiple occasions that teachers are the worst people to present to; apparently we’re not very teachable. Perhaps this is why God sends me down so many back streets. He knows who he’s dealing with and there’s a lot to wade through.

So, why then I have just applied for a position in which I could soon be that annoying person who saunters into your school and assists you work out how to boost student performance levels is something I will never understand. Those people are the worst of all (urgh… consultants…).

How do I (potentially) get myself into these situations? By following HIS leading. That’s how.

It’s not comfortable, that’s for sure. It’d be a lot easier to take the straight path. But that’s what following Jesus is like.

He likes to shake things up. Shake us up too, it seems.

I read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe with my Year 7 class earlier this year. I’m reminded of a line spoken to the Pevensie children:

“Safe?” said Mr Beaver… “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe.

I guess that’s the way it is when going on an epic adventure with the King of Kings. He doesn’t let us stay put. His plans are beyond ours, but they are for the best. His genius knows no bounds and if you are similarly smart (wise, too) you will do things his crazy way.

Would you like to join me on the journey? Ultimately, if God is who he says he is, it’s the safest place to be…

Yours on the go, again, it seems,

Alison