Follow Where God Leads

[Dr. Shane]

He is 68 years old, has a bachelor's degree, two master's degrees and a doctorate.  None of these degrees are in business nor construction and yet that is what he does.  I was introduced to this gentleman during a preconstruction meeting.  He is a owner's representative.  The owner has multiple projects they build each year so they hire someone from the construction industry to oversee the projects as their representative.  I was the project manager for the general contractor which was going to build the project.  

It would be difficult for me to earn a college degree in an area and never work in that area.  I started college as a political science major.  Then I switched to an education major before finally settling on construction management with a minor in business administration.  After college I applied for work with a missionary group to build churches and schools in developing countries.  I was not hired so I moved to the Texas/Mexico border where I could work in the commercial building construction industry during the week in Texas and do missionary work in Mexico on the weekend.  I did that for fourteen years before going to graduate school and earning a master's degree in marriage and family therapy and a doctorate in pastoral counseling.

I just completed my doctorate last year and am still trying to figure out exactly what the Lord has for me.  I continue to work in the commercial construction industry.  I am a successful project manager.  I know the job and do it well.  I work as a part-time chaplain and pastoral family counselor.  I minister to patients in hospice.  My counseling focuses mostly on helping those with substance abuse and those dealing with divorce trauma.  It seems like God sent me a message when He had me cross paths with this 68-year old owner's representative although I am not sure what that message is.  

Many people are bi-vocational.  Some mechanics fix cars in their garage at home while working in a factory or on a construction crew during the day.  Some ladies style hair in an extra bedroom in their home but work full-time in retail or something else.  Many professionals like doctors and lawyers teach a class at a local university.  Many small churches have part-time pastors that hold down a full-time job in a non-religious industry.  For now, I am bi-vocational and do not see that changing in the near future.  Life is a journey.  Ellen White said we are all pilgrims and are not to worry about what we will be doing or where we be at in the future.  Follow where God leads.