It's been a couple weeks since I participated in the Thankful Thursday posts but since I am on vacation, I have time to do this today!
Hopefully you are having a relaxing week of Winter Vacation, if you are in a school district that is on break, I mean!
I am thankful that I have a job where I can be home with my daughters during their vacations. When I went into teaching I always thought I would be teaching full time in the same classroom for years. Well that job only lasted 8 years after grad school as I decided to be home with Courtney once she turned 2. Once Claire came along, I decided to just teach part time and the Lord opened the door for me to teach at an inner city crisis pregnancy center. I was there for 5 years(2 days and one evening a week). It was volunteer work although they did pay for my parking fees and gave me a stipend after the end of each 10 weeks of the Parenting Program that I ran. However, once we were transitioned to our current church, and I had another year as a full time stay at home mom, the Lord opened yet another door for me to return to the more traditional classroom. And I am so thankful for that!
But that isn't really what I wanted to share about today.
What is really on my heart is this: I am so very thankful for being able to know, to really know, the path that the Lord wants me to take in my life. And I am thankful that my husband and I can pray about each of our daughters' paths. He is our guide. He directs our steps. If we are open to Him and are listening to that still, small voice. Sometimes the way we should go is obvious. Other times, not so much.
Like college choices.
Dear me....my oldest received 8 notices in the mail from colleges who have learned of her PSAT scores and that the high school she attends has listed her on the High Honor Roll (gpa of over 90%). And my husband says this is just the beginning! She is only a 10th grader!
We have heard from some very nice colleges and universities: NYU, Hofstra, Union, RIT, Liberty (a Christian college in Virginia and one we are not encouraging...more on that later), Roberts Wesleyan (another Christian one and one we would encourage her to apply for), Gordon College (another Christian one in MA that we would also encourage although right now they don't offer her area of interest) and Champlain College of Vermont (we don't know anything about this one but the campus looks gorgeous!). Now the first 4 are secular and very expensive....we most likely would not be able to help her financially with those choices. Yet another downside to being a stay at home mom for years and only doing part time work! We also most likely will NOT qualify for much, if any, financial aide due to our combined income. RWC and Gordon would be awesome from a spiritual perspective, but again...they are so pricey! There are too many choices!!
So....although we have another full year before she even has to start applying, I am starting to feel overwhelmed. In fact, last nite I couldn't sleep well as I kept thinking of all the choices out there. How do you know where to send your child? I want a good, Christian, preferably Evangelical, one for my daughters. Yet...will it be a good match for their areas of interest? Is a Christian college worth it for the price you pay? Will she earn academic scholarships? Will she stay true to Christ if on a secular campus? Will she be safe on a secular campus?
The worries could go on and on.
Finally, at about 4 in the a.m. I turned all of these worries over to the Lord.
I am so thankful I can turn to Him. I have more peace today.
I don't need to worry about Courtney's future.
I do have to help guide her. But her ultimate journey to college will be His plan for her. If we ask Him for guidance.
Dave and I will help her pray. We will travel to various campuses, I am sure, in the next 2 years. We will discuss options. We will apply for scholarships and grants. We will trust the Lord.
And we claim this Scripture:
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 28:11-13.
And this one: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Thank you God for your faithfulness and that your promises are True!
What are you thankful for today??
Note: because I know someone is gonna ask: Yes, I received a BS from a Christian college and a MS from a secular university. Dave did his BS and MS at a secular technical college. Thus, we both have different opinions!
Hopefully you are having a relaxing week of Winter Vacation, if you are in a school district that is on break, I mean!
I am thankful that I have a job where I can be home with my daughters during their vacations. When I went into teaching I always thought I would be teaching full time in the same classroom for years. Well that job only lasted 8 years after grad school as I decided to be home with Courtney once she turned 2. Once Claire came along, I decided to just teach part time and the Lord opened the door for me to teach at an inner city crisis pregnancy center. I was there for 5 years(2 days and one evening a week). It was volunteer work although they did pay for my parking fees and gave me a stipend after the end of each 10 weeks of the Parenting Program that I ran. However, once we were transitioned to our current church, and I had another year as a full time stay at home mom, the Lord opened yet another door for me to return to the more traditional classroom. And I am so thankful for that!
But that isn't really what I wanted to share about today.
