When HR Joined the Call: I Knew It Was About to Get Real..

-By a Black Woman Who Got Laid off and Launched into Purpose....eventually

Let me paint the picture for you.

It was a beautiful Wednesday morning. I had just come back from a well-deserved vacation in New York City—feet still sore from walking, heart still full from seeing Dr. Martin Luther King featured in Times Square, and bank account slightly offended by all the spending. I was feeling refreshed, empowered, and fully employed.

Then I saw the email.

Subject line: “Meeting Invite: Catch-Up Call”

Attendees: My supervisor…and someone I did not know. However, her name had “HR” written all over it.

Now listen. I ain't sayin' I'm a prophet, but my spirit knew what was coming. And sure enough, a few minutes into that Teams call, I heard the words that no Black woman who's been just minding her business, drinking her water, and is tryna make it in this economy wants to hear:

“We’ve made the difficult decision…”

Whew. I had officially been released, dismissed, freed... however you wanna say it—I was laid off.

But baby, that wasn’t the end. Oh no. Keep Reading

The Real Talk

Now, let me be clear: I was surprisingly not devastated. Shocked? Yes. Slightly offended? Absolutely. (Because why you let go of the only black person on the team insert eye roll here) Once the initial shock wore off and days rolled by, deep down, I knew this wasn’t just a career disappointment—this was a divine shift. And God? Oh, He was up to something.

At the time, I had another contract job that held me over. Bills were paid, Target runs still happened, Chick-fil-A still saw me in the drive-thru, and I took a trip almost every month that year. I'm talking domestic and international, wheels up! More stories on that to come. But then, January 2025 rolled up and said, “Happy New Year, sis. That contract job? Yeah…that’s gone too.”

Now...... I'm devastated!

So there I was. Unemployed. For the first time in my adult life. No salary, no side situations- just me, my Bible, my purpose, and a whole lot of questions.

The Revelation

What I thought was a devastating

setback was actually a divine setup. God removed the job to reveal the assignment. And don’t get me wrong—I wrestled. But I also woke up.

This season has taught me how to:

• Hear God clearer (because whew, when the noise of “busy” is gone, so is the excuse),

• Trust God deeper (no biweekly deposit, just daily bread),

• Embrace who I really am—an equipper, a leader, a faith-filled advocate with something to say.

The Scripture That’s Been Holding Me Together:

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19

He’s not just a provider. He’s THE provider. And in this season, I’ve seen Him show up in ways a job never could.

Listen… if you’ve ever gotten laid off and suddenly developed a stronger prayer life, started your dream project, or simply learned how to actually rest—congratulations. That layoff wasn’t your loss. It was your launch.

In NYC without a care in the world...

Declaration:

I may not have a paycheck right now, but I’ve got purpose.I may not have a title, but I have testimony.And if God is with me, this “in-between” season is still blessed.