This year's August would have marked my exact five-years of service to this company, but I have decided to leave before the five-years mark just because. Hah.
There are many reasons to such decision and one that tops it all is that I want to have a more meaningful life, a purposeful life, a life that is aligned with everything that has to do with me knowing the Maker in an intimate way.
I was happy with the the now-ex-job but I did not find joy in it, in going through my everyday life, doing things that I do on weekdays at work and attending church related events on my weekends. It's not enough. I didn't feel enough.
I also did not have the motivation/energy/desire to read the bible or attend bible classes on any weekdays because I would be so tired with all the sales-calls at work and I would opt to be at a cafe hanging out with friends, laughing at nonsense or go home and sleep.
My Christian-life was going nowhere. I was a lukewarm thing for a very long time, and I also wanted for it to change for a very long time already. So, I kept trying.
We would read devotional books together once in a while and that was it for our weekdays. For sure we pray every night but that was also it.
Then, beginning of this year, I thought about all the things that I wanted to do, the dreams that we both dared to dream and realized that all of those will not be accomplished if we do not take the first step to it.
For me, it was time.
I personally could not spend time after work on a weekday to attend bible classes or extra ministries because I would be so worn out. I will not even enjoy it even if I force myself to attend.
So, I decided that if I am going to be serious about pursuing the One thing that matters most to me, I have got to give it all. No half-half. It has got to be 100%. I have to be at a boiling temperature. Being lukewarm is boring. Hah.
Of course, with lots of prayer and God's timing, Adrian supported this decision. I needed him to because financially, our lives will be changed and possibly everything else will change.
Making a big life change is scary. But know what's even scarier?
Regrets.
I tendered my resignation on the last of my birthday month, making 28 April 2017 (today) my last day at Holiday Tours & Travel Penang. April has been nothing but a surprising month, so I am embracing it.
I will miss working here because I love most of the things I do, I have a very wise (though fickle-minded at times heh) Branch Manager (whom felt like a corporate-mom to me), funny, helpful, loud, kind colleagues and most of all, this is the top corporate travel agent in Malaysia so please.
It has been such a privilege to be a part of the Penang team and a part of the other 300-staffs of this gigantic company in Malaysia. By the way, the MD for this company is super good-looking for someone his age. Kid you not.
I am thankful for all the things that I have learnt from this 4 years and 9 months be it on the client management, teamwork, communications inter-department, not get bullied by some lazy-worms and always giving the best you can even when no one is looking. I learnt best about being there with each other when the boss becomes super upset (hah) because we do need each other to have that self-entertain and self-laugh to turn the day around.
I learnt that for you to climb the ladder in the corporate world, you do not need to step on others and make other people look bad so you will look better.
I learnt that one should start cleaning the work-space one week in advance because now I have too many things to pack and one box is just not going to be enough. How to fit 4 years of experience into a box? Heh.
I also learnt that in life, we have to make tough decisions whether we like it or not.
And this was one tough decision to make - saying goodbye today.
"How blessed I am to have something that makes saying goodbye hard"
However, when one door closes, another door will open.
In my case, FGA's door! Heh.
I will be starting a new chapter with FGA Centre Penang starting May 2017.
I have my empty notebooks ready for all the new things I'm going to learn about my Maker and from what I've been told, looks like I need another notebook to track what I will be eating because it seems like the pastors and staffs of FGA Centre loves to eat and boy, gaining extra kgs will be the last thing in my list now.
Time to stock up detox tea it seems. Heh.
FAQs from humans and answer from me-self:
FAQs from humans and answer from me-self:
Is this your calling?
I'm not sure if it is, but I am willing to go full-time to find out.
Are you really sure about this?
I cannot say I am 100% sure about this, but I do know that God will equip the willing, so here I am.
Did you hear from God or something?
No, I did not. There were no whispers or some sort of stuff but I know what my heart wants most, at this point of my life and I've got to do what I've got to do to go for it. This is the one way I know how.
Did the Holy Spirit stir up something?
He probably did. If not, I wouldn't have deep thoughts about what I really want or what really matters now in life. Knowing me, I wouldn't spend too much time thinking. Thinking is tiring. Hah.
Have you thought through well on this?
I have. I spoke to the Executive Pastor sometime end of last year, and made the decision only at the end of February. I have never taken such a long time (few months is long for me) to make one decision, but then again, this is a major one.
Is this an impulsive decision?
Definitely not. How does one decide impulsively on a decision that will change the entire lifestyle (especially financially)?
What are you going to do in FGA?
Shake legs and boss people around (this is something Adrian would say if people were to ask him. Heh) I will be involved as an Intern Pastor in the new ministry called Converse-Life (happening every Saturday night at 8pm at MBF Tower - see you there) and I will also be Uncle Lim's PA. Other than that, my job roles include; help Nehemiah lose more than 10kg in 2017, make more babies so FGA could start a nursery for all church workers (heh) and not get fat while being fed by the pastors.
Do you know how much your salary is going to be? Can you live with that?
I knew it was going to be half of what HTT offered me, but even after knowing that, I was more determined to go through with it. Also because Koay assured me that he could support me (when I need it). And to be honest, God has been providing for us with all the things that we need so I'm not too worried. My Big Boss is the richest in this world, just in case you didn't know that.
You know you have to sacrifice your dream of travelling the world right?
I knew I have to sacrifice in my 'ideal-idea' of travelling around (once in a month or two months) because we just got to be wise in spending money now and surprisingly enough, I was ready to forgo that dream.
Why full-time?
Why not? Actually the answer to this question is basically this entire post. Heh. So read up and focus.
There you have it.
Top 10 questions people asked me ever since the news was out.
I know that it will be an unforgettable and interesting ride from May onwards because my Big Boss is not only unpredictable, He is also full of surprises and hello, He rose from the dead and left that tomb empty.
So yes, to spontaneous days ahead of us :)
Bye now.