One of the most difficult parts of crafting a solid résumé is knowing what to leave in and what to leave out.

Proofreading is important, of course, but a rookie mistake is to overwhelm the paper with vast amounts of work experience, to include every single job ever held — no matter how old it was or how … unique.

Focus not on quantity, but quality and relevancy.

Want to get serious about going into business? Highlight the times you managed the cash register, but keep out the time you led a summer mission trip.

Applying for full-time ministry? Include those youth ministry jobs but leave out that school year where you flipped charbroiled burgers on the side.

Separate. Compartmentalize. Focus only on what is important.

Somehow, we’re told that mission trips don’t enhance our experience in the workplace, and that serving menial jobs doesn’t better prepare us for Kingdom work.

This doesn’t make sense.

We’ve written dozens of stories in Inheritance on how people have had the entire trajectory of their lives changed by going on a single mission trip. These trips open our eyes to the heart of God and the needs of the people around us. Mission trips help us see that our jobs are about more than just making money to pay the bills — they’re ways to minister and to serve.

Flipping burgers may be something we try to hide on our résumés, but it reflects the diligence and hard work that is required in servant leadership. Kingdom work is rarely easy or comfortable — sometimes it can be just as grueling as operating a deep fryer. Be prepared to get burned. 

There is no work, no experience, no background, that is too small to be important or relevant for the rest of our lives. 

There is no work, no experience, no background, that is too small to be important or relevant for the rest of our lives. 

After all, aren’t all these skills, interests, pursuits, passions, and abilities just reflections of God’s character? 

We are artistic and creative because God is the Creator who saw good things when there was nothing. We are planners and managers because God is one who seeks order out of chaos. We are servers and cooks because God is one who provides and cares. 

Everything that we do is actually about reflecting some aspect of God. And all our experiences are shaping us to better understand Him.

In this issue, we look at how our experiences and background shape us — whether it’s a mistake we made, a circumstance we can’t avoid, the failures of society, or just how we’ve been raised — things tend to come full circle.

We also want to say that God doesn’t put us in bad situations for the purpose of teaching us. God is love, not punishment. 

And somehow, some way, even when the good can seem so far away, God can still use all things for the good of His people.

Even when the good can seem so far away, God can still use all things for the good of His people.