Who is Man that I Should Fear Him?

One of the most powerful lessons learned from the bible comes from the Prophet Isaiah. It focuses on placing your trust in God to the point that you realize there is no need to fear man, worldly circumstances - including economic downturns, or evil.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your
God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10).

In this verse God tells us that if we allow Him to become our true Lord we will never see a day where He is not by our side or a moment that hasn't already been perfectly planned out for our good. Now don't get me wrong I'm not implying that anyone who follows God is immune from life's challenges. Trials are a part of every ones life that's just the way it goes. But what God is telling us is whether it be good times or bad He's there and helping us live out every moment. Some of my best growth opportunities resulted from my lest desirable life choices. Because of His power, God has the ability to say "No worries - I plan to teach you something powerful as you walk out this situation and by time you are done you will be wiser - stronger and more humble than before".

So how does this translate into career advice for us spending our days in Corporate America? It's simple - businesses are built on hierarchy's. There are those with perceived power and those who fill the ranks. We have spoken rules and more importantly unspoken ones. A business with an established hierarchy is more likely to operate efficiently as opposed to one that runs with very little structure, so they definitely serve a purpose. But interject mans spirit into the hierarchy and you end up with a much more complex structure. One infused with the good and not so good elements of man. You'll find mentoring, vision, leadership and a host of other great attributes on the "good" side and on the "bad" side ego and pride to name a few.

Because I know God as I do I understand that each man one day will stand before Him to be held accountable for every thought, action and word spoken. He's not going to ask us how much money we had in our investment funds. He'll want to know whether we gave some of the money to help those in needs. He won't check our transcripts to see what college we went to and what our gradepoint average was. He'll ask if we took the knowledge gained and mentored others who perhaps didn't have the resources or support to make it to college.

So should I fear someone who based upon Corporate America's heirarchy outranks me? Should I be frightened to ask them for help or approach them when we experience a conflict? The answer is a resounding NO. In God's eyes we are the same. The measure by which He will judge us is identical.

When you have this knowledge it changes your outlook on life. It strips away the power that man places upon titles, money, and position. We're simply left with man - God's greatest creation. We all put our pants on one leg at a time and none of us can go on if there isn't breathe in our lungs or a beat to our heart. We are more alike then we think so step forward in faith and fear no man.

Maria

The Birth of the WOG Diary

The birth of the WOG Diary has been forthcoming for some time. But as with everything in life I needed a vision before I was willing to take a step forward and enter the world of blogging.

Recently, I began following the San Antonio Social Media circle and came across some truly inspiring people. In a word they are REMARKABLE and have the gift of words. They transport you to another place or time with the way they think and what they have to say. If you are a Twitter fan I encourage you to follow @writeontime, @colleenpence, @lettergirl, @momonmars, @theredrecruiter, @matt_scherer, @shelleyrae, @epodcaster, @rctalley, and @alanweinkrantz - you won't be disappointed.

I admire how they have embraced the world of Social Media (SM). Undoubtedly they are some of SA's first to analyze the opportunity and hop on the power of the SM tide. As for me, I struggled to obtain a vision for my blog. As I looked at the world around me, the attorneys at the law firm I'm employed at could easily blog about their practice areas and reporters in the SM circle could focus on current events. But what could I write about that would have meaning and purpose?

With the arrival of my vision comes the realization that it is a perfect reflection of who I am. It was in 1999 when I became a born again Christian - a term I was very unfamiliar with at the time. How is it that one who has been raised in the church could be born again? I had to let go and trust in God before I could see the true meaning of the phrase.

I am a corporate WOG (Women of God) looking to share my expertise on surviving in the business world without compromising my core beliefs which are based upon the Word of God. For years I prayed to God to remove me from Corporate America and let me work for Him - in a church or community outreach program, anywhere where people were generally more welcoming, accepting and gentle. Although my prayers reached to the heavenlies God remained strangely silent. Finally the day came when He made it clear that He had placed me in Corporate America so that I could be a light in the darkness. Let's face it - Corporate America can be harsh. It's a place where tempers are allowed to explode to epic proportions while leadership does little to manage the outbursts. In most cases the person doing the exploding happens to be a rainmaker bringing in much needed revenue so leadership looks the other way. Over the years I have seen my fair share of co-workers treating one another poorly. Gossip running rampant and backstabbing the weapon of choice for those who wish to destroy anyone they deem a threat. The truth is Corporate America can at times be heartless. I know I have experienced my share of it's backlash.

Light, Darkness - Me, Corporate America..."Are you sure you have the right person?" I often asked God. Thinking He might change His mind if I pushed the issue long enough. No such luck - God had no intention of changing His will, although there would definitely be changes they would happen on my side not His.

I am no longer willing to deny my faith. The spiritual side of Maria is where I garnish my power, strength and determination to meet every challenge I face in Corporate America, hence the creation of the WOG Diaries. These are my adventures and lessons learned as I live out the will God has for my life.

I truly believe that you can work in Corporate America without sacrificing your faith. Not everyone is going to accept me as I am but I'm not living for everyone I'm living for God. Time alone will tell where I end up. But this I assure you. I will tell the story of the light that entered the darkness and how I found God's provision every step of the way.

Maria