My Bold Leap: Exploring New Career Horizons After 40

At the end of 2014, I took a deep dive into self-reflection and asked myself the crucial question, "Margaret, what do you really want to do with the rest of your life?" When I left Corporate America in 2011, I felt a sense of relief, as I believed God was guiding me toward a different path that aligned with His purpose for my life. I've always enjoyed helping people, especially women and children. I often found myself naturally mentoring, teaching, and encouraging friends, colleagues, and loved ones, realizing that these skills needed to be further developed.

With God's guidance and my husband's support, I began a teaching ministry that has now evolved into an international ministry, serving and supporting women and their families. I will share more about my global ministry and how the Lord called me into starting this ministry in another post sometime soon.....

As I focused on growing my ministry, I started longing for a new career—something beyond just a job, a path that truly matched God's calling for my life. I prayed about this desire and talked it over with my husband. Together, we prayed and sensed that the Lord was guiding me toward a career in healthcare. I felt at peace with this potential new profession I was about to begin.

At 42, I went back to school after many years. I thought about pursuing nursing since I had a few friends in that field, and it seemed to be the path that earned a very good income. Even my husband encouraged me to try it, but I persuaded him that nursing wasn't the right path for me at that time, and it shouldn't be about the money.

I sought a program lasting a year or less that would guide me into medical or healthcare administration. This path appeared more suitable considering my vast experience in administration and customer relations during my corporate career, along with my degree in Business Administration. However, as you'll discover later, God had a different plan for me... Proverbs 16:9.

During my first week of class, surrounded by students in their 20s, I kept questioning whether I truly received guidance from God to proceed. What were my husband and I thinking? Nevertheless, I persevered, attending classes four nights a week while working part-time as a House Manager at a Faith based homeless shelter for women and children.

Ten months later, I completed my studies and graduated from the Medical Assisting certificate program at Carrington College with a 3.45 GPA. A month after finishing my externship and resigning from my job, my family and I relocated to Albuquerque. My husband took on a new position with the US Air Force, which was a great opportunity for him. A few weeks later, I took and passed the CMA (AAMA) Certification exam on my first try. Shortly thereafter, I started applying for positions as a certified medical assistant and landed my initial role in healthcare as a HEDIS Medical Records Reviewer, despite it being a contract position.

I continued applying for full-time positions and, in March 2016, I was hired through a recruiting agency to work at a state-operated hospital that provides substance abuse treatment to individuals struggling with co-occurring disorders i.e a mental health condition and a substance use disorder. This marked the official beginning of my career in healthcare. I began my career at the hospital as a Nurse Technician, which was ironic because it brought back memories of the nursing conversation I had before entering the MA program. With my prior experience in sales administration and customer relations, I progressed to the role of Admissions Coordinator after a year or so, which was precisely the position I had been aiming for... but God had other plans for me.

During my time working at the homeless shelter, I realized a deep passion for assisting women over 50 dealing with mental health issues and substance use disorders. Observing their hardships was deeply moving, and I felt a strong urge to specialize in this field of healthcare. I believe it was a divine intervention that led me to that position at the shelter. It was certainly no coincidence that my first permanent full-time job was at a medical facility dedicated to treating individuals with addictions and mental health disorders. It truly felt like a God thing!

Over the years after my position at the state-run medical facility, I have taken on various roles in healthcare both in the United States and abroad. Upon leaving my state job and earning certifications in counseling and professional life coaching, I launched my own Christian coaching and counseling practice. However, I closed this practice when my husband accepted a job assignment in Germany. While there, I had the opportunity to serve our active duty military personnel and their families at the Army Behavioral Health Clinic, which deepened my passion for mental health advocacy. This led me to complete several courses in mental health and substance use disorder, eventually becoming a Board-Certified Mental Health Coach with the International Board of Christian Care.

Those who know me well would describe me as someone who is always eager to learn and improve my skills. God has made this possible, showing His goodness and faithfulness to me. I am also thankful for the unwavering support of my husband and children, who have been amazing over the years.

Today, at 52, I have finally found a career that aligns with the talents and skills the Lord has provided me to fulfill my purpose. Over the past decade, while progressing in my profession, God enabled me to earn my Biblically focused Master's and Doctoral degrees. These credentials have unlocked amazing opportunities for me, allowing me to positively impact the lives of people in my community and around the world for the Lord.

Friends, I'm sharing this to show that if I can switch careers and succeed as a middle-aged woman, becoming a committed health and human services professional advocating for women's and older adults' mental health, then you can too. It's never too late to explore something new. Believe in God and trust in yourself to succeed.

It's essential not to travel this path alone... Allow the Lord to direct your steps and guide your journey. Proverbs 3:5-6. With the Lord by your side and your determination, whatever you strive for, you will surely succeed.

Once again, it's never too late to embrace a new career, it's never too late to reinvent yourself!

Please share your thoughts and any questions you may have in the comments section. I would love to hear from you. If you don't have an account, you can comment as a guest without needing to register.

I remain yours in the faith,

Margaret (MKO)