Getting out of the boat.

My “getting out of the boat” journey began as I ended my “graduate from college journey!”  I am a proud Louisiana Tech University graduate with a degree in Elementary Education—Go Dawgs! I had tried to move to Northwest Arkansas so that I could be a Razorback, but that did not happen so I spent my first year of teaching in Shreveport.   It was a tough year, but a very safe and a very beneficial year. As the year progressed I realized that the Lord was challenging me to move on.   I started researching job opportunities in the metroplex. I submitted my resume to several school districts and sent out hundreds of resumes to specific elementary schools—and—and—nothing.

In May of this year there was a “bite.” I got an email from Dallas ISD inviting me to do a phone interview. I did the interview and—and—nothing. A few more weeks passed and I didn’t hear anything. I went on a trip to Destin, Florida with some of my family.  While there I received an invitation to a Job Fair that was taking place on Saturday, June 1 at 8:00 am. This was great except for the fact that there was no way on earth that I could possibly be there.  My family group that I was traveling with could not get me back in time.  It just so happened that my Pastor and his family were in Florida too.  We were at dinner with them and he recognized my complete and utter despair that my one and only chance to follow God had come and gone--not!  They were leaving in time for me to be in Dallas!!

We drove from Destin and arrived in Shreveport around 2 am of June 1.  My parents were waiting for me and we immediately started our journey to Dallas.  We arrived around 5:30 am and checked into our hotel.  I slept for a couple of hours and then it was on to the job fair.  I said a quick prayer in my car on the way over, “Lord let this be easy and help me know what to do.” As I’m standing in line with the hundreds of eager educators, they began to explain that there are two different gyms—one gym for A-H and the second gym with the rest. I walked upstairs and stumbled into the “wrong” gym. I was looking for the gym with the A-H,  but somehow ended up in the other gym. I think to myself “Ok, Tayler, just find a school and do an interview.” I stood in one line for a few minutes, but then decided to step out. Then I came upon a school with a first grade position open so I slid into that line. There were two women interviewing ahead of me. I ALMOST slipped out of the line to go to another school with more positions open but I thought, “You’ve already stood here this long. Just stay here and get an interview under your belt.” Finally it was my time to interview. I sat and answered all of there questions as eloquently and bubbly as I could. At the end of the interview I said, “Well, I would love to work for ya’ll.” Their reply, “Well we’re ready to hire you if you’re ready to accept.” My reaction, “What?! Really? Yes!” So by 10 am I had a job.

I didn’t know what to expect when I moved to Dallas—I still don’t know what to expect.  I did have an encounter with God in the summer before I got here and He did let me know that what I was planning for when I got here was not what he was planning for me when I got here—gulp!  It has been a huge adjustment—still is an adjustment. However, I know that God didn’t orchestrate this plan so perfectly for it to be for nothing. Like Peter, I’m stepping out of my boat into the unknown—into scary waters where you can’t see anything below you. But all the while Jesus is standing in front of me saying to me, “keep your eyes on me Tayler. I have brought you here for a purpose. As long as your focus does not stray off of Me and My plans, you will not sink.”