Moments with Meryl
by Meryl Langley

Since the last "Moments with Meryl," I have been in my new job for two months!! I can hardly believe it. The past few weeks have felt very difficult: getting used to full time work, necessary changes at home, experiencing an extremely steep learning curve at work and realising that the job description was certainly accurate in that it is a very demanding and busy post.

For part of my first three days I had the benefit of the temporary secretary who explained some of the routines and procedures, but not very many. Once she had left, it was all down to me to get on with it. The work seemed to come pouring in from any and every source. I felt extremely stressed that the work was piling up and in my view it did not look like I was in control.

Of course, I then realised that Christ/I was the one in control and spoke back faith to Satan’s temptations such as, "see, look at YOU, you are so slow, YOU’RE never going to be able to do this job, you should have stayed in your old job; you just haven’t got what it takes." My reply? "That’s the truth, Satan, YOU’RE the one who’s never going to do this job, because Christ through me is doing perfectly and there is no such person as just Meryl to do anything"!! I had to live literally moment by moment (excuse the pun). Every piece of work required learning on my part, with no-one to ask, and yet, miraculously, I would "find" someone to help. My boss admitted that he needed help in organising his own work schedule and I calmly offered to assist. (Inside, I was thinking "Boy, so do I, and who’s going to help me? What on earth am I letting myself in for?" I remember often something Ginny said at our Easter Conference: "Mediocre skills and a positive attitude are worth far more than excellent skills and a poor attitude." I made a pact at that conference, that for my own sake and after the experience of my old job, Christ/Meryl was always having a positive attitude. To date this has been so, because in my old job I became sick of griping, whining, murmuring and complaining which, at one point, I loved-it made ME look better than whoever I was criticising. I’m so relieved to know my boss is the boss and can do exactly as he chooses for whatever reason and is by no means accountable to me. So far, he has been perfectly charming to me, has encouraged me every week and said how much better he feels; like there is "light at the end of the tunnel" and he is not so buried under work"-that’s because I’m not buried!!

Actually, to be serious, that’s not true all of the time and only today, I realised that I have speeded up on so many tasks that previously took ages and I am beginning to feel like Norman’s illustration, "what you take, takes you." In other words, it even begins to FEEL like my job.

One thing I have been called upon to do that I was dreading, was taking minutes at meetings. The job description did not specify this task would be required and I had never done it before. On my fourth day at a very large meeting, my boss asked me to do just this!!!! I nearly died!!! I cannot describe the panic I felt. It was so overwhelming I immediately said to myself "OK, Jesus Christ can take notes and it’s therefore true of me, since I am the vessel containing Him." One of my colleagues said afterwards that I looked perfectly at ease jotting down information, like I was completely used to it!! I tell you, it’s the treasure in the earthen vessel.

Another thing I am learning, in spite of feeling shamed and inferior, is not to be afraid of academic people with very high qualifications. I often have contact with such people and I confidently (although not FEELING confident) introduce myself and con-verse with them (actually all I need to do is listen very well and ask them about themselves-they love that!). I then bottom line it and know that such people are vessels, the same as me, only they contain Satan and I contain Christ-the Secret and Power of the Universe. I wouldn’t change places with them for anything.

I am really beginning to enjoy my new job now; I thrive on the challenge it presents and I just love to see God in control. It beats fighting and struggling to stick to MY agenda any day.

I am also amazed to see how God has been preparing me for this role over the past few years, particularly with all the changes that have taken place in me through belonging to Zerubbabel and believing Jesus Christ is the one living His life through me as me.

I am so grateful to God for getting me this job (I found out quite early on that the job went out to advert before and no one was appointed after the interviews as it was felt none of the candidates were suitable). When it was advertised the second time, I got the job! The college itself is set in the most beautiful grounds and this spring it has been wonderful to work in such surroundings and walk home at lunch times. I know just the presence of Christ/Meryl is having an influence in Student Services and I am excited to see how by my just BEING, a change will be effected.