Sis.Joanna Testimony
My name is Joanna, I have about 14 years of IT work experience and working as a Technology Lead in one of the top MNC’s. Right from the beginning, I was always assigned to high pressure projects, and there was no work life balance. This continued even after I got married. I have a son who is now 9 years old.
While there are numerous instances where God has blessed me, I would like to share one incident as my testimony.
In June 2017, I was assigned to work for an Australian Telecom Giant
I already heard that it is the “baap” of all high pressure projects. However, since there was no other project available, I prayed about it and said “Lord if this is not for me, take it away”. My immediate manager assured me that in case I find it difficult to handle, he will release me in 2 months. I was naïve enough to believe him but what I did not to know at that time was that it was impossible to get a release.
I joined and realized that the project indeed lived up to its name. I tried to do my best, managing the track I was given for a couple of releases. Always I was put into releases that had high visibility and were extremely demanding. To ensure that the team had the things they need to pick up when they come to office, I used to wake up at 4am to analyze and plan for the day and my day would finally end at 10-11pm in the night and still there would be so many issues and I was bombarded on every side by managers. I would attend calls back to back from 8:30 am till 1:30 pm. My eyes used to just dry out and I would start feeling feverish by 1pm. No breakfast, lunch or dinner and the same my family had to go through. My husband supported me a lot and took on most chores at home. My son would keep asking me for food and I would not have the time to give him anything. I would remain sitting at my desk for long hours and I started putting on weight. My situation was bad and getting worse.
I finally asked my manager for a release in November, to be exact November 22nd. I was past my 2 months window we agreed to in the beginning. We discussed and I told him that I need a release by January end as my mother will be coming to stay with me for the next 6 months and she is very old and I need to care for her and we definitely cannot continue on food delivery apps. He just left it at – let’s try to work it out.
And then something changed. But as pastor says the battle is far from over!! The very next month my manager changed. She would call me at 1am to ask me to login and check something because it was critical. The tech lead for my track was away for three weeks unannounced, she would not be reachable over phone or mail. We had no clue when she would connect. Since I was from a technical background, I had to take that up too. Once I worked day and night for 3 days at a stretch.
In January, I had my appraisal discussion with my earlier manager as for the appraisal period I was reporting to him. In the course of my discussion, I reminded him of the release and he told me that he would not be able to release me until end of February or mid-March. I was totally disheartened and I knew I could not continue any further. I prayed about it and left it to God and went about my extremely busy schedule.
On January 21 exactly, two months from November 22nd, my friend from the Talent Deployment Team, sent me a message congratulating me. I immediately called her and she told me that she received a mail from my manager that I was going to be released in 3 days. I almost did a somersault in the bay. Thanked the Lord. Though my date for release was decided as 25th January, it was extended till January 31st.
My manager, on the day of my release said, “it was good working with you Joanna, it would have been great if you could continue. And then she added, “I heard this release came from someone higher up and we could not do anything to retain you”. I mused and added “Yes, I spoke to someone really high” and thought in my heart, “higher than any other name !!”
As I ponder about it, I am amazed how God worked a miracle in my favor and per my demand of a release at the end of January. While it was a nightmare, I believe I really needed this project to learn a lot of lessons, and God had a plan for me, preparing me and in due time also planned for my release. God is simply amazing and as Mary pondered in her heart, we also need to ponder on all the things that God has done in our lives.
A lot of people after this asked me, “Joanna, what did you do, tell us so we also can try for a release”. I told them “I prayed “. While most people gave a puzzled look, one actually told me he too would pray!!!
I am now in a project that has a management with a conscience!! I am able to manage my work and home beautifully.
As the pastor always says that in the dead of the night the Lord is working in our favor. It is true. We need to hang in there!! I wish to give all the glory honor and praise to my heavenly Father and to pastor for his encouraging words!
I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I know the one who is holding it and I trust him completely!!!