Jacksonville Metro

Alissa Curry

I was born in south florida, raised in Pensacola, but after college I took a position with SunTrust Bank in Atlanta and lived there for 5 years. I really consider that home because of all the relational connections I have there.

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Alissa Curry's Story

Job Satisfaction

I needed the peace and joy which I had once experienced, but I wasn't sure I was prepared for such a 180 degree turn. My friends would think I was schizophrenic and I also thought they would think I was a hypocrite.

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Thanks for viewing how my relationship with God has changed my life. I hope that you can relate to the fact that we don't have to do all the right things to love God and enjoy Him.

After I trusted Christ as my Savior my freshman year of college, I began a relationship with the law instead of a relationship with Christ. I was quickly introduced to the things that were acceptable and the things that were not. I knew that I could not drink, smoke, curse etc. and that I needed to attend church, read my bible, pray, etc. Unfortunately, there was not any grace involved and I beat myself up when I did not do these things properly. It left me feeling frustrated and upset that I could never measure up to this "phantom standard" I had placed on myself.

After 3 years of this experience, I began to look around at my sorority sisters and the fun they were having out partying. I remembered the fun times I had while partying in high school and I began to desire this "fun" over the "law" that held me captive. So I packed up my relationship with God, put it in a box on my shelf and dove back into the party scene at full throttle.

The hardest part was when I was about to graduate from college. It was nearing the end of my 5th year and I had 2 jobs lined up. I felt certain that I would get both, however on the same day I was denied both of them. I was crushed and felt abandoned. I became angry at God and began to yell at Him for causing this to happen, for not allowing me to experience the blessing of a job after 5 years of hard work. He gently reminded me of the relationship with Him that I had placed in the box and asked me to open myself back up to his plan. I knew that I needed the peace and joy that He offered and that I had once experienced, but I wasn't sure I was prepared for another 180 degree turn. I thought my friends would think I was schizophrenic and I also thought they would think I was a hypocrite.

I'm not sure where I would be had God not began to speak to me that day. How many more crushing experiences would it have taken for me to realize the power and peace involved in having a relationship with Him. Would my heart be so hard that I would continue to look to alcohol, men and my career to satisfy me?

I saw God working in the situation when I asked Him to move me to a place where I knew no one. I knew that I could turn my life around if I didn't have negative influences and tempting situations around me every day. He was faithful and provided an amazing opportunity for me to move to Atlanta, GA and work for SunTrust Bank. It was my dream job and dream city. It wasn't easy when I moved there, but I began to spend time with Him and make Him my priority. I began to understand my relationship with Him through the context of grace versus that of the law. I chose my friends wisely and picked those that would have positive influence over me. He began to restore my joy and my peace - slowly at first and then more quickly.

A few years later I began to feel a leading to join staff with Campus Crusade. My heart had begun to break for the situations that college students were placed in every day and I just wanted to help steer one student to Christ and ground them in biblical principles so they would not make some of the same mistakes I had made. I recognized the deep pit that Christ had been so gracious to pull me from and I wanted others to experience that same grace and forgiveness. I wanted them to understand that there was not a "phantom standard" - that Christ's blood had done it all.

Since then, I did join staff and even though during my first year I faced one of the most difficult times of my Christian faith I clung to Christ and the hope that I had in Him. I rested in God's promises of truth. I have shed many tears over my lack of understanding towards God's plan and the fact that it does not match up with mine, but ultimately I know that if I cling to Him he will be my safe shelter. You see, I have tried to cling to myself before and I remember where it left me... hurt, angry and desperate for satisfaction. I know in Christ I will find peace, joy and the satisfaction I desire.