Personal Testimony - Megan Maxfield

I’d like to share my testimony with you and about Gods provision.

My friends within Melbourne Staff Songsters will be able to tell you only too well about my roller coaster ride that I have been on in relation to my career since I joined this group seven years ago.

The last two years I would say have been the most difficult in that time, a time where God has taken me on a huge faith journey and has taught me so much in such a short period of time, not just about myself, but also about my relationship with Him.

After leaving a job that I loved, due to a lack of future, I then went to a position that was extremely unfamiliar, with new cultures that were quite scary and an unhealthy environment – yet, the lessons I learnt were huge.  After a restructure, I then moved on to a position that taught me to take nothing for granted as this position, after nine months, ended up in redundancy.

I then found myself unemployed and whilst I did some temp work for four and a half months, I lost my self-esteem, confidence within my work ability and found myself doubting God and questioning why this had happened.

During this time of searching, I decided to search for another spiritual home and because of this decision, a choice that was mine, not God’s, I slowly felt myself drifting away from the things that were important to me.

I was able to secure work, a job of which showed huge promise, a chance to travel and develop my skills. And whilst I was able to develop those skills, gain my confidence back and improved my self esteem, I still found that something was missing and that I wasn’t in the right place.

I found my new spiritual home at Mooroolbark and yet I made every excuse not to settle there, even though deep down I knew that it was where I should be.

After a few months, I decided to settle and now find myself in a place that I finally call home and am being fulfilled spiritually in ways that I never have before.  The excuses that I used to make to not go to activities within the corps, now no longer exist because I want to be there and God blesses me in different ways every time I am there and surrounded by my spiritual family.

Yet, even though I found my home spiritually, I still found myself unhappy with my work and being really angry with God because he knew how much being within this job was very painful for me, it often meant breaking down in tears, begging him to take me out of the situation.  Even after actively seeking other work during this time, I still couldn’t see a way out.

But, God provides……I now have a new job (again!). My new job is something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time and teaches me so much every day.  I work for The Salvation Army, and specifically, our Employment Plus network where I am an Employment Consultant, helping people who have been unemployed for 12 months plus.  This job is fulfilling and brings its challenges everyday. It is my job to assist people in finding suitable employment and a part of this role means attempting to lift their spirits and confidence when some of them feel that they have none.

I believe that God has placed me there and is a job where I can make a difference for him. I come across people every day who are much less fortunate than me; some of these people it is by choice, others, just through circumstances. It’s a constant reminder to me of His provision and how if I trust Him, he supplies every need.

I’ve always known that God is good, but I’ve learnt to be grateful for the hard times within the hard times.  And, even though this seems difficult within that moment, I’ve learnt that God always provides, at the right time, and not always in my time.

I’ve learnt that sometimes, rather than always asking for what I think I need, I need to listen to what He is telling me I need.  I often find myself in situations where God has to not so subtly tell me to stop talking, and just listen.

God has always provided for me in so many different ways and one of those is by giving me people in my life who I know are always there for me and I thank God every day for blessing me in this way.  

Every one within their Christian walk would have to have made a step of faith at some point.  My steps of faith have sometimes been painful, but regardless of this, God has taken that pain and made those experiences into things that now help me with the people that I deal with. Having gone through those experiences of self doubt, lacking confidence and self esteem, I can now empathize with my clients and know that for them too, there can be a light at the end of their tunnel.

My prayer for them is that the light at the end of their tunnel will be a relationship with God and that they will too know the provision and peace that He brings. I thank God that He has entrusted me with the priviledge of being His servant in this way.

I would like to leave with you my favourite scripture verse – Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know that plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.

Situations in life often require a step of faith……if you have doubts in your life, as to whether you should take that step of faith, that, can perhaps be painful, I would encourage you to, “Just Do It”. And, whilst some of our steps of faith may not be as bold as others, God promises that he will be with us every step of the way and promises that He will be the light at the end of your tunnel.