Every day we are hearing more and more about the negative effects that the sluggish economy has had on unemployment across this country. The American people have fallen victim to massive layoffs and downsizing across many industries. One area that has definitely been impacted is that of the education sector. Due to financial hardships, families are no longer able to afford to send their children to college and with it being harder to secure financial aid,
grants or personal loans, the overall bottom line of many educational institutions have been negatively impacted.

Just recently, my family and I have become all too familiar with the far-reaching effects of the recovering economy. After 13 1/2 years of employment at one of Atlanta’s major art schools, I learned that my position was suddenly
being eliminated due to what they call “internal restructuring.” Needless to say, I never saw it coming! Shame on me for thinking that I had job security! There’s no such thing these days so don’t fool yourself into believing that you
have it!

On the day that my immediate supervisor called me into her office, I could tell by the look on her face that something that I wouldn’t like was about to happen. At that time, I remember thinking, “OK, here we go again.” So after a
brief forewarning, my supervisor and I took that dreaded long walk to the executive offices where I was to officially learn about the fate of my position. If I am being honest, I have to admit that my first initial reaction was that of
anger and then panic. After all, I have  a family with two young children! But in the midst of my anger, I heard God’s voice speak to me, “Peace be still, you are my child!” That was all I needed to hear! Instantly I felt a wave of
calmness fall over me. I sat back in my chair and looked them in the eyes and said, “When God closes a door, He always opens a window and He has something greater planned for me and it is not here so I am going to be obedient and keep it moving. That is just where my faith has me.” The room was silent for a brief moment. I believe that the expected my reaction to be a bit more dramatic because somebody handed me a tissue. But I didn’t need it!
It was at that moment that I made the decision to use this situation as an opportunity to not only re-discover my true purpose, but also to use it as a way to inspire and encourage others going through the same thing. Because a wise man told me, “When you are doing what God has purposed you to do, He will not only give you the platform but also the audience to share it with.” As I explore and go through this transition in my life, I hope that I can be an encouragement or inspiration to others as I take this journey.

This is a time that I choose not to feel sorry for myself but rather as a time of re-discovery. First and foremost, I want to re-define who I am as a child of God and how I can best serve Him. But also, I want to re-connect with my family and make up for the time that “Corporate America” has taken me away from them. So please join me as I step out on faith and discover that “There is Life After Layoff!”