Can you imagine what the explorers of our new frontier had to face? The fear, the danger, and no training! It’s hard for me to imagine, but then, memories flooded my mind of times I faced unknown worlds the way explorers did.
Most of us don’t want to seek unknown worlds intentionally since routine, boundaries, and knowing what to expect provides comfort and security. It is usually forced upon us, the way Covid did.
Facing an unknown world means learning to live in uncertainty for a period of time. Guess what? You have lived through uncertainty before, regardless of your age, race, religion, or anything else. Just look at the list below and see which unknown worlds you’ve already conquered.
Unknown Worlds
- new jobs
- graduation (high school and college)
- marriage
- job searching/interviews
- moving
- pregnancy, child-bearing, and parenting
- divorce
- loss of a loved one, especially a child
- diagnosis of serious diseases
- going through abuse, a crime, or addiction
- aging
- new technology
Knowing about worlds others have lived in, isn’t the same as experiencing it yourself. It is still unknown, full of unprocessed information. I feel like an expert on facing unknown worlds. As you read my personal story, you will see why. My hope is this will encourage you, that with God all things are possible.
My Unknown Worlds
Entering the unknown world of college life overwhelmed me. Almost every semester encountered an unknown world with a new schedule and new professors with different teaching styles. My brain was overloaded with new responsibilities, learning, and missing family.
In the midst, came the diagnosis of a progressive, incurable eye disease, thrusting me into the unknown world of vision loss. I went from working in a work-study program to applying and receiving SSI. I had to learn about special services, including a special reading service where other students would read my textbooks into a cassette recorder, and some mobility training.
Graduation then thrust me into the unknown world of looking for employment, buying my first car, and renting for the first time. All responsibilities of independent living fell on me then overloaded, I attempted to turn my anxiousness into energy and adventure.
My first year as an elementary special education teacher (K-6) equally overwhelmed me. Several problems welcomed me into my unknown world. They had moved the special education classroom from the elementary building to the middle school, for one.
Clueless as to the previous classroom arrangement, and never having taught before, almost put me into shock. Unpacked boxes of unknown materials left me a maze to walk through, viewing with what equated looking through an empty tube of toilet paper.
Hoping for valuable guidance from my paraprofessional, my dreams were dashed, she quit. I ended up teaching one week without one while assisting in the interviewing process after school.
For the first time, sixth-graders were part of the middle school but were kept in my class, instead of joining the middle school special education department. This forced paying attention to ringing bells, and another buildings’ schedule simultaneously.
After accomplishing all of that, entering the unknown worlds of job changes, moving, going on disability, building a new house, and surrendering my driver’s license weren’t as hard, although still scary. Marriage quickly followed, with two teenage step-children, creating an instant family. Two years later came the unknown world of pregnancy and parenting from the ground up.
Five years later, God called us into the unknown world of pastoring. None of our ministry training and leadership experiences prepared us for the next twenty, plus years. God led though. Focusing on obedience over understanding prepared us for a larger unknown world God took us through when founding Word in Action Ministries to feed and rebuild lives. This ministry served 1,000,000 meals without knowing for certain where food, finances, or help was coming from.
While pastoring for an offering, instead of a salary, my husband has worked one to two other jobs simultaneously. After a crisis impacted one of the companies, we lost the bulk of our income. Living by faith, God has met our needs miraculously, and through jobs.
God has been with us during the unknown.
Every time we think we’ve figured out what job God has for our pre-retirement season, it changes, leaving us on an emotional roller coaster ride. Unemployed more than not this year, left us facing yet another unknown world. COVID-19 has complicated the job hunt, but God has been faithful.
God is with us during the unknown. He knows we feel out of control, but won’t leave us, nor forsake us. If you grow weary of hanging on, let go, and be held by Him.
For more encouragement, listen to speakers at the Grounded 2020 Faith Conference, It’s safe – it’s online. If you want to hear great testimonies from others who have conquered unknown worlds,
Get access now as well as find out more and details here.
Find more peace in these and other hard times with my book, 5 Keys to Surviving Life’s Storms.
PLEASE SHARE an unknown world you faced and how God saw you through. We need to share positive stories.
© 2020 – 2022, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.
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