Trusting God in Between Jobs

By Ken Wassell

When Ken Wassell discovered his days on the job were numbered, he immediately began searching for a new paid position. But like so many others, he searched diligently without immediate success. As the weeks went on, the financial pressure mounted, which included school fees, mortgage payments, food, utilities, and more.

In Trusting God in between Jobs, Wassell tells how his faith and reliance on God increased as no new job doors opened. He shares his story to help others struggling with this same challenge. He communicates how to:

trust and believe God at his word when being in-between jobs

apply and declare God’s word over this temporary season

stay positive and believe that God has a great plan for your life.

manage finances innovatively while in between jobs

interview well, write effective cover letters and resumes

praise God and to be thankful for answered prayers

By applying God’s word in faith with practical effort Wassell shows that being in between jobs is a season with a beginning and an end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973643265

Ken Wassell

Ken Wassell experienced being in between jobs first hand and proved that by trusting and believing God combined with natural effort leads to God’s open door. Wassell, who lives in Sydney, Australia, has a wife and three adult children.

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Copyright © 2018 Ken Wassell.

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This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Select scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Select scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Select scripture quotations are taken from The Amplified Bible®. Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved. For Permission To Quote information visit http://www.lockman.org/

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-4325-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4326-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018912489

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/01/2018

CONTENTS

A Letter to Readers

Chapter 1: The Journey

Chapter 2: Where Do I Begin?—Philippians 4:19

Chapter 3: Temporary Season—2 Corinthians 4:17–18

Chapter 4: Getting Support—Psalm 121:1–2

Chapter 5: What Does God Think about Me?

Chapter 6: What Does God Want Me to Speak?

Chapter 7: The Words We Speak

Chapter 8: The Natural versus the Spiritual—Philippians 1:23–26

Chapter 9: Managing Finances—Malachi 3:10

Chapter 10: Storms Happen—Luke 8:22–25

Chapter 11: Devotions on Storms

Chapter 12: Everybody Needs a Glenn—Proverbs 27:17

Chapter 13: Networking and Volunteering

Chapter 14: Preparing for Your New Job

Chapter 15: The Interview

Chapter 16: The Roller Coaster

Chapter 17: Journaling

Chapter 18: Different Types of Paid Opportunities

Chapter 19: Keep Positive

Chapter 20: Casual Breakthrough

Chapter 21: Part-Time Breakthrough

Chapter 22: Full-Time Breakthrough

Chapter 23: Thank You, God, for My Breakthrough—Matthew 7:7

Chapter 24: Writing Your Next Chapter—Philippians 3:12b–14

Prayer to Know Jesus

My Journal

To my awesome God, who allowed me

to go through this season for my faith to be strengthened and for Jesus Christ to be glorified.

To my amazing wife, Michelle, who supports, helps, and loves me and brings me great joy. I love you forever.

To my amazing son, Blake, and daughters, Jenna and Tayla, who are marvelous, wonderful, and highly gifted. I love you guys forever.

To my wonderful mum, who taught me that God is faithful to all of His promises.

To my friends Glenn and Marion, whom God used to keep my arms held high during this journey, thank you.

TESTIMONIALS

It’s been my honor to witness and walk beside Ken on this extraordinary journey. Each day, I saw God help Ken remain positive and focused, especially when life threw its most difficult and devastating challenges at him. Faithfully, he moved forward searching and discovering both the biblical and practical keys needed for his breakthrough. He found that each day would release a positive outcome that filled his future with hope. Along this uneasy journey, life’s storms seemed to smash every confidence Ken had, but he remained encouraged while encouraging others at the same time. Did Ken have victory? Yes, he did! He left this season stronger than he entered it, and today, he walks in victory!

—Glenn Nurse (Founding Pastor, Maximize Church)

This is an I’ve lived through it book. Ken Wassell has written this book from personal experience, as he and his family went through a time of unemployment, with all its pressures, lack, and emotions.

I met up with Ken most Sundays as he greeted people into church. I can honestly say that Ken was always bright and cheerful as he joyfully welcomed people to church throughout that period, as he still does today.

What came across to me was Ken’s faith in God to take him and his family through that season and bring them out stronger in faith and commitment to the Lord they all love. It was a great encouragement to me to see someone running to God instead of running from God.

Ken would always share Bible verses that he was standing firm on—Philippians 4:19, about God supplying all his need, was one and Jeremiah 29:11 was another, God has good plans for him—while others were about God’s love, God’s grace, and God’s favor.

