Article November 4, 2002 Issue

Can I find a job that really fits?

BY Jutta Dettmar-Rollins

AS A SINGLE MOTHER with two children, I was financially dependent on my work as a substitute teacher in various middle schools in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Substituting meant I was always quickly unemployed again, though, and that was really unpleasant for me. I loved my work—I adjusted quickly to new situations, and I liked the children and my colleagues.

When the six-week summer vacation came around and my substitute teaching was at a standstill, I became terribly depressed. And it wasn't just because of the lack of income. I also felt isolated and alone and shut out. Because I was feeling so sad, I knew I needed God's help.

For some years I had studied Christian Science, and I had learned that I could turn to God with my whole heart for anything I needed. One thing I greatly valued was the idea of God as being Love. So I made an effort to push my sadness a little to the side, and to become a bit more aware of this wonderful fact that God is Love and that He is always present. When I did this, new ideas began to come to me. One idea was that what God gave was perfect—not too much nor too little—and everyone was included in His plan, including my children.