Dangerous Faith
Dangerous Faith is a ministry that strives to light a fire inside of Everyday Christians to live radically for Christ so that we can glorify God by advancing His Kingdom.
Dangerous Faith
105: How Do You Pick a Career? (Dangerous Life)
Nate Williams and the Dangerous Life Team get asked how they picked their current career job, or, if they aren't there yet, what are they looking for in a career. They share their advice on how to find your footing if you are ever in this situation.
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This is the Dangerous Faith Podcast, and with me we have Zeke, Chloe, Mariah and Justin, and we are talking about careers A lot of people in the Gen Z demographic. Well, they or we don't always know what we're doing and we don't always know what career to pick or choose, and so I thought, okay, let's get the group together and talk about their career choices or what they're moving towards.
Speaker 2:Justin, Personally, I think, if you really want a prosperous career, it'll make you a lot of money. Onlyfans is the way to go.
Speaker 1:Justin encourages people to go to OnlyFans. Okay.
Speaker 3:Yes, absolutely. For those of us who aren't familiar, what exactly is that? Yeah, what is OnlyFans? Yeah.
Speaker 2:I tell you what.
Speaker 3:I need some extra money. Maybe this will be helpful.
Speaker 2:I'm going to encourage research on your own time.
Speaker 1:Are you saying we should Google what's on OnlyFans?
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Okay. That's one editing cut, justin, as a leader in the church, good advice and wisdom there, all right. So what we'll do is we'll start out kind of going around and talking about your current job or your current career and then we'll go from there. But Zeke, you want to kick us off? What do you do?
Speaker 3:I work for an engineering firm here in well, I guess, actually in Abertville, Alabama, and I do civil engineering. So we design different stuff like apartment buildings and commercial stuff. So nerdy math stuff.
Speaker 1:Nerdy math stuff Chloe.
Speaker 4:I'm currently working toward my doctorate of physical therapy. I'll graduate at the end of next year.
Speaker 1:Awesome Mariah.
Speaker 5:I currently work at a restaurant in town. I'm going to school.
Speaker 1:Okay, great, justin.
Speaker 2:I currently work in actual hell.
Speaker 3:For the devil himself.
Speaker 2:Yes yes. No, I work at a Walmart distribution center and I'm working towards getting certified for software engineering.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's exciting.
Speaker 2:Nate, what do you do, oh?
Speaker 1:yeah, for me.
Speaker 1:I am the interim associate pastor of a church and also I help out with a ministry in Birmingham. Long story short, we kind of stand between legislators and churches, trying to get out and educate and inform. Trying to get out and educate and inform. So legislators, if they want information on what pastors and churches are saying, or what does the Bible say on certain topics, we help to supply information to our legislators. And then on the church end, if churches want to learn about laws being passed, bills on the floor, bills being discussed, then we go to the churches and we explain what's happening on the state side. So that's ministry is ALCAP. Y'all can check that out if you want, alcapcom, justin.
Speaker 2:I would just like everybody to know that when Nate started talking about what he does, chloe did laugh, and I just want to tell you that I support my brother in Christ, unlike Was.
Speaker 1:Chloe making fun of me.
Speaker 4:Yes, when did I?
Speaker 5:laugh at her. Oh goodness, Justin, I'm glad I have you, I don't remember laughing, but All right.
Speaker 1:So that's my other job, and I enjoy what I do, and so we'll move on. Then. For those of you who have your career, when did you know you wanted to do what you wanted to do?
Speaker 4:What did that look like for you? I guess I didn't really know. I mean, this is early in some sense, but also late In, like late high school, I guess, like when I was a senior, I knew that I wanted to do something medical, but I didn't know what, and I went through a lot of different options, um, throughout high school and um, I would always go back to um my experience that I had in physical therapy, um, when I was in middle school and I tore my hamstrings, um, and just like the great experience that I had and um, so my, my main reason for picking it is, I believe, that it combined my passion of like exercise and health and the medical world, but also with like the gifts that God's given me, Because I feel like my spiritual gift is probably like exhortation, like encouraging people to do something, and so I thought that physical therapy was the perfect solution for that.
