Surviving Career Devastation
Picture yourself on the verge of making your “big break.” You’ve worked toward it for years, sacrificing everything to make it. But suddenly right in the midst of negotiations for your fat new contract – which will bring you fame, money and everything else you’ve ever dreamed of – your phone stops ringing. And when it does finally ring, it’s not your employer. It’s your agent telling you the deal is off. Not only will you not receive your promotion, you’re out a job, period.
Devastation!
This horror story is exactly what happened to veteran broadcast professional Doris McMillon, best known for her 27 years of work at NBC News, WABC-TV in New York, Fox Television, WJLA-TV in Washington DC and around the world on the US Information Agency’s WORLDNET. While in the midst of negotiations for one of the top anchor positions at WABC-TV several years ago, the company suddenly decided to let her go instead. When she heard the news, Doris needed only one word to describe how she felt: devastated. With no real job prospects in sight despite her formidable credentials, Doris feared she might be down for the count. So she cried out to God for help.
“I just said, well, God, this is it. I can’t get a job, I don’t know what to do or where to go. I need to know something. I need to know more about you and what you want from me.”
God began to answer Doris’s plea in a way she never would have expected. One night after landing a freelance job with the Black Entertainment Network (BET), she was interviewing a minister on a live call-in show. During commercial breaks, she began to question him about Christianity. The minister told Doris what he could and then directed her to a weekly prayer breakfast held in Washington DC where she was living at the time. The breakfast targeted business professionals and he thought Doris would fit right in.
Finding help
Doris took the minister’s advice and attended the breakfast. When it was her turn to introduce herself, Doris felt embarrassed, because her identity had always been tied up with being on TV. Now she was just another face in the crowd. But she stood up nonetheless.
“I said my name is Doris McMillon, and I need to know more about God, and I need someone to help me.”
Immediately, Doris heard a young woman, named Yvonne, speak quietly from the back of the room.
“I’ll help you,” Yvonne said.
True to her word, Yvonne started coming over to Doris’s house and explaining Christianity to her. Doris was amazed by what she was learning; especially the fact that she could have a personal relationship with Jesus, God’s Son, and that God had a plan for her life. This revelation helped Doris see the paucity of her previous spiritual commitment. Like many other people, Doris only called on God when she was in a tight spot. But the more she learned about Christianity, the more Doris realized being a Christian meant having an ongoing relationship with God seven days a week, 24-hours a day. She didn’t have to wait until she was in trouble to talk to him. He was always ready to listen and always ready to help.
“This was revolutionary,” Doris says, “and I wanted it all!”
Satisfying change
After becoming a Christian, Doris found that her goals and motives began to change.
“I used to think that success meant getting the big contract with a television station, becoming famous and making plenty of money. I’ve had all of that over the years and found that it doesn’t satisfy our inner longings for significance…. My hunger for those things has faded over the years, and I have discovered that my relationship with God is what endures and gives me hope and strength for whatever challenge I face.”
Today, Doris travels all over the country telling others what God has done in her life. To Doris, this is more exciting than anything else she’s done.
“Hey, I got it going on, but not because of me, because of Christ who lives in me. And I just love to tell people that they can have the same thing.”
Has your world been turned upside-down due to a lost opportunity? Why not ask Jesus to give you a new direction? If you don’t know Jesus, we encourage you to pray the following:
Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me be the person You want me to be. Amen.
4 Responses to “Surviving Career Devastation”
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[…] Surviving Career Devastation […]
Ms. McMillon:
God has truly blessed you with the ministry of encouragement. I do believe that only what we do for Christ will last. I have followed your career over the years (while living in Northern VA) and always enjoyed your news coverage. Then I was blessed by hearing your (more recent) interviews that delved into the state of America’s educational system.
I’d like to know if you’d be able to help me by helping bring to the forefront the group, “Voices of Glory”. A friend of mine suggested that this group epitomizes how the educational system and a strong family foundation can produce excellent upstanding young men and women. We are living in a day in time when America seems to think that there is only one stereotype for the Black family. Somehow it is believed that we come from a different value system where a good education is not valued.
The “Voices of Glory” is the singing group that won 5th place on America’s Got Talent. They are from a Christian family that wants to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Of course, winning 5th place did not guarantee a recording contract nor did it garner the media attention one would expect.
They were here in Nashville at the Inspirational Christian Music Awards Showcase this past Sunday. Someone openly said that if they could get a standing ovation in this environment where country music is the acceptable genre, they must be great.
When I heard them sing God Bless America I knew that they were the group that could bring together nations not just this country. I was honored to meet them and the parents and other family members. They are children truly anointed by God and just want to spread the gospel through their melodic music.
Would you be willing to consider them for a feature story regarding positive education models/results? The success of a quality education?
I believe in their talent and know from experience that a little family from a city in this country can become world ambassadors. I was there in Gary, Indiana in the late 60’s when Ns. Gladys Knight discovered the Jackson Five. I was a high school student attending an outdoor fall concert sponsored by then mayor, Honorable Richard Hatcher.
The main issue with African Americans is where do we go when we need help? Who will take us seriously? Thank God you asked for help and received it when you needed it most. I am asking for help right now, too. I have contact info for the Cole Family (“Voices of Glory”).
Thanks for your consideraton.
Jennifer Mobley
Nashville, TN
Hello Ms. McMillon
It was a pleasure to have met you at the Housing Opportunity Commission center. I really liked how you bounced back from being without. I really believe that people from all walks of life is and still is going through the same thing as myself.
Congratz to you for keep fighting you still have a lot of fight in you.
God Bless
Dear Mobley, I do not know if Jenifer gets a copy of these responses to her article. I do, however, know that God is very aware of what is going on, and that we can ask Him to make the necessary arrangements that you are looking for!
I know that I (in western Canada) will be looking for a CD by the “Voices of Glory”. Let’s pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You blessing all people who love Jesus! Forgive us for showing partiality to various groups and nationalities. YOU love everyone and show no partiality to skin color. I pray that a door will open for Mobley to obtain the help she needs to promote education for everyone. As You raised up William Carver years ago, so You can raise up a person and a group that will promote Christianity as well as opportunities for education of those who are called Black. I pray that in North America there will soon be “equal opportunity for everyone” regardless of race or color. We pray that education as well as job-opportunities will be available to all! We thank You for giving Doris McMillon a ministry that is making an impact for Jesus! And thank You (in advance) for helping her to respond to the plea that Mobley is making. May she be led to bring to the forefront the group, “Voices of Glory”. —- and You will get the glory! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sometimes it is not the question of getting the best opportunity, but of making the best of that opportunity which is at hand. Thank God for helping us to be as big as He wants us to be, while He is working through us to make a difference in our imperfect world.