Testimony - MIchael O'Neill

Please see the testimony of Michael, who God has blessed with a position and has given me permission to share his testimony with you for your encouragement!


I wanted to write my testimony regarding how the Lord met me through providing my new job.

I would like to begin by sharing that this has been a long journey to say the least. It's felt like a dark cloud over my life in many ways. I feel like I've been living in a dry dessert. Like the Israelites who were waiting to enter the promised land. It was frustrating not being able to find a job because I thought the experience I gained at the University of Maryland's journalism school would provide me a position somewhere. This was a season where God was drawing me to himself constantly and reminding me that my hope and true satisfaction is found in the Gospel and the sacrifice that Jesus Christ purchased me back from the grave. I would want to tell people to find your identity in Christ and not in a career or any other "thing" we as humans tend to idolize whether it be status, a relationship or hobby. None of those things truly satisfy but leave us running back to the Savior.

I hope I can be an inspiration to others who might feel burdened or downcast from job searching. The passage in Matthew where Jesus calls "all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest," really ministered to me. I want people to know that if I can find a job, they too can find a career, even if it takes years! The Lord taught me a lot about patience and depending on Him through the trial of finding a job. James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

I pray that others would not look at their job search as a burden but an opportunity to step out in faith and trust God. I hope people would rejoice in their trials and see that God uses these kinds of trials for us to depend on Him and not ourselves.

The last thing or "nugget" I would want to remind people is the importance of assuming responsibility. Yes--we are living in the midst of a tough economy where the current job market is challenging to say the least. But lets not allow a tough economy or hard job market as an excuse to become negligent or lazy in not pursuing a career God has for us. We must remind ourselves that we are a redeemed people who should make all the effort to use the gifts and talents God has given us all for His glory.

I can't finish writing this without thanking you and the BTN team for all of your wisdom and guidance in your assistance in my job search. God is certainly using you to help others discover their vocational gifting. I loved your ideas in finding vocational gifting through doing activities we enjoy and networking with others through informational interviewing. I thank God for your help that was so instrumental in my job search. God bless you.  Michael O'Neill

 -Michael