“The human heart plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

The Long Longing Ride

I walked inside the light rail for another long morning commute and chose a seat next to the window with a direct view to the snow-capped mountains. As I sat down, I let out a sigh, and I could hear my mind whisper, “All I want to do is get close to you.” It reminded me of the scene from the 1987 movie classic “Can’t Buy Me Love” when the young Patrick Dempsey cries out to his love. Only, in my case, I wasn’t playing a part in a film. I was experiencing real feelings of exhaustion and sadness.

Fast-forward a few months from those daily commutes into the city, I found myself in the most awkward conversation I had ever had, with a prospective client. She seemed to be interviewing me for a job—her job! She finally confessed she was leaving her role and knew instantly I would be the person to replace her. I was caught a bit off guard but promised to consider the proposition, and I processed the meeting later that evening. After praying and speaking with my husband, I decided I would meet with the potential new employer to explore the opportunity.

Following the Lord’s Lead

I look back at those moments now with awe and gratitude. The longing I was feeling during those long daily commutes was my soul aching for Jesus. I wasn’t spending time with him during my workday, and my spirit was suffering the consequences. Praise be to God, I heard that inner cry and challenged myself to leave my comfort zone, despite the fact that I was content with my job and didn’t want to start all over again.

My job now is more than satisfactory; it’s fulfilling. I work in an environment that is Christ- centered—a Catholic university dedicated to quality education, service, and formation. I’m blessed to be able to work on a beautiful campus that offers daily Mass, where priests serve as a reminder that Jesus is there.

Sending Jesus a Calendar Invite 

Despite my workplace’s mission, it’s easy to become distracted with the flow of emails, Zoom calls, and reports. I promised myself I wouldn’t fall back to that place of longing, so I’ve added some simple steps to ensure I keep my workday meetings with Jesus every day:

• Send Jesus a “calendar invite”: I add appointments to my Outlook calendar for adoration, Confession, and First Friday/Saturday devotions.

• Pray before work: Before I even check my email, I read from Scripture and say a morning prayer to ensure my work is focused on Jesus.

• Go on a run: When I’m feeling stuck or unmotivated, I pray the rosary while I run.

• Go outside: A simple step outside the door to look at the sky, clouds, and birds refreshes me and gives me the energy boost I need to keep forging forward.

Lilia Grundy is University of Portland’s Pamplin School of Business’ Director of Corporate Partnerships with over 20 years of corporate experience (including Kraft Foods, NBC Television, and Telemundo). Lilia launched Catholic Women Professionals to inspire other working women to grow their faith. She is married to her high school sweetie Rob - they have beautiful twin girls who love art, music and learning about the Saints.