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2023 I set out to make a few changes for myself.  I can’t remember the last time I was intentional about doing something for me. My days are consumed with the peaks and valleys that only life can bring.  Yet, I’ve never looked in the mirror to see how I can transform Chetoca so that the peaks and valleys don’t transform me. Welp, 2023 brought about a shift in me that I never expected.  I began the year by writing 16 declarations.

The goal for these declarations were to say them aloud each morning, making them part of my morning routine.  I confess, I haven’t said these aloud each morning. I speak them a few times a month.  I know the inconsistency of it all.   Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his step.”  I chuckle every time I’m reminded of this verse, particularly when I say the declarations. If you don’t mind, I will share one of the declarations with you. 

“I declare I will walk by faith and not by sight without any borders.”  Have you ever heard that when you pray you are to be very specific with God?  As if the specificity of our prayers will guarantee that God will deliver the blessing just as we ask. I think it’s wonderful to be specific with God.  However, always be open. The delivery of your request may not always align with your specific prayer. When we are not open, we limit God.  Let me give you an example. 

I had been praying for a specific career move and change.  While I’ve enjoyed being an Operations leader it would be nice to take on a more challenging role.  This prayer request was specific in detail. I outlined the job title, expectations, location, salary, etc. A few weeks after I made this prayer request, I had a dream. I was working for Nordstrom Rack. In the department store there was a stage for the management team to make announcements to the staff. 

The atmosphere felt like it was a team meeting of sorts. The time had come for my manager to take the stage.  She turns to me and says, Chetoca we are announcing your new role, but it’s not what you think it is. 

As I turn to her to say uh, ok she takes the stage to make the announcement, and I wake up.  I knew this dream was confirming what I prayed for, or so I thought. As you continue to read this post, don’t forget the part where I say my manager tells me that my new role isn’t what I think it is. As time moved on from this dream I began to apply for this specific role. There was this one interview that aligned with everything I asked God for, and I do mean everything. 

The interview went well, and I was confident that an offer would be extended. That was until the recruiter stated the hiring mangers didn’t think I had the skillset for the role. Say what now? Disappointed to say the least and quite confused. I thought the dream confirmed I had this role. After taking sometime to get over the disappointment, I decided to apply for other similar roles. A few weeks later I interviewed for the same role, same organization, different leadership team.

This interview with the recruiter and the hiring mangers was just ok.  I didn’t have a bad interview, but it wasn’t my best.  A week after the interview I left for an 11-day vacation.  While on vacation I was plagued with the most obvious question.  Did I get the job?  Days went by and I hadn’t heard anything.  Six days into my vacation, I receive a phone call. It was one of the hiring managers. He said, “I’m sorry to bother you on vacation, but I wanted to reach out to you about the role as some of the logistics have changed.” 

You interviewed for x, but due to shift in responsibilities the role is now y, are you still interested?  I said yes.  The hiring manager said OK, thanks for speaking with me and hung up.  While he didn’t confirm if I had the job, I knew I had the job.  Remember the details I asked you earlier not to forget about? See the resemblance in the dream and the conversation?  The job didn’t entail what I initially thought it was, in the dream or in real life.  The last day of my trip, I received an offer for the job and accepted it.

The specifics of my prayer was not answered, but God informed me through the dream what he had in store for me. Just think, what would have happen if I allowed the disappointment of the first interview to erode my mind. While this role isn’t what I initially interview for, the change in responsibilities better aligned with the overall goal of what I wanted my next role to be. Ma’am/Sir, God knows what each of us needs. 

During the moment of turmoil when I didn’t get the first offer, my thoughts were leading my down a rabbit hole of placing limits on God. Those thoughts almost lead me to give up on what I wanted. When I came to my senses, I let go and declared “I will walk by faith not by sight without any borders.” Remove the limits where God has made a promise and watch him work.

Ease & Stillness,

Chetoca B.