Philippians 1:6

6 I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.

A Decision Made Too Early

We’re all destined to do good things in this world. The struggle that I feel most of us face is that we’re forced to understand what those good things are from such an early age. By the time we turn 18, we must know what college we’re going to attend, what degree we’re going to obtain, and what career we are going to dedicate our lives to for the foreseeable future. There’s severity in our decisions because the cost of college is very expensive. If you’re just focusing on the cost of tuition (not including on-campus fees, books, food, etc.), the cost of an associates degree – a two year degree – is about $4,200 per year. For a bachelor’s degree – a four year degree – it’s about $12,000 per year. For your master’s degree, it’s about $22,000 per year. For your doctorate, it’s about $23,000 per year. Imagine being 16 or 17 years old and having to make a decision that could cost you about $50,000 to $100,000. Not everyone can afford these prices, so the pressure moves to different ventures such as work, family and relationships, migration, and more. That’s intense, and what if you get it wrong. 

Good Works Being Developed

I wrestled with that a lot during the latter part of my college life. The more I got into accounting and finances, I started to question why I was in that program. The classes all focused on business accounting and finances, while I was never big-business. I had always been in a mindset to help people on a personal level. While I was in college, I began working at a church as a Director of Youth Ministries. I got to finally start working to help others out. It was a blast, however it took me a while to learn what it meant to help people. The further I got into my ministry work, the more I really got to enjoy helping people. The further I got into my degree program, the more I started to doubt myself. I wished I was heading into something psychology or social work related. However, I stuck through it. I shifted to a finance program, and graduated in 2019. Yet, I was still in ministry. I was struggling to figure out my place in the world. Working through the pandemic taught a lot about compassion, justice, and mercy. Being able to solely focus on ministry and community building was really tapping into my personal goals. However, in July 2023, I was terminated from my ministry position. It was time to move into the finance world, right? Not quite. I moved into another ministry position as Administrative Assistant and – Treasurer – job at my home church. Interesting move, right? Vocations aren’t single-track, and God’s good works often move through the hills and valleys. After my termination I had nearly written off working in a church again, but yet it opened up my finance world. Six months later, I began my journey into tax preparation. Three seasons later, here I am. 

What Those Good Works Look Like

The good works being done are a continuous learning journey. God has been helping frame and understand what it means to help others, while working the systems created by the world. Systems that often have their faults. Systems that have an inherent nature to harm those that are less fortunate. God has shown me how to build relationships, over focusing on profit. How to help without exploitation. God is still working in ways to remove the barriers that others have faced in ways that are helpful and digestible to all that need it. There are many things that are happening in the background for me. Many things that have the ability to open doors all over the place. The good works of God are a lifelong development. One that I cannot wait to see how it plays out. 

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How do you see the good works you do develop over your life?