Speaker 3:Great In a general sense. Second grade I liked math.
Speaker 1:So was it like I like math. Therefore engineering Was that straightforward.
Speaker 3:I liked math and everyone said, oh, you're going to be an engineer. And I said I don't want to work on a train and then, I came to find out that's not all engineers on a train.
Speaker 3:And then they I came to find out that's not all engineers. So then I decided originally on engineering, but I didn't know what kind until probably after I failed out of college the first time and then I realized the top that I would rather do, because I originally was going to do like mechanical. And then I found out I like like construction and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:I like seeing stuff get built more so okay, so that's so civil. Great, all right now for those of you you're working towards your career or you're trying to figure that out, uh, what I guess? What are your options? What are you interested in? Mariah justin?
Speaker 5:um, well, I'm definitely interested in the field of psychology, psychiatry, so definitely hope to go into something of that nature, working with mental health, so definitely.
Speaker 1:How did you know that's what you wanted?
Speaker 5:Oh, definitely within my own experiences and like family experiences, I think I've gained a lot of knowledge on certain topics and like things that aren't being addressed with it, whether it's school or church or even at the doctor's office. Maybe they're not listening to you, like I think, like I want to work towards helping that community of thing.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, so your own experiences, justin.
Speaker 2:Well, while I'm trying to get my certification in software engineering, my ultimate goal is to do stuff with video game development, specifically more kind of the coding side of it, but I'd like to be all around good at stuff To where I can. 3d model design levels and stuff like that I find it very interesting, definitely completely different from what I originally wanted to do, which was.
Speaker 2:I used to want to do musical theater, that was my passion but it's a tiny part of my testimony, I won't go into it too much. But something that I turned into an idol and made it a God and it's kind of fuels my vanity. So stray away from that and I'll go do something else that I find incredibly interesting. Okay, well, great.
Speaker 1:So I'm happy for that. We're moving in those directions and let's say, someone comes to you.
Speaker 3:Oh, what about you, Nate? When did you know you?
Speaker 5:were going to be a minister? Yeah, all right.
Speaker 3:When did God, come down from heaven and tell you what you're going to do.
Speaker 1:Basically it did not quite look like that, but I was 14 or 15, and I was reading up on Dietrich Bonhoeffer and he was very inspiring for me and I loved what he did and the things he stood for. A lot of Dietrich Bonhoeffer content has come out recently, from books to movies and stuff like that. But anyways, reading up on Bonhoeffer, but also as I served in the church, the way God has spoken to me I try to use that lightly because people abuse the term but he does it through peace. When I'm where God wants me to be, I have this overwhelming sense of peace. And as I'd serve in youth group, I loved youth group ministry, young adult ministry, college ministry. I just felt at home. That's what I wanted to do and I had my prodigal moments. I don't know if I've told you all this, or maybe I have. Did you all know? At one point I wanted to manage golf courses.
Speaker 2:No, okay, lame. Well, where did that?
Speaker 1:come from. Well, sometimes, you know.
Speaker 3:Nerd.
Speaker 1:Anyways, I love golf for a season of my life and I was interested. There were just schools around that had programs on teaching you how to maintain and manage a golf course and I actually wanted to do that for a little bit, funny enough. But that eventually went its own way and I got confirmed in my calling in a couple ways. One I was in a class one day and someone turned around and said this person was not a Christian randomly said, hey, you'd make a good pastor. I was like, okay, that's random. Then, another person there was a homeless lady I interacted with. At the end of the interaction she just said, hey, you'd make a good pastor and eventually I turned to God and said, I get it, I get it, I get it, you want me to go into ministry. All right, I'm going so long story short, just things like that, just little conversations and a sense of peace. But, Zeke, is that satisfying for you? Does that answer the question?
Speaker 3:enough, close enough Okay.
Speaker 1:All right, let's say someone goes to you early 20s or mid 20s. They're trying to figure it out. They don't know what to do. College is expensive, take out loans, and there's that. They don't know if they want to go to a trade, school certificates, all the rest of it. They don't know what to do. They don't know where to start. If you were giving advice or wisdom, where would you go?
