Never Give Up Following Your Dream

Sometimes a “no” can turn into a “yes.” After months of training, Jaclyn had finally completed a program that gave her the freelance tools she needed to move forward in her side hustle. Over the course of the following six months, she contacted new potential clients several times a month. In the meantime she took on smaller jobs that paid the bills, sharpening her negotiating and interviewing skills and learning from the inevitable mistakes. She tweaked her website, social media and business media pages.

Even though she followed up on every lead, some never acknowledged while others admitted that they weren’t quite ready to move forward. Dozens perused her sites, seeking her skill set, but then they seemed to disappear without connecting. Despite a slow start, she enthusiastically continued casting her net farther and wider.

Things are not always as they seem.

Several times, just as it began to look completely hopeless, a small gig would come through and financially carry her a while longer. She treated each one as the most important client. She sought longer range projects but brief one-offs kept her from being bored. It also expanded her reach and gave her varied opportunities.

At last, she connected with a business owner that looked promising. Jaclyn reviewed the contract details, the timeline and knew that she qualified. Additionally, the project contract ran for almost 6 months. She reached out and the response was instantaneous. The owner wanted to talk with her. They arranged a brief meeting that went better than she could have imagined. The owner was enthusiastic, encouraging and Jaclyn felt in her heart that the gig would be hers.

However, a week later the owner disclosed that they were entertaining a second candidate and they would let Jaclyn know their decision in a week. Jaclyn didn’t sit around wringing her hands and biting her nails. Instead, she gathered her very closest friends, and they began praying for a positive outcome. They were convinced that she would land the contract.

Dangling Carrots.

On the day of decision, Jaclyn was informed by phone that they’d chosen the other candidate.  The contact wanted to hang on to her information because she had been their first choice but out of their current budget. She remained upbeat, stating that she understood their reasons. She connected on the business site and left a pleasant message expressing a hope to work together in the future.

She relayed the information to her friends and they each continued to pray. One of them said, “Let’s just see what God does. They may come back around.”
Though Jaclyn was deeply disappointed, she agreed with them. God was capable of anything. And, because she knew the power of words, she kept her negative rhetoric locked down and forced herself to think positively when fear tried to creep in. She kept right on repeating her favorite affirmation: “I’m in the right place at the right time!”

Several bills were coming due and she knew if she let her thoughts run away, she’d be overwhelmed and sink into despair. Certainly, God knew what she needed. Even though she was finding it tough to trust Him just then, she stated aloud, “God I trust you.”

Unlikely Source of Hope.

Doubting that she’d chosen the right career path began hammering at her fragile peace of mind. Just then, her phone pinged. One of her favorite singers had released a new song. As Jaclyn listened to the words, she felt like the message had come straight from Heaven.

It lifted her spirits and she listened to it two more times. She felt immense peace and decided to let it rest with God. If He didn’t want her to have this contract, then something better was on its way. Jaclyn stopped thinking about it and cleaned her office and prepared for the next day’s work. Then she went to bed.

By the time she awoke the next morning, she’d already received two messages from the interviewer asking if they could talk. She agreed. The contact admitted that Jaclyn had one quality they were looking for that the other candidate didn’t have. They’d started to close the deal and then stalled. In the end, they offered Jaclyn the contract.

What this means for you.

It’s not always easy to know when our training, waiting and preparing are going to pay off. Jaclyn worked through months of training and then an additional 6 months of refining processes. It would have been a simple matter to say things like, “Why did I even bother with training?” Or, “Nothing ever works out for me.” She also called upon the power of group prayer. Even when she found herself in doubt and disappointment, she remained mindful of her words, speaking positives.

She chose to believe that God knew what she needed and that if this wasn’t the right contract, another would come along. Additionally, she’d already been getting paid work all along, using those very tools, and that had covered her expenses. She stayed on the path and now it was paying off. So, what are you going through right now? Are you in training for a future position? Or waiting for that next big contract to come through? Or have you just been turned down? Don’t give up. Keep doing what you’re doing with even more resolve. Hang in there. Good things are just around the corner.

Do you have a favorite encouragement song? Share it with us, we’d love to check it out.