God is Abundant God

Barry Chen

 

What God really cares about is not your career but your character. One win in your career is short term success but only by training you, refining your character, God can forge you to a mariner and lifelong winner.

 

It was 4 years ago. I was praying to God about moving to the United Sates. God was mercy and very responding to me. Looking back in 2015 year end resolution, 90% of my prayers are fulfilled when we reviewed it the next year. One of the prayers is moving to the united states. Only God knows how unlikely and impossible for this to happen in my organization. But to God, nothing is impossible. This is the first miracle that God responded. Back in the time, the mercy solely came from God. My report manager, skip level Director, VP, and HR all support me by creating a req. for me to move to the US. Everything that I tried on my own efforts was failed, but God did things successful with nothing is going through my hand. God shows to me this is purely from Him. This is through His power.

 

After I came to the US, the life is tough and getting harder and harder. I need to raise my family, attend MBA, and work day and night. I faced my current manager who was actually trying to control and micromanaging everything out of his mentally feeling of insecurity, revealing bad temper, and being mean in his languages. He excluded me in every of my efforts trying to make contributions and being recognized by other team members in Houston. As it’s getting harder and harder for me to survive, I believed all the troubles are from God and God will resolve and revenge for me in my situation. For 2 years, I tried very hard to apply a job at a different organization both internal and external of my current employer. I pushed my skip level Director to help me move forward to my PR as he did the first time sponsoring my work VISA and put me here in Houston. All these efforts ended up with failures and even backfired to me which further constraint my development within my organization. I also traveled to Austin and Mountain view, interviewed with Google, Apple, Amazon … none of the efforts works.

 

I did not give up even with the feeling of exhaustion. I would rather seek God for answers and pray for his respondence. I drive even harder to a find a right position that is from God and is with God’s approval. However, God looks so distant to me. Just in last 6 months, 3 or 4 different jobs that are very likely giving me an offer all failed by different reasons.

The failures help me understand my limitations. Those limitations are the things that are very basic about you this person… that is how “YOU” to be you in all your life and hard to break or make a change. For example, I don’t have engineering background with me and I feel that I can never change that. My college degree is Econ and Finance. In tech companies, even you’re a procurement or cost analyst role, they always prefer to hire someone with engineering background.

 

Second is about age. For mid-level jobs, I’m competing with 30+ years old or young people who are roughly with 5~6 years of experiences. Usually I would be considered too old given that I am not a citizen. Third is my communication skills are limited by my American English capabilities. I’m not a native speaker and I don’t come from the culture in Europe or Western countries. But many jobs do require strong communication skills in order to influence your internal customers or audience in Europe or America. Finally, is the corporate policy. As a foreigner, VISA and PR sponsorship from the organization is required. However, most of the jobs and their top management either do not sponsor me Visa or recently changed their policies.

 

So this is about social labeling or how society actually thinks about you. Realizing how difficult it is for the Israelite just to cross the Jordan river, I am actually preparing to move back to Taiwan. But God finally open a gate way for me by end of Oct. My flight ticket to leave the country is on 10/14. The job offer confirmed by end of Oct. while my wife and my two sons already moved back to Taiwan.

 

God’s at work when the time is due

• 3 director or manager level gave me good reference

• During the interview, God provides me the materials to do a very successful presentation. I can make a beautiful slide but how to explain in presentation is culture related and training required. Through an opportunity of real presentation by management, the director demonstrates the skills how he explains the slides to our executive audience and help them understand what we’re trying to express.

• All of my team members are all with engineering background. But God help me say things right during the interview and I’m able to break the invincible ceiling.

• Best gifts from God. The fellowship from study group and the book, all the prayers from the church, and my colleagues who give me their support.

• Right after finishing my interview, two visitors from Taipei come to our Church and they’re actually the suppliers related to my future role

Now, it looks to me more than a surprise. This is a sign that God actually approves the job and tells me this is a success from God and by God.

 

God is abundant God

God uses his word, people, and circumstances to mold us

• In the two years, he trains me to realize and really face the disadvantages in myself. I was pushed to make real change in myself and continue to adjust. No one is perfect, the question is do you admit your own weakness and be willing to make changes?

• The job actually gave me a raise on my pay grade.

• The hiring manager only cares about my stability to continue staying in this job. Visa and PR are not a problem to her.

• The manager allows me to take a personal trip to Taiwan after onboard.

• The manager is a lot more reasonable and concerned about her employees. It is a very close team.

 

God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do.

Challenges remain ahead. There are many uncertainties. Not even will I continue stay in current company. But I wouldn’t be worried because I have been strengthened in the process.

 

Life and career are all short. People have to think about how to best use your time because everyone has only 24 hours. Waste your time on the person you cared. Spend your time wisely when you learn things. 1 hour can be much more productive and meaningful than giving you a whole day.

 

1. 1. Did I learnt what I need to learnt?

   2. Can I make contributions in here or there?

   3. God have prepared me and he has a plan for me no matter in US or in Taiwan.

 

May God’s name be glorified in me and my family. (Nov 2019)