Speaker 2:were giving advice or wisdom. Where would you go From excuse me from a personal standpoint now if that is where you sit and like 18, 20, like, say, you just graduated high school, right? A lot of times people try to push you into going to college right away. That was a humongous mistake for me. I went and not only did I waste my own time, I wasted my own money, I flunked out twice and I now know that's not what I wanted to do or where I needed to be. So I would say take the time, just go work for a couple years. Okay, get yourself to where you're like. Okay. Well, I've tried this out. I don't like this. For example, I worked at the Walmart Distribution Center almost five years now and I know it made my back hurdy and I don't like it.
Speaker 1:I get it.
Speaker 2:But I think that the best thing you can do if you're unsure, go find yourself a good little job and work for a little bit and be thinking on it and stuff like that. But try different jobs, see what you like.
Speaker 1:Okay, anyone else Advice Wisdom.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I would just kind of say what I said earlier Take the time to think about what your passions are and what your gifts are and maybe try to find what fits in there. To find what fits in there, but also, kind of like Justin said, um, take, like go shadow some places, because you never really know what it's like until you, you know, follow someone around for a day or two and that's where you really get your sense of okay, I love this, or I never want to be here again.
Speaker 1:True, a job shadowing is phenomenal if you're able to do it. Anyone else wisdom advice?
Speaker 3:Yeah, this comes back to a topic we I guess I bring up way too much probably. But being in a good church community, you can hopefully have other people speak into your life and like, if you can't see what you're good at or what you might enjoy, they may have suggestions or solutions. So, being around people who know you well whether it's family or friends, or you know a pastor or someone, someone in your life who knows you well, knows your talents and stuff like that and your gifts, then they may can suggest something for you. So ask around.
Speaker 1:Yeah, community is massively important. Now, okay, I have a little bit of a traditional background, some of my thoughts, some of my behaviors. Where's the line between passion and paycheck?
Speaker 3:Sorry. I had one other thing I thought of. Another way you can figure it out sometimes is ask if you can't ask someone else. Just think about what am I when I'm talking to people or I'm talking to others, what's the thing I'm talking about? A lot Like what is back to your thing of passion, like I'm passionate about the things I talk about. So maybe that might be an area and not always but there's times where that's going to be a good area for you to start looking in, even if it's not what you expect it to be. So if, like, for example, take someone who's constantly talking about football, there may be some kind of job for them where, like, hey, it may not be coaching, maybe sports analysis or stuff like that Like there may be some journalism, there's a bunch of different routes you can go with sports. That's just one example.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like that. What comes to mind? What do you like to talk about? What do you like to research? I think that's good advice. Oh, Justin, did you want to jump in?
Speaker 2:I'd like to add on to this little bit. Maybe we're going to bring it up later and you can smack me after the episode.
Speaker 1:I just might smack you anyways, as you typically do.
Speaker 2:But if you're at a standstill because you are afraid you're not doing what God is calling you to, a, as Nate said, god will do things to affirm and help you realize what you're called to. For one, I believe, but another personal belief is don't get stuck sitting there trying to figure out what to do. God can use you, no matter where you're at.
Speaker 2:So if that's something that's causing you to pause and kind of not be able to figure out what you're doing. Know that God will use you wherever you're at, so unless he's made it clear to you you're calling, go do something you like.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've heard it said that same, similar to what you're saying, but it just kind of made it click for me it was.
Speaker 2:I probably said it better.
Speaker 3:Yeah, probably it's. Uh, they said God doesn't always call you to a specific thing, but he always calls you to have the right character, no matter where you're at. So he's called you to have a godly character and he will use that, regardless of what position or place you're in in life.
Speaker 1:I like that. Don't stop living because you're not quite where you want to be. You want to be, or sometimes you'll be, in a certain place and you know that's not where God might have you in the future, I should say but also be faithful where you're at.
Speaker 1:Be faithful wherever your feet are, because I know some people they're like oh I'll start living at some point, or I'll start living at some point, or I'll start living when I get to a certain job or a certain place or a certain college or whatever. Do what you can where you are in the meantime as well. But all right, mentioning just traditional type topics and traditional type things from generations past. We're big on passions. Younger people tend to be follow your passion, follow your dreams. Older generations sometimes can be like forget that. Do what allows you to pay the bills. Do what allows you to raise a family, like who cares? Doing what you like. Do what you need to do in order to take care of the people around you. Forget what you're passionate about. Do your adult duty, I guess, is one way of phrasing it. What are your thoughts on that passion versus paycheck?
