The best job in the world

I have the best job. Day after day, phone call after phone call, email after email, people contact me to give. They offer their skills, their talents, their time, their love for Jesus. It truly is rewarding to see Christians putting their faith into action by volunteering to serve at the Water Street Rescue Mission.

Sometimes, though, despite having the best job in the world, it is easy for me to get frustrated. Thoughts like “No! Not another volunteer application to process!” and “I’m not going to answer the phone one more time today, no matter what they want to give!” sneak in and try to steal the blessings that God is trying to give.

I was having one of those days the other week. You know, the kind of day that adheres to Murphy’s Law that everything that can go wrong, will. I was feeling overwhelmed and had definitely forgotten that I had the best job in the world. I flew in to the mail room to get my mail on the way to accomplishing another task, but Lorraine, the Director of the Wonder Club, stopped me.

“Carissa, I was thinking that it would be really great to have a volunteer who was willing to teach music to our children. Could you start trying to recruit someone for that position? Maybe we could try to have someone in place for next fall.”

I responded that I would work on that for her, all the while thinking that here was just another thing to try to squeeze into my already packed schedule. I smiled, but I wasn’t overly excited about the new task I had just been given.

I picked up my mail, and went back to my desk. I opened the first piece of mail to find a volunteer application that needed to be processed. Oh great, like I need more of these, was my overwhelmed response.

Then I flipped the application over to the part where the applicants list the positions they are applying for. There, written in the margin was a comment to the effect of, “I didn’t see a position listed anywhere, but would love to teach music if there is an opening. I especially have a passion for preschool-age children.”

Of course, I jumped out of my seat and ran wildly to the mail room to where Lorraine was still working and told her how God had provided in record time. What does that verse say? I think it’s something about God knowing our needs before we even ask…

Yes, I have the best job. And even when I forget that, God has a way of blessing until I remember.

-Carissa Martin, Volunteer Coordinator