Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: JOY (10/28/21)
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TITLE: APPLE, PECAN, OR COCONUT CREAM? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Micki Bowers
10/31/21 -
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Diana had been on a protracted 4-month interview process for a coveted senior copywriting position at a highly renowned ad agency. Joining the ranks of that Fortune 100 company was a significant career coup, and she’d dreamt of how her writing would be used for their popular marketing and advertising brands. She could almost taste the envy, awards, and accolades from industry peers. Diana knew she had the chops to write for them and her impressive portfolio garnered high praise and promotion to higher-level decision-makers with each subsequent interview.
However, the last round was like a nightmare episode of the old TV show, The Apprentice®. It was held in a conference room with twelve people, each looking at her with varying degrees of superiority and boredom. They asked utterly inane questions designed to mine out her deepest, darkest character flaws to garner their respective thumbs up or down verdicts. But she answered brilliantly (or so she thought). All the while running through an internal dialog consisting of, “Am I being punk’d? Did that nerd just ask me how many ball bearings can fit in a 747? I’m a copywriter, not an engineer! How does knowing what color T-shirt I’d be make me an acceptable candidate?” Apparently, it all mattered. A LOT.
Sensing her dramatic mood shift, her beloved cat decided he could provide a feline show of support by laying on her keyboard. “Cassie?” Diana interrogated, “what is the deal? I had FIVE interviews – each one better than the previous one! I nailed ALL of ‘em! That job was MINE! Why does this KEEP happening? This is the THIRD big agency that chose someone else over me!”
Cassie mewed with sympathy, then displayed a dramatic, gaping, toothy yawn. “Gee, thanks a lot, pal,” she mused through puffed cheeks as she blew out her frustration through gritted teeth.
Diana ruminated on her future. Sadly, she’d just have to be content working as a freelancer crafting catchy headlines and marketing emails for smaller, less prestigious companies while writing pithy short stories to hone her craft until she realized her dream of becoming a famous published author one day.
Kerri, her best friend, declared that this latest rejection was for a good reason and insisted that she simply wasn’t meant to work for any of them. “God has a different plan for you!” she said vigorously as Diana moped and whined ad nauseam about the unfairness of life.
As days stretched into months, Kerri continually reminded her that she was given a real gift with words and how God would use that gift someday. At one point, Diana rudely declared, "Well, God needs to get a move on because the constant rejection is giving me hives - and it isn't good for my digestion!"
Kerri gently rebuked Diana’s sarcasm and insisted that she needed to pray for patience to wait on the Lord because He was working everything out for her good.¹ Sufficiently chastised, Diana apologized and sincerely asked God’s forgiveness during her prayer time later that night.
Remarkably, Kerri’s ministering and reminders of God’s love for her and His plan for her life took root in the ensuing months after the devastating job rejection. The former word tricks she used to manipulate the public were no longer acceptable and now held intention and authenticity. The same thing happened with her personal stories. She finally understood her writing shouldn’t be conceited - but grounded in esteem for the reader.²
Diana eventually felt brave enough to submit her stories to a popular writer’s website. She genuinely enjoys the challenge of writing to a given topic and getting feedback from great writers! God seemed to put on her heart that her stories would not only entertain but also bless others.
Somehow, as only God could orchestrate, Diana stumbled into her calling – and it wasn’t found in the accolades and fame as a writer for the world - but in the pure joy of writing stories meant to lift and elevate other people while glorifying Him. It turns out God weaved the rejections into blessings just as Kerri promised.
Diana’s unplanned and unscripted love of writing Christian stories hit her like a pie in the face! But then again, we all know God has a wonderful sense of humor.
Pass the whipped cream, please!
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¹Romans 8:28
²Luke 2:2-4
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Congratulations on your place.🅠Great writing as usual. I loved your thoughts of honoring the reader.
But what's the saying? Have you been reading my mail? Your words had a laser light of honesty. Sometimes (read that...almost every day) I've wrestled with the beast named ambition, all the while knowing to be yielded is beauty and rest -and so much better. Hope you never stop writing - He has given you a lovely upbeat note.