Greetings!

For an audio version of this blog post click the play arrow below:

I am a Professional Woman Truck Driver.

I am currently in orientation at my new job, and hope to graduate next week, spend a week OTR (over-the-road) with their trainer learning “A Day in the Life”.  This final part of orientation I will basically learn how my company excels in their customer service, safety and core values. Additionally, I’ll learn practical hand-on use of all the technology in the trucks, the logistics of life living in a “Truck House”, plenty of how-to’s, and more. Then I go solo in my own truck!  It is then where I will represent:

• My Company
• Professional Truck Drivers
• Professional Women Truck Drivers.

I plan to execute my job with the honour and integrity these three groups deserve.

I started my job (and career) at Schneider National on March 17, 2020. As mentioned, I’m still in their new-driver orientation learning how to be a ‘Schneider-SMART’ driver: Safety First and Always – their core value. It is a very impressive and well organized orientation, which certainly helps my OCD, organized, and professional personality type. They are both doing what the say and saying what they do, even during this time of the pandemic, adapting and facing daily changes in operations procedures.

Funny side note: I used the word perpendicular in the truck last week and the trainer dude had made mention that I need to shorten my words and master the grunts and use words no more than 1 syllable. “perpendicular has 5 syllables”, he said, “way too many for trucking speak.” and tossed me a smirk. LOL (and yes I fought the urge above to say “monosyllabic” hahahaha.

When I embarked on this career change, I told you all that I intended to include scripture as part of my Trucking V-Logs, Blogs, etc. For my two previous V-Logs, view them here:

VLOG #1

VLOG #2

The scripture I wish to share today is Acts 12:6 which is when Herod put Peter into prison. I linked and copied the whole passage of Acts 12:1-17 at the end if you’d like to read the KJV related verses.

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

To me:

this is an extraordinary display of the peace Jesus promised us in John 14:27.  I can relate this to my own personal experiences.

First, Peter is virtually promised his demise after passover; Herod (in verse 4) would deliver him before the people after Passover. Verse 6 tells us that not only is Peter in

1. A prison
2. Bound with two chains, PLUS
3. There are two keepers posted at the prison door.

When I imagine this in my mind, my goal (exiting this cell before being turned over to peril) looks impossible! Locked door, chained up inside, plus I would imagine these 2 guards are strong enough to stop me should I miraculously break free of the chains and unlock the door.

The other part of this verse is the key part for me – he was SLEEPING!. You and I both know nerves and worry prevent sleep, so Peter must have been so at peace in order to be able to sleep.

My Practical Experience

I encourage you to think of a time when similar feelings and circumstances may parallel the scenario in Verse 6 as you read my experience.

In 2019 I left an $80K salaried GovCon job to pursue self-employment as an Artist (Art-Photo-Cinema) Leap of Faith? YES! I had a very successful photography studio back in the 90’s (in print film days!) and I wasn’t aware of how much the digital age changed the forefront of “how to sell” photography these days. I struggled to learn, but became very overwhelmed. I continually hit rabbit hole after rabbit hole, (meaning researching one thing led to a multitude of other things needed in order to make that one thing work). I felt like I was in an hedgerow garden maze and hitting the hedge walls, having to re-group all the time, while trying to recall, “Which was that turn I made? So I can go left this time instead of right?”

Every obstacle I faced produced doubts, fears, TEARS! And some very sleepless nights. But I kept praying and following the certain paths where I experienced overall peaceful feelings.  Here’s a few:

1. Financially
   1. I had to start using my lines of credit that I had – fortunately, over the years I built up extensive credit and high credit scores that afforded me the opportunity to now draw upon this. Optimal? No, BUT by doing so I was ensured I would continue to have every basic need met. Even watching the credit card balance climb, I was at peace over it. I’m speaking overall here – please don’t think that I never panicked or became terrified of the mounting interest charges and the like. Still to this day, I flinch a bit at that mountain I am going to be chipping away at for, well, not sure for how long yet… lol!
2. Job Hunting
   1. Having to find ways to generate some in-flows. Even through hundreds of rejections, I pursued. Periods of frustrations, and fears at so many rejections still plagued me at times, BUT had an overall peace that I was taking the proper steps.
3. Following My ‘Gut’:

Here is the most significant example of my blind faith and the resultant peace that follows.  In following my pursuit of starting a truck driving career, there is so much to learn, as well as different ways to go about getting a Truck Driving Job. To be concise, basically, there’s

1. 1. 1. Company Paid Training (you are basically accepted as an employee at a company and they ‘school you’ to get your CDL) or
      2. CDL School (you pay the tuition and then go find a job).

I chose the first one, and applied to a few companies, was accepted and then chose one. I paid for a 1-way plane ticket (they would reimburse part of it), got to the hotel that they were putting me up in, and upon arrival, my entire being was ill at ease! This was NOT a good fit. I panicked, and prayed. I was given strength and within 60-90 minutes I booked another hotel. As soon as I stepped out of the hotel I was in to catch the Uber I ordered, the PEACE washed over my entire being. No question as to whether I made the right decision there! I re-grouped at the new hotel for a day, caught my breath and then booked another 1-way flight home.

I then interviewed 3 local CDL Schools (where I pay the tuition and then find a job). 1^st school – yeaaaahhhh…. NO! 2^nd school, mmmm. NAH!. 3^rd school – such peace and excitement over speaking with an intelligent person – so… YES! I even qualified for a state grant to pay 2/3 of my tuition and just put the rest on a credit card.

What I’m illustrating here with that brief synopsis is that yes that company paid training I chose, and subsequently aborted, I ended up paying out of pocket two 1-way plane tickets, two hotel nights, Ubers, gave friends gas money for airport rides, all in the name of blind faith, and following my gut. No matter what decisions I make or how bleak it looks, God will make a way out, supply me with what I need to do it, and then get me where He needs me to go.  I had the credit to cover these expenses, and He provided the clarity strength and friends to accomplish it all and get home.

The “way” I know I’m doing the next right thing is the peace I get from it.

Again, please don’t confuse this peace I’m speaking about with thinking that I float around with 24/7 inner peace… I do not; I still have fears, tears, frustrations, doubts, angers, sadness, and even wallow in these for short periods at times.

Verse 7 indicates that Peter was so at peace that the angel actually had to shake him to awaken him.

Do you recall times that you’ve felt that peace? Even maybe muttering under your breath, “how can I be so calm right now?” Well, Peter even was thinking that very thing! As chains dropped, and doors opened, he thought he was dreaming! or as it states ‘seeing a vision’.

Remember that peace. Call up that memory each time you face panic and fear. Know that there is a purpose for everything under Heaven, and that we really do not need to know what that purpose is. Ever.

So much over the past year I screamed out “Why am I here? I am sick of being in this earth! and all the SHIT in it!”  What I had forgotten is that I live to Glorify Him, not myself.

Cheers and love and social distance — teeheehee

-JJ

xx

Acts 12 King James Version (KJV)

12 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

14 And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

Choose Faith. Choose Prayer. Choose to receive the peace promised to you in John 14:27.