Redirected: The Road to Self-Discovery

By Ashley Turner

Have you ever started out on a journey to a desired destination when suddenly, life happens and it takes you in a different direction? Did you plan your life, step-by-step until unforeseen circumstances completely changed your trajectory? If you can relate, you will be thrilled to read this book to help guide you to embracing a new path while enjoying the journeys along the way – to being redirected.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798369422601

Ashley Turner

Ashley Turner is a woman of many skills who wears many hats. Although she’s intelligent, charismatic, and one who captures the hearts of many, she beams as a mother to 4 beautiful girls, as a wife, a daughter and as a friend. She’s a proud native of Port Arthur, TX, hailing from the west side of town.

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Copyright © 2024 by Ashley Turner.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 06/10/2024

Xlibris

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CONTENTS

Introduction

REDIRECTED

I:When Things Don’t Go as Planned

II:Roadblock or Stepping Stone?

III:Trust in God, Even When You Don’t Understand

IV:Accepting God’s Plan

V:You’re on the Right Track!

DISCOVERY I

VI:Addisyn Ger’Nae

VII:Ashlynn Jayde

VIII:Ainsley Raye

IX:Aaryn Joi

DISCOVERY II

X:

INTRODUCTION

We all find comfort in certainty. Once upon a time, I know that I did. Being able to relax, knowing that things are going as planned without any interference or worries, brings me great satisfaction. As children, most of us were able to enjoy our childhoods without the heavy burden of having several responsibilities or worries like most adults.

Once we have developed and nurtured this feeling we get from certainty, we house it in a special place and go on about our everyday lives with confidence, thinking that this certainty will surely be everlasting, only to awaken one day to find out that it has an end date.

It doesn’t last forever.

Well, I am here to attest—100 percent—that it doesn’t. Once we find out the revolting truth about what we expected to be certain for all our lives, we have two options. We can wallow in disappointment and disbelief, or we can choose a new perspective with understanding on how to move forward. We’d all like to think that we would choose the latter in this situation, but in most cases, we don’t. It’s much easier to get upset and feel sorry for ourselves when we have to face the harsh reality of uncertainty.

As you read this book, I will explain how to cope when things don’t go as planned. I’ll describe in detail the steps that you need to take to embrace a new path that is set before you and how to remain faithful while trusting God, even when you are completely oblivious to the direction in which he has you going.

At the end of some chapters, there will be a Section of Reflection. It’s a how-to about transitioning during the unexpected trials that you will endure that will thrust you closer to your purpose. This is a schematic I derived to simply help you to reflect by writing down things you are currently dealing with or have dealt with in the past, as it pertains to each chapter topic. This is designed to help guide your thoughts so that you’ll be able to reflect within yourself while embracing a new journey that is set before you and accepting the new plan, no matter what.

I pray that my words inspire you to adopt a keen sense of resiliency once you are faced with the realization that certainty isn’t continual. I hope that you will be receptive to the information and use it, as you undoubtedly remain steadfast and forthright while embracing a new journey. In all aspects, as you trek into a new territory, your self-discovery will be life-changing, step by step.

Redirected

I

WHEN THINGS DON’T

GO AS PLANNED

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

—Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

T HERE WERE TWO THINGS I loved for sure as a child: reading books and learning anything about science. Although I did well in school in all subjects, science and reading piqued my interest and always left me wanting more. I felt a sense of pure joy and excitement when I opened a new book to read or when I was introduced to a new topic about science. As a child, I decided that I would be one of two things: a pediatrician or a librarian.

Being a pediatrician was one of my career choices because as a kid, I was constantly sick and visited my doctor quite often. Due to my excessive asthma attacks and incessant allergic reactions, Dr. Braye became a friend of mine. Also, at the time, I thought it was the career path chosen by people who loved science just as much as I did. The choice to become a librarian came about because I figured this job would allow me to sit and do what I love to do the most: read books all day long.

As I got older, I realized that what I thought a librarian did was far from the actual job description, so I scratched out being one of those and stuck with becoming a pediatrician. By the time I reached middle school and took my first science class, it solidified my decision to go on to college, major in biology, get accepted to med school, and then become a pediatrician.

My plan was easy and foolproof. Or so I thought.

Let’s fast-forward to my college years—sophomore year to be exact.

I had a successful freshman year in college and did exceptionally well in all my classes. I was confident that in my sophomore year, I would take on my classes ardently, certain that I would master all of them and continue the path of going to med school to become a pediatrician. I was on track to becoming the first doctor in my family, until I met two of my worst enemies: Organic Chemistry I and II.

After these courses, I had to abort my original plan—the plan I’d been certain about since middle school. I loathed this class and my professor, Dr. John Stuart. He was arrogant and had a superior, misogynist attitude that made my skin crawl. I wasn’t the pupil who went along to get along or did certain things to stay in his good graces. It wasn’t a secret that I didn’t care for him too much and that he also harbored the same feelings toward me. I feel that anyone can learn any subject; it just depends on the instructor. It’s not that organic chemistry was difficult, but he made it difficult for me to learn and understand. After my dealings with my professor—who was an unstable creature, by the way—and my disdain and utter disgust in my heart for organic chemistry, I didn’t want any part of med school anymore.

But … I still loved science, so I completed the required courses for my degree and earned my bachelor of science in biology.

At least, I checked that off my list from my original plan.

After graduating from college, I knew for sure that I was going to get an excellent job making lots of money, and then my life would be great! Right?