Speaker 2:So I think that there is a kind of middle ground to walk there. So you can try and strive to do what you're passionate for. So you can try and strive to do what you're passionate for, but have a backup plan of some sorts, that more stable job in mind. For example, it was I'm going to be honest with you when I wanted to do musical theater. There are so many incredibly talented people who do that stuff who never, ever make it big. It's kind of just dumb luck the people who really make it big. So there's a good chance I would have never made it and at that point in life I didn't have a backup plan. It was basically theater or I want to be dead, you know.
Speaker 2:Theater or die Theater or die. Yeah, part of the testimony again, but yeah, so walk that middle ground where I'm going to strive for this. But I got this backup plan that's a little bit more stable in case something goes wrong and I can't succeed in that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, plan B, backup plan, I like it. What are y'all's thoughts over here? This side of the table, passion versus paycheck Mariah.
Speaker 5:I think it honestly depends on your situation, meaning like, say, if you're someone that still lives with their parents, maybe you could work on more of just your passion and making money through your hobbies, because you have a fallback versus if you have a baby and you're single and you're living alone. You're having to pay for everything.
Speaker 2:Then your dreams are dead.
Speaker 5:Yeah, no, no, I'm just kidding, but it makes it more difficult.
Speaker 1:I understand. Okay, yeah, so it depends on your living situation. Are you paying rent or not? Those things factor in. Chloe, did you want to hop in passion versus paycheck?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I can. I think it's. That's a really hard question, Um, but I guess it's just really where your priorities are. You know cause some people will go to schools like I am, and I don't know why you would choose to go to three extra years of school, um, just for a good paycheck, Cause that's not what I'm doing. I'm doing it cause I really enjoy it and it's my passion.
Speaker 1:Um. The enjoyment helps you get through some painful parts.
Speaker 4:Right, exactly, but I wouldn't wish this on anyone that doesn't have that passion Like you know it would be tough. Yeah, like, especially like even doctors who go to school for like way longer than I even have to, and they don't even enjoy it, they just do it for the money. You know, they don't even enjoy it, they just do it for the money.
Speaker 1:You know, thinking about just the future, and I know college is a big question as you're getting ready to graduate high school. All right, do I go to college? What college? What do I do when it comes to, let's say, the distant future and our future kids? Lord willing, if we have them, advice you're going to give them. Or 16, 17 year old high school kids, and they ask you all right, what do I do about the college thing? Do I go? Do I not go? Seems people have a lot of fun at college, so there's part of it, the college experience, so to speak, and something different, something new, something exciting. How would y'all give advice to high schoolers? Slash, maybe, your future children when it comes to college, anyone have anything they want to share. What do you?
Speaker 2:think. To quote the great Shia LaBeouf don't let your dreams be dreams. Do it. Don't let your dreams be dreams and also to quote Michael Scott may your hats soar as high as your dreams.
Speaker 1:Well put, beautifully done. What do you all think about the college question? What would you say to kids trying to figure that out? High schoolers, do you go to college, do you not?
Speaker 3:Loans. I would say if you're like 16, 17, be working as if you're going, and it's okay if you Something happens and you don't, but at least if you do, you're prepared and ready. So like you haven't. The other scenario would be like you say oh well, I'm 16. I'm not going to go, but then you get to 18. You're like man, now I want to go to college. It's like, well, you needed to be doing stuff between 16 and 18. So you might as well be prepared.
Speaker 1:And if you don't go, worst, not go to college, just to go.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I think that's a way of racking up debt. So you take classes. Then you realize later, oh I didn't need those classes. Don't go just to go. If you have a good group of friends, you're going to have fun wherever you are and whatever you're doing, because the friends help to supply the fun. Don't take out, I would say, larger type loans unless there is a career at the end of the loan that makes the loan worth it. Because I know sometimes people get liberal arts degrees and I've known people in massive amounts of debt for, say, sociology or psychology. Those are fine fields but you just got to know, all right, well, what kind of salary is waiting for you at the end, whereas you know some of us engineering is pretty solid you know, ok, engineering odds are I'm going to get a decent job?
