It was about this time, 2 years ago, that I started looking for my first nanny gig. I talked on the phone to quite a few families but all of those conversations turned out to be practice calls until I met Teresa. Her voice was sweet and I could hear her two boys playing in the background. We made plans to meet.
I met Teresa and her 2 sons, Henry and Jack, a couple days later. We had a nice evening together, playing with trains, reading books, making snacks. Teresa and I had good conversation about what she needed in a nanny and my experience with kids. Looking back, I can’t say that I felt uneasy at all. The boys were rambunctious but sweet. Teresa was kind and welcoming. The evening ended on a good note and I felt excited that this might be my new ‘nanny family’.
Over the next few days we talked about more details - schedules, transportation arrangements, hourly wage. It seemed like this was it! By the end of the week though, I started to feel unsettled with the idea of working for them. I tried to figure out what was making me feel differently than when I’d first met Teresa and the boys, but I couldn’t put a finger on it. I just didn’t have a peace about it. Camillo and I prayed and I finally just felt God say to me that this wasn’t what He had for me. Plain and simple.
This is not where I’m taking you.
I made the decision to decline Teresa’s offer to be Henry and Jack’s nanny. It was really weird. I hate feeling like I’m disappointing people. I’d gotten this far in the interview process, only to turn her down. On the phone, she kept asking if something was wrong, why didn’t I want to work for them? I was a little shy to talk to tell her my real reason, so I had a couple lame explanations at first. Finally, when none of them satisfied her, I told her the truth. I told her that I am a person who trusts God to lead me where He wants me to be. There was nothing wrong with her family, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to work with them, I just felt like this wasn’t the direction I was supposed to go.
I could tell she thought I was a little nutty but, by being real and honest with her like that, I was able to hang up the phone, confident that I’d said what needed to be said. Had I beat around the bush, I probably would have wondered ‘did I say the right thing?’ or ‘did I sound rude or immature?’. I’m glad I was honest with her about my faith. Sometimes I worry that people will just blow me off if I start talking about Jesus. Especially in Seattle. But I'm learning to be bolder and not worry so much what people think about me.
Even though I didn’t know what God had for me next, I was at peace with continuing my job search. Over the next few days, I met a couple really sweet girls. Maybe this was it? My new ‘nanny family’?
...To Be Continued…
Have you ever been given an opportunity that seemed like a good idea in every aspect..except for that uneasy gut feeling? What did you do? Join the conversation in the comments below!
xoxo
Joy
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