Reflecting back on the spring of 2011, I recall the months of discomfort in my Corporate America position. There were so many signs pointing at me to resign, but how could this be? The Lord moved my family across the country 1,100 miles from NYC back home to take this promotion. I had been with the company for 13 years, attained my Master’s degree and became President at 29 years old. Surely, The Lord promoted me. Certainly it was NOT His will for me to come back home from my dream city that He finally led me to a few years prior. My thoughts were that He made me success drive. Mistake number one, MY thoughts! He blessed me with this success. Surely, He would not take it from me or ask me to give it up.

For the back-story…The President position was offered to me in the 2009, Ray and I spent 6 weeks praying and talking about the pros and cons. I read the Word consistently, attended church, worshipped, prayed in the spirit and fasted. All along there was a stirring in my spirit to accept the position, but I even drafted various plans. We had a plan a, plan b and contingency plan. Oh yes! Despite the stirring and I didn’t want to miss the voice of God. You see, so many times in years prior, I would just take the leap and follow my plan. In previous years, my mindset was that certainly if I, yes, I integrate Jesus, He will follow me and bless me along the way. I had gone down the checklist. I was saved, loved Him and worshipped Him! This concept was simply not the case! The Lord had revealed to me that I needed to “take heed” and follow Him. He led me to Arthur Pink’s book The Sovereignty of God. So in the present time of being offered the promotion, as the Founder of the company presented this opportunity to me I knew I had to do things differently. A transformation had taken place in my heart while we were in NYC. I had been given the revelation by the most High God that Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” At then end of 2009 we moved home and the next chapter of our lives began until I found my heart strings being pulled to resign 2 years later! At 29 years old I had spent years being driven by success. My definition of success, that is, which looked a lot more like the world than what would later be revealed to me by the Holy Spirit.

Immediately when we arrived back to New Orleans, my family was experiencing crisis. My mom’s sister passed away, mom’s brother and brother in law became terminal and my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. My grandmother was 80 years old and was having a very difficult time with the losses of two of her four children. My husband and I were helping family out to the best of our ability, but my time was extremely limited. I was working every waking moment. The time came as I mentioned early on for me to make a decision. It seemed as though I needed to resign. There was something in my innermost being telling me it was time. Within several months, Jesus began to slowly unveil His plan was for me to take care of my grandmother. How on earth would I accomplish this? Of all of my family, I am “the least of these” (Matthew 25:45) to be a caregiver. I finally yielded and resigned. Over the following days and weeks the Holy Spirit began speaking to me that “He had called me and He has equipped me.” Questions would twirl in my mind like how could I continue on my path of success by taking care of my grandmother? I loved her with all of my heart, but what about the success department?

Approximately 10 years later, there have been innumerable circumstances that have been much larger than anything that I could ever possibly have wisdom to manage, facilitate or face. Routinely I hear that, “still small voice” (I Kings 19:12) whispering loves songs over me, cheering me on and saying, ‘my daughter, “I have called you and I have equipped you.” In those moments of not knowing what the future holds or how you can face the challenges set before you, remember that His Word says, “He who has promised is faithful.” (I Thessalonians 5:24). I have an entirely different perspective on success now. Jesus has changed my heart about purpose and success. Andy Stanley describes it perfectly, “If you are where God wants you, fulfilling the responsibilities He has given you, you are successful. In fact, when that is the case, you are as successful as you will ever be.” How do you define success? How do you feel about success in your own life? You may want to seek Him about His plan, purpose and destiny. You could find yourself in utter shock, awestruck by how successful you become when yielding and walking in His will. After all, if He calls you, He equips you! He certainly reminds me of this daily, especially in discouraging seasons that my purpose is in Him alone. He shows me in true Jesus fashion what success looks like in The Kingdom. And oh, how it differs from the world, but there is nothing more fulfilling!