BUSINESS WOMAN DEPENDS ON GOD

THE business world is a very challenging place for a young Christian woman to work. But if you have a purpose to stand true to the Lord, He will help you meet every challenge and be a shining light, whatever the environment.

A Christ-Directed Career

      During my business career, unexpected circumstances and unusual predicaments confronted me from time to time, but God was always there to solve my problems. Sometimes He would completely reverse a situation or remove the difficulty. And my employers respected my Christian stand. They knew they could depend on me to put in a faithful and efficient day’s work.

      Working as a secretary for attorneys, accountants and other professional people in both private and government offices, I gained considerable experience. For 20 years I was employed in a large federal office as personnel assistant to the Labor Relations Officer. There I had many challenging experiences.

When the Boss Was Away

      The manager’s duties often took him out of the city. Then it was my responsibility to make important decisions which might concern such things as labor union disputes, or employees’ problems on the job. When the telephone would ring I never knew what problem or hard-to-answer question would be presented to me from the other end of the line.

      Alone – I felt quite inadequate. But I was not alone! The Lord was there, only a prayer away. With the receiver to my ear, I would lift my heart in silent prayer, asking God to help me. It seemed He would put the right words into my mouth – and the answer I gave would prove to be the right one. At the close of the day, I could leave for home with a song of praise and gratitude in my heart.

Origin of My Peace

      This inner peace has been mine since I was a girl when I prayed and received God’s forgiveness for my sins. My mother was a devoted Christian and lived an exemplary life before my sister and me. She taught us early in life to read the Bible and pray – and she emphasized the importance of giving my heart and life to the Lord.

      When the Lord first began talking to me about my soul’s welfare, I was a carefree schoolgirl. But fear would grip my heart sometimes when I pillowed my head at night, knowing I was not ready to meet the Lord. I was shielded from many sins and evils of the world, had no serious trouble to worry about, but I knew I must make a decision that would affect my whole life; Would I repent, give my life to God and serve Him? Or would I just go my own way?

      One night I knelt at my bedside, confessed my sins to Jesus, and asked Him to come into my heart. He heard that prayer, and wonderfully saved me. I felt the joy of His forgiveness. Peace filled my heart – the peace that only Jesus can give. From that time on I served Him to the best of my ability.

Miraculously Healed

      When in the fourth grade of school, I became very ill with blood infection which caused abscesses. I was out of school for six months. The doctor told my mother that I would never be well again – there was no cure for me. But Mother trusted God. She asked the ministers to pray for me again, and the next day when she took the bandages off to change them, the abscesses were all healed. New skin replaced the infected places – not even a scar was left!

      Mother and I wept and praised the Lord together. It was truly a miracle. In a week, I was back in school, and never troubled with that disease again.

      Years later, painful arthritis in my hands and knees became a severe trial. I was off work for awhile, and finally went to a doctor in order to get more sick leave. He said my condition was serious, and he wanted me to go to a hospital for observation and tests. But he could promise no relief, for there was no cure for arthritis.

      The Lord had healed me so many times, I was determined to trust Him again and did not go to the hospital. The ministers of the church prayed for me according to the Bible instructions in James 5:14 and 15. I prayed and renewed my consecrations to the Lord. The assurance was in my heart that I would be healed, even if not immediately.

      One Sunday afternoon my faith was rewarded. While praying in a young people’s service, the Lord touched me. Instantly all pain was gone. On reaching home, I ran up the steps and exclaimed to my mother, “I’m healed! I’m healed!” She answered, “You must be. You haven’t run up the stairs like that for months.” There is gratitude in my heart to the Lord that I can kneel in prayer and walk without pain.

      Today, after having retired from government work, I am free to do what the Lord calls me to do. Through the years I have played in the church orchestra, sung in the choir, taught Sunday school, and now I have the added privileges of helping in the church office and home missionary visitations. I can tell the young and the elderly that Jesus is the One on whom we can fully depend as a Guide, Counsellor, Healer and Friend.

      Yes, the Christian life is a challenge – never monotonous. Jesus truly is the joy of living! – Virginia O. Schmick