God’s Resume
By Jan Hogle
Editor’s Note: Jan Hogle penned the beautiful piece that follows from a profound place of sorrow. She had just laid her husband of 56 years to rest after a hard-fought battle with stage 4 terminal lung cancer. Jan entered a flurry of activity and spent weeks planning and preparing a befitting memorial service for Lt Gen Walter (“Woody”) S. Hogle Jr. As the demands of putting on this large event settled down and friends and family returned home, the reality of widowhood set in. Jan was now living alone. At times, it seemed her grief would become unbearable, but after a lifetime of seeing God’s faithfulness, Jan knew God was with her. A devotional email from her former pastor gave her an idea. From resume courses she had taught to women, Jan used her skills to write a resume that includes work history and experience no one else can ever claim. As these words poured from her, grief turned to worship, where Jan experienced the magnificence of our God in a new and unique way.
Objectives
Seeking to have My name (character, attributes, and works) and especially My trustworthiness as Lord and Savior known and experienced by all peoples of all times and of all tribes, tongues, and nations, resulting in a new and holy people populating a new and holy heaven and earth.
Qualified By
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and end of all history and all creation. I am One Eternal Being but exist as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. My ways and wisdom are higher than anyone who has ever or will ever live. My power and My perfection are beyond the ability of humans to understand. But My highest qualification, which makes Me completely trustworthy, is My love for all creation, especially mankind. It is a never-ending, undeserved, redeeming, transforming love.
Selected Accomplishments
Created the universe and all that it contains
Created in a unique way both men and women in My own image and with the body, mind, will, and heart to know Me, to rule over the earth, and to accomplish great things
Continually sustain and hold together the universe
Provided a perfect plan and a perfect Person, My own beloved Son, to rescue mankind when they refused to know Me and chose to go their own way
Eternal Work Experience
Elohim: Creator, Mighty, and Strong
El Shaddai: God Almighty
Adonai: Lord
YHWH: Lord
Yahweh-Jireh: The Lord Will Provide
Yahweh-Rapha: The Lord Who Heals
Yahweh-Nissi: The Lord Our Banner
Yahweh-M’Kaddesh: The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy
Yahweh–Shalom: The Lord Our Peace
Yahweh-Elohim: Lord God
Yahweh-Tsidkenu: The Lord Our Righteousness
Yahweh-Rohi: The Lord Our Shepherd
Yahweh-Shammah: The Lord Is There
Yahweh-Sabaoth: The Lord of Hosts
El Elyon: Most High
El Roi: God of Seeing
El Olam: Everlasting God
El Gibhor: Mighty God
Contact Information
Required Primary Method (i.e., Start Here): Through accepting and surrendering to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him’” (John 14:6-7). “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9b).
Follow-On Methods:
Through prayer. “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).
Through the study of God’s Word. “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:10-11).
Through gathering regularly with other believers. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25 NLT).
Through faith and trust. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
References
To Whom It May Concern (i.e., all those wondering if God is real and trustworthy):
I have known God for almost fifty years. I was introduced to Him in a powerful way during an intense time of trying to figure out the meaning and purpose of my life. Though I had heard of Him, I had never experienced Him as at all relevant to my life. With a tiny bit of faith, I asked Him to show me His reality and trustworthiness. Over the years, He has proven to be not only real and trustworthy but the very ground of my being. In Him, I have found the meaning and purpose of life I so craved.
Recently, my husband of 56 years completed a 16-month hard battle with cancer. During this time, God repeatedly proved His trustworthiness, including bringing my husband to a much deeper understanding of what it means to experience the powerful and loving presence of the One who is the Creator and Sustainer of all life. Who—through His Son Jesus Christ—provides not only abundant living but also victory over our biggest enemy: death.
In the severest trial of my life, I wondered if my faith in God would wobble. It did. But God’s faithfulness to me and my husband never did. He has proved Himself to be all I hoped for and much more. I would and do stake my life on His reality and trustworthiness.
Respectfully,
Jan Hogle