All my life, all I ever heard was to do good in school and make good grades so that I could get a scholarship for college (check); graduate from college and get my degree (check); and get a great job and make lots of money ().

I carried out everything else; I just was waiting to check the excellent job and large paycheck off my list. Surely it would happen because that’s what I was told. That’s what my mama said; that’s what I made myself believe.

Where I’m from, if you want a lucrative career that allows you to live lavishly by giving you the financial means to do so, you seek employment at the oil refinery.

In my mind, I was qualified; I had the educational background; I was fresh out of college and eager to work using my knowledge. I consistently applied for work as a laboratory technician at all the local refineries, only to be rejected. Many employers repeatedly told me that I didn’t have enough work experience and that I wasn’t qualified. How could I have enough work experience as a recent college graduate? Wasn’t that the point of graduating—to get hired to obtain necessary skills that would enable me to have some experience? How could I get any work experience if I couldn’t get hired to work?

But I digress; that’s another story for another book. Let me stay focused.

Soon enough, I came to know the harsh reality of life after graduation, but instead of sulking because I hadn’t gotten the job that made all the money just yet, I looked for whatever job would allow me to put my degree to use and to financially provide for my five-month-old daughter, Addisyn.

For a few years, I worked as a substitute teacher, a tutor in math and science, and then, finally, I got a job working at a refinery as a laboratory technician. Although I was working as a contractor, I still obtained all the necessary skills and knowledge that would take me to the next level as a laboratory technician in an oil refinery. Again, this was the job that I should have felt lucky to have, and it was supposed to increase my bank account and make me happy. Right?

Wrong!

After working tirelessly for over a year, I was physically and mentally drained and very unhappy. Shift work isn’t for everyone, and after twelve months, I knew for sure that it wasn’t for me. I missed out on a lot with my three-year-old daughter; she was much too young to understand why her mother couldn’t always be at school for programs or volunteer like the other kids’ mothers. All she knew was that her mommy couldn’t come because of her job obligations.

My time with family and friends were few and far in between due to my demanding work schedule. The time that I did have off, I simply rested because I knew that I’d need it to regroup and recharge, only to do it all over again.

Now, don’t get me wrong; I was very grateful and appreciative of this job opportunity, certainly after receiving an alert every time my check was deposited, but unfortunately for me, it wasn’t the money that I desired. I valued time spent with my family more than anything, especially time spent with my daughter.

If only I could have more time off to enjoy life and spend more time with Addisyn, I thought.

The saying, Be careful what you wish for, is beyond true.

Little did I know that one thought would soon become my reality.

After being employed for fifteen months, working ridiculous hours—to this day I still don’t know how I did it—I was fired! I had worked for two and a half weeks straight, alternating days and nights, and on my one day off, I received the phone call.

I felt like Craig from the movie Friday—fired on my day off.

Prior to my being wrongfully terminated, my own supervisor subjected me to unfairness in the workplace. It was always an issue for me to take off from work. My name was practically engraved onto the schedule. It was rare for me to ask for a day off because I already knew I’d be denied.

For instance, I once requested to be off to take care of Addisyn when she was ill. One of her classmates had exposed the entire class to bacteria that caused an infection, which spread like wildfire in her class. As her mom, I wanted and needed to be there to take care of my baby girl. I thought this was a legitimate reason to ask for time off.

As usual, my request wasn’t granted. I knew it’d get denied, but it was worth a shot. In the same week, a coworker asked to take off a few days because her boyfriend had been in a freak accident on his job, and she needed to take care of him.

What do you think happened?

Our supervisor gave her the days off to take care of her grown boyfriend—yet I couldn’t take off work to take care of my three-year-old daughter who had contracted an illness at school. Crazy! This was just one of several instances of my being treated unfairly.

After a while, I surpassed being upset and became infuriated with my supervisor and certain goings-on on the job. It only made it easier for her to relieve me of my job duties when I chose not to keep quiet about what was going on. I am not, nor have I ever been, the kind of person to let people mistreat me and not say anything about it.

Several people advised me to be quiet, not to start any trouble or to bring attention to myself because this was a good job.

I took their advice, tried it for twenty-four hours, and concluded that I couldn’t conduct myself in that manner any longer. I just had to say something.

I no longer wanted to be a part of the oxymoronic narrative that said I had a good job while I was being treated poorly. I wanted to move on.

For far too long, many people have adopted the mentality of keeping quiet while dealing with injustice, mistreatment, and so on in the workplace, all for a hefty paycheck. But not me. I couldn’t do it.

Yes, this job gave me the opportunity for sustained stability in my finances, but the unfair treatment and time away from my child was not worth it. I guess I got what I asked for on that day when I thought, I wish I had more time off to enjoy life and spend more time with Addisyn.

I just didn’t think it would happen in this way or this soon. As I said, be careful what you wish for!

Once I was unemployed, I did what I had wished for. I enjoyed my time off and savored every moment that I could with Addisyn. I wasn’t worried about my finances because I had saved a lot of money—I’d never been off work to spend any of it. After a while, I knew that my savings eventually would run out and that it was time to look for another job.

A few people suggested that I apply to be a teacher, but I never entertained the thought. That was never included in my plans. I wasn’t a kid person! Me? A teacher? Absolutely not!

I had made my career plans a long time ago, and I was determined not to deviate from them.

For a month, I scoured lab technician job openings on Indeed.com and applied to all of them. I promised myself that I’d apply to at least four jobs a