Needles, Explorers, N' More

Well, you've probably read my first post telling of how God miraculously brought to me the point of going to Dental Hygiene school. Now, that episode in my life is over and a new one is begun.
I graduated from Clark's dental hygiene program June 2009, and I must say I enjoyed my time away from school! I was able to enjoy my summer while I waited for my Dental Hygiene license from the state.

I knew I would be starting the Dental Hygiene Bachelor's degree program through Eastern Washington University in September, and this meant one major thing: Tuition would be much more expensive. So after my vacation was over, I set hard at work looking for a job; not an easy task in this economy. I remember my dad and I praying in mid-July that I would get a job by the end of the month, so that as soon as my license came in I could start working and earning money, so I could pay for tuition instead of my parents. After dropping probably around 20 resumes off at various offices around town, an office interviewed me, and it was a pretty for sure job for one day a week. I'll bet you can't guess the date. . . It was July 30th. I was in awe of God's powerful answer to my prayer.

So I started the job one day a week, but I continued to take my resume out to other offices. I also signed up with a temp agency, hoping that perhaps an office I temped with would want to hire me full time. Between my paychecks from the temp agency and my one day-a-week office, I was able to pay for my tuition in full and on time. Yet another display of God's faithfulness.
As much as I was grateful for my temp job, however, I wasn't the biggest fan of being called at 7 in the morning and asked how soon I could be at a certain office. But they eventually sent me to a Bright Now! dental that is actually right down the road from our house. That was my first experience with double-booking (having two patients at the same time, sort of), but I had an assistant so that made everything go a little smoother. While I was there, I was talking to the Hygiene Assistant about looking everywhere for a job and dropping my resumes off, but "No one seems to be hiring." "We are," she replied. I couldn't believe it! I talked with the office manager and set up an interview. I was hoping, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. The location, though, was so convenient! It would only take me about 3 min. to get there each day (tops!), and I would be able to go home for lunch and see Mom and the boys! It seemed too good to be true. I kept praying about this opportunity because I wanted make sure I was in the Lord's will, job or no job.

I continued temping there a couple days a week. Several times the office manager would say things that would give me hope, but I just waited. One day in mid-September he came back to the clinic area and said, "Well, what do you think?" "I like it!" I said, "I really enjoy working here." He smiled and said, "Welcome to the team." I couldn't believe my ears! I was so excited! We set up my first official day on the job right then and there. Looking back I can see how the Lord orchestrated everything so that I would get this job, and I am so grateful to Him for not allowing it to happen too soon or too late.

You see, when I first started out taking my resume to offices, I became discouraged because several of my friends had already found jobs. I wondered, "Why isn't God providing me with a job? After all, I'm the one who followed His leading and pursued Dental Hygiene, and everyone else seems to be getting jobs except me." (My, the selfishness of that statement is so much clearer when written down!) Now I see that it was all part of God's plan. Of course I had to wait for the other hygienist at Bright Now! to go on maternity leave. Why should I be surprised? God has not, and never will, leave me or forsake me.