Speaker 1:True that yes. So anyways, just thoughts about that. Are I'm going to get a decent job? True that, yes? So, anyways, just thoughts about that. I would not just go to college, to go, I'd consider trades. Were y'all ever interested in any trades, or did that stuff not really interest you, the people in the room?
Speaker 3:No. Justin says no, no.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:I went to I think we called it tech school, but it's trade school pretty much, where you can take an elective in high school to learn a trade. That's kind of what got me into the type of engineering I do now was I learned how to use a certain software through that. So if your high school offers something like that, I think it's a really good idea. That way, if you don't know what you're going to do, you may find what you want to do there. Like they had one for nursing, one for mechanics, slash welders and one for what I did and a couple others. But there are good things, like we talked about good ways to shadow and kind of learn that without going full in on it. Ok, yeah.
Speaker 1:I like it. Any sort of exposure is good, so people know what they're getting into. Okay, so what would your advice be for those of us who are maybe in jobs that we don't absolutely enjoy and jobs that we might not love, but we're going to be here for a while and might might be in the situation, for a while we're working a job, saying, man, I don't want to be here, but I have to be here to pay bills. How, how do you help people through those kinds of situations when they're there for a while? We're working a job. It's like, man, I don't want to be here, but I have to be here to pay bills. How do you help people through those kind of situations when they're there?
Speaker 2:for a while. Do what they did in the good old days. Stuff it down until it either comes out in drinking drugs or terrible rage.
Speaker 1:So Justin advocates for repressing your deep, dark feelings? Absolutely yes. Okay, Is there a more Christian response or wisdom or encouragement for those who are in a job for a long period of time and they don't quite want to be there?
Speaker 5:Suffering builds character.
Speaker 1:Mariah goes for the classic Suffering builds character.
Speaker 3:That's biblical.
Speaker 1:Zeke. What do you think? Do you have any encouragement advice for those in those kind of situations?
Speaker 3:Sucks to suck.
Speaker 1:Zeke says sucks to suck All right. We are striking out on biblical wisdom.
Speaker 4:Okay, I got it.
Speaker 1:Chloe, can you help us out?
Speaker 4:here. Okay, I think we need to just be faithful to wherever God's put us. Everywhere we go and every job we end up in is going to be exactly where the Lord has planned for us to be, and you never know. There could be a person there that he wants you to witness to or encourage in some kind of way, and I think that you know, even if you're not necessarily enjoying your job, you can still be a light to the people there.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I like that, chloe. So one thing I'll say I'll agree with you, chloe.
Speaker 4:I absolutely agree with you. Wow, that's a first. I'm so glad yeah.
Speaker 2:And, don't worry, don't ever have it again. But something I can say about Walmart that I do have to be thankful for something I never thought that I would ever say. It has helped me become more kind, of toughened me up a little bit and helped me become more of a man. Yeah, and I think that that's there's reason for it. I think that God's planned it that way. But you can find, even if the job you're at sucks, I guarantee you, if you really think about it, you can find something positive out of it. I guarantee you, if you really think about it, you can find something positive out of it. For example, I would never be at the church that I'm at now if I hadn't met Yucky.
Speaker 2:Gross Nate and Hot Zeke at Walmart Distribution Center.
Speaker 3:So I have that to thank for a lot of stuff. Do what? 6-0-0-6. Come visit him.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, absolutely. They definitely won't escort you off the premises.
Speaker 3:So what you're saying is you want to take back all the times where you made fun of me for saying that I recommended someone else come work there and you're like, you're so stupid, this job is the worst and I would never recommend it to anybody.
Speaker 2:So, depending on the type of person, what type of person? Women. Get yourself on the type of person what type of person Women? Get yourself on the way from there and go do something else. If you're a crybaby man, like I used to be, maybe go there and toughen yourself up a little bit.
Speaker 1:All right, zeke, you had some thoughts.
