Sometimes I Thank God for Unanswered Prayers

Yes, I am aware this is a Garth Brooks song, but every time I pass this building in Arlington I can hear that song in my head. 

So many years ago this company found my husband and offered him a job.  The job was not ideal, it would require we move (and pay for it), it was full time hours but listed as a part time position so they didn't have to pay benefits among other things.

However it would get us closer to D.C. (where we thought we needed to be so my honey could get the job he wanted) and it felt like a move in the right direction.  (Mostly it would have been a move in A direction.)

The job was his we just had to wait for the background check to clear.  We waited and called, and waited some more and called.  We even got a W-2 at the end of the year stating that he had not made any money with them.  After a 6 months he applied for his job with the Foreign Service.  It was actually a fluke.  I was on-line one day and noticed the job opening.  The window to apply was 2 days, and the opportunity sounded amazing.  When he got home I showed him the post and asked what he thought.  With a "what have we got to lose" attitude he sat down and went through the 3 hour application process.  I think more than anything we applied for the experience of applying for a federal job, and possibly an interview opportunity.  We really didn't think we could get a job like this. 

He scored high enough on the test that he qualified for an interview.  He had to fly to CA to interview and the process was long and grueling.  And then the waiting began.  Several weeks later they called him with his "number," this is the order in which they will hire applicants.  They do not tell you how many they will hire or what your prospects are just your number.  To be honest I can't remember what his was, but 16 seems to stick out in my head.  He called to tell me the news, but this is a small agency and we had know idea what this meant.  But before he could get off the phone with me they had reached his "number," and the rest is history in the making. 

Had our prayers for that job first job been answered (the way we wanted them to) I don't know that we would be here.  I was so frustrated at the time, yet I'm so grateful it happened.  Not just because my hubby has a job that he loves (when he is not learning Spanish), and not just because I would rather be seeing the world rather than living FAR outside of DC because we couldn't afford it any other way.  But because every time I drive past that building I get a reminder that there is a bigger picture, and I have God on my side to help get us to where we need to go. 

So today I thank God for hearing and answering my prayers, even if the answer is NO.