Through it all, Ken came through to me as more than a conqueror, through Christ who loves him (Romans 8:37)—a victor and not a victim.

You may not be going through a time of unemployment, but read on and be encouraged by God’s faithfulness; you may know someone going through this season. I encourage you to pass it on to him or her.

—Rev. Don Russell (Retired)

A LETTER TO READERS

Being in between jobs (unemployed) is not a place to celebrate or even desire to get comfortable in.

God created humanity to tend to His garden, and it is His plan for each of us to contribute (by working) to fulfil His purposes on earth.

Being in between jobs is temporary, and anything that is temporary is subject to change at any moment for the better.

You may be wondering how you are ever going to get through this season.

Throughout these pages, I will share with you practical ideas, biblical encouragement, and wisdom tips that kept me moving forward. These, I believe, will strengthen your faith and trust in God and assist you to your job breakthrough.

Life is full of different kinds of journeys—the happy, the sad, the joyful, and the tough—yet in the midst of it all, God desires to keep us moving forward to our own promised land.

My name is Ken, and I wrote this book under Godly direction to encourage you forward through your temporary season and for you to know that you are not alone.

Keep smiling, seek encouragement, and …

Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Never give up, never give up. Never give up.

—Sir Winston Churchill, October 29, 1941

Or as God put it through the apostle Paul,

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17–18 NIV)

CHAPTER 1

THE JOURNEY

October 19 began like a regular day. I commuted to work and arrived early. I parked in my usual spot, placed my briefcase under my arm, and walked to my desk. A few colleagues had already settled into their daily routines, so I walked into the kitchen to prepare my morning coffee. With my steaming latte in hand, I walked back to my desk, ready to tackle the day. I sat down at my desk, opened my laptop, and took a sip of my coffee. Suddenly, the business manager called my name and asked me to come into his office. I stood and walked with my coffee, notepad, and pen, expecting another business discussion. I was directed to the visitor’s seat.

Closing the door behind me, my manager said, Ken, you are a ministering machine, but we can’t afford to keep you. We need to let you go.

My immediate thought was that this was really happening—and it was happening to me!

A sense of numbness consumed me as I listened; yet within me, I sensed God’s Spirit saying to me, I led you here, and now I am moving you on.

I quietly reflected on what I had sensed within me: I led you here, and now I am moving you on.

This is exactly what happened six months ago: God opened an amazing door into this position, which no man could have opened, and the door had closed.

Having walked the Christian walk for many years, I have learned that when God closes a door, He will always open a new one. I felt comfort and peace in the midst of my natural adversity. Yet I was shocked that I was no longer required.

I stood and walked out of the office, trying to come to terms with what had just transpired. I experienced varying levels of numbness as I moved one small step at a time closer to my desk.

I called my wife and shared the news. Michelle was very supportive and said we would look together on the Internet that night for a new job. I thanked her and then wandered, perplexed, through the rest of the day.

After dinner, we commenced the job search. This became the routine for the next three months. I applied for many jobs, yet I didn’t receive a single interview.

Somehow, I felt God reassuring me that all was going to be fine and that I simply needed to trust Him for my present, my future, my family, and my next paid job.

I am reminded of a key verse about trusting God in Proverbs 3:5–6:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

Trusting God with my words is easy when I say, Lord, I trust You with all my heart. Yet to walk it out day by day takes a daily commitment with the one who seeks my trust.

I have trusted God for many years along life’s journey, and as I reflect, I can see God’s faithfulness and His trust confirmed and proven. Here I was in one of the toughest situations, and I needed to trust Him again for His next open door.

God, please help me! God, please help me to trust You fully through this season!

After three months of looking for a new position, I thought it would be much easier. But the new door still hadn’t opened. With my existing skills, qualifications, and networks, I had never thought that it would be that difficult to find a new job. I was shocked.

I had been fortunate that my employer had given me time to search, while I continued to receive an income for fulfilling my contracted role.

I would think, So, God, what have You planned for me next? And when will it happen?

On January 18, I was at my desk when the business manager again called me to his office. With a notepad and pen in hand, I walked in, and he again closed the door behind me.

Ken, have you had any success in getting a new job over these three months?

I replied that I hadn’t.

Ken, due to our financial situation, I need you to finish up this week with no severance pay.

I had known this day was drawing near, but to hear that I only had a few days left shocked me. Yet I felt a sense of peace about it.

In the remaining days, I trained the volunteers who were to continue the business