Decisions! Decisions!

I graduated from college with a degree in communications and a minor in computer science. My first major job interview was as a news anchor for WVTM in Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America. The news director told me I was not on-camera material, but he loved my writing and wanted me to write the news. I did not know whether I was devastated by his comment or just happy I had been offered a job. More job offers came in, and then I received a call from New York to work as a junior producer for the Children’s Television Workshop, also known as Sesame Street. Life was good! I sat down and looked over both offers.

In my excitement, I never even looked to see what the salaries might be. I did not care. I was already daydreaming about living in New York.

The salary offer was on the back page in very fine print.

The local television station offered $15,000 a year.

The New York job offered $13,000.

After I explained all the details to my parents, I tried to convince them the New York job was more prestigious, and I would be a New Yorker! My dad reminded me that my clothing bill for the previous year was about the same as what they were offering.

He wanted to know how I planned to pay rent, eat, and buy clothes on $13,000. And my plans could not include his money. I was not happy.

My parents suggested I pray about this decision.

There was no way I could live in New York on that salary.

So, after much prayer, I accepted the local television writing job.

At least I could live at home rent-free—a great motivator.

I was also able to start freelance writing for the local newspaper and a magazine. Every day we make decisions that place us on different paths.

It is up to us to trust that when we give our decisions to God, He will never steer us wrong. It has been thirty-one years since I made the decision to become a writer. God has taken me through several corporate jobs, tech-support jobs, and finally, into education. But it is writing that has fueled me in the last several years.

God has used my writing to become my new ministry.

So, for anyone facing decisions, trust God and walk in faith.

Money is not everything. Weigh all your options and pray. Lesson learned.

Paula Sanders Blackwell