Speaker 3:I had so many thoughts and then Justin started speaking and I'm just amazed.
Speaker 1:I'll tell you what. I'll talk for a little bit if you want to take a moment. It's going to be for me the same advice, but I guess from the other end of the person who is in a certain place for a period but knows that he or she is going to move somewhere else Be faithful with where you are. That applies to this Be faithful with where God has placed you. Like Chloe said and I can think of all the amazing people I've met through the years I met at the warehouse some incredible people. When I worked fast food and retail, I had some great co-workers.
Speaker 1:There are evangelistic opportunities. There are opportunities to be a light, to be a light in a dark place, because a lot of workplaces there's depression, anxiety, people are unhappy, they're miserable, and you can go in there and you can be a positive, just a positive light. That's the word that keeps coming back to me. You can be a light wherever you are, and so that's what I come back to. You are placed there for a reason. You think about Joseph in Egypt before he rose to power. Do y'all remember the story of Joseph? What happened to him? He was placed in jail. It was a false accusation, but he made the most of it. He made the best of it. His brothers threw him into slavery. He made the best of it. So, no matter where you are, what you're doing, work hard, be a man or woman of integrity, be honest, be reliable and make the most of your opportunities and tell people about Jesus. That can be the case no matter where you are.
Speaker 3:Zeke did you have? I'll double down on what you're saying. Okay, if your mindset is that things aren't fair and things are terrible and you hate it, that can be true. Yet what Nate's saying is right, because even Paul himself said that any kind of work you're doing, even if you are a slave to a master, you are to work for that person as if Christ is your boss. So even when we work for yucky gross people at Walmart and they get on our last nerve and they make stupid decisions, we're not working for them, we're working for Christ, and that comes out in the form of everything Nate just said. That I won't repeat.
Speaker 1:Everything you do do unto the Lord. All right, y'all. Before we sign off any final thoughts, comments, questions, anything you want to share that maybe you did not. We all look to Justin. You are the Blake stand-in, because Blake's not here.
Speaker 2:Luckily for you, I'm way better than Blake.
Speaker 3:Agreed.
Speaker 2:I just want to kind of hit home again about something I said earlier. If you feel like you were just stuck and you're too scared to decide because you don't know what God wants you to do, God will use you anywhere.
Speaker 5:Don't be afraid.
Speaker 2:If he has something specific planned for you, I promise you he will let you know. As long as you're faithful to him, yeah, you just got to listen.
Speaker 1:I think that's great, always be listening. And one thing I like that Zeke does he always emphasizes community. Ask the people around you, ask them hey, what am I good at, what are my skills, what are my talents, what do I do that I seem particularly good at? If you're at a loss and, uh, you know, if that's what God wants you to do, he'll open the doors. But anyways, y'all again thankful for Zeke, chloe, mariah and Justin, and we'll head on home. So, justin, you want to? You want to take us away? Um, just want to tell everybody out there.
Speaker 2:You want to take us away? Just want to tell everybody out there rip Luca, Rip Luca.
Speaker 1:Yes for those who are in that world, Luca, today or last night was traded to the Lakers and we have a live audience member here who is very excited about that.
Speaker 2:He is and he absolutely loves LeBron James. Lebron James is his favorite person. Don't try to talk, don't try to talk, don't try to talk. You're not allowed. But yeah, he loves LeBron James, he loves him.
Speaker 1:So, anyways, I think, on that note, we'll head on home. Y'all have a wonderful day, and more episodes will come out as the weeks go by. Alright, see ya.
Speaker 3:Go Lakers.
Speaker 2:Lies, lies. Make sure you cut that part out.
Speaker 3:Yeah, cut out the lies part. Thank, you.
Speaker 5:We didn't even talk about the role of like if you don't want to have a career, if you're a mother.
Speaker 4:Hello.
Speaker 1:So Mackenzie wasn't here. I was hoping she would bring that up.
Speaker 5:I was gonna bring it up but I was like no one was saying anything, so. I was just like I'm not bringing it up.
Speaker 4:I guess he's talking more about what you're doing now, but I'm like that's what I wanna do girl.
Speaker 5:Yeah, me too Raising babies. I ain't doing nothing.