What is really on my heart is this: I am so very thankful for being able to know, to really know, the path that the Lord wants me to take in my life. And I am thankful that my husband and I can pray about each of our daughters' paths. He is our guide. He directs our steps. If we are open to Him and are listening to that still, small voice. Sometimes the way we should go is obvious. Other times, not so much.
Like college choices.
Dear me....my oldest received 8 notices in the mail from colleges who have learned of her PSAT scores and that the high school she attends has listed her on the High Honor Roll (gpa of over 90%). And my husband says this is just the beginning! She is only a 10th grader!
We have heard from some very nice colleges and universities: NYU, Hofstra, Union, RIT, Liberty (a Christian college in Virginia and one we are not encouraging...more on that later), Roberts Wesleyan (another Christian one and one we would encourage her to apply for), Gordon College (another Christian one in MA that we would also encourage although right now they don't offer her area of interest) and Champlain College of Vermont (we don't know anything about this one but the campus looks gorgeous!). Now the first 4 are secular and very expensive....we most likely would not be able to help her financially with those choices. Yet another downside to being a stay at home mom for years and only doing part time work! We also most likely will NOT qualify for much, if any, financial aide due to our combined income. RWC and Gordon would be awesome from a spiritual perspective, but again...they are so pricey! There are too many choices!!
So....although we have another full year before she even has to start applying, I am starting to feel overwhelmed. In fact, last nite I couldn't sleep well as I kept thinking of all the choices out there. How do you know where to send your child? I want a good, Christian, preferably Evangelical, one for my daughters. Yet...will it be a good match for their areas of interest? Is a Christian college worth it for the price you pay? Will she earn academic scholarships? Will she stay true to Christ if on a secular campus? Will she be safe on a secular campus?
The worries could go on and on.
Finally, at about 4 in the a.m. I turned all of these worries over to the Lord.
I am so thankful I can turn to Him. I have more peace today.
I don't need to worry about Courtney's future.
I do have to help guide her. But her ultimate journey to college will be His plan for her. If we ask Him for guidance.
Dave and I will help her pray. We will travel to various campuses, I am sure, in the next 2 years. We will discuss options. We will apply for scholarships and grants. We will trust the Lord.
And we claim this Scripture:
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 28:11-13.
And this one: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Thank you God for your faithfulness and that your promises are True!
What are you thankful for today??
Note: because I know someone is gonna ask: Yes, I received a BS from a Christian college and a MS from a secular university. Dave did his BS and MS at a secular technical college. Thus, we both have different opinions!
5 comments:
Oh, I hear you about worrying...... I believe that Courtney will do well Faith. She has made excellent choices so far and I think she will continue to do so. As for financial aide I filled out Josh's FAFSA a few days ago, now you know he lives on his own pays rent and I do not support him at all, he made about $18,000 last year. Even though he is totall independent of me, I had to list my income, now you know how much I make and the child support which is soley for Jesse. Low and behold the expected family contribution "EFC" turned out to be $20,000. If he were married or had a child (even out of wedlock) then they would consider him independent other than that not until he is 25, gee just the age when the child is ususally finished with college. It was very discouraging for me to see that. At least he can still borrow Federal money...........
What an exciting time and a nerve wracking time for you guys. But I know because you seek the Lord, He will guide and direct you. It's exciting too for Courtney to be able to hear from the Lord herself concerning her path . That is such a huge step.
Both Doug and I came from backgrounds where college and providing college support for our children were not big considerations. As a result, our children got jobs, worked hard for scholarships and worked jobs to pay their own way through college. They went to school from home so did not need to pay for dorms etc. I am very proud of them. They chose to further their education themselves and so they were ready to be dedicated to it. We saw so many other children go away to college to have fun and wasted the money their parents paid to send them to college, it's sad. I am proud to have two graduated engineers, and one coming up who has already earned his associates degree in his pursuit of his own engineering degree. (Two daughters are married and didn't finish college but did take one year of Bible school.) Hard work for sure! Just goes to show you what a kid can accomplish once he/she is ready to pursue his/her own part in their future.
Its an adjustment for sure to face your children old enough to be off on their own, it's wonderful to know that God loves them more than you ever can!
Hi Faith,
Thanks so much for stopping by the Cafe yesterday.
I've missed coming over to your blog.
Great post today.
Blessings to you♥
wow the decisions are endless for our little ones! I'm thankful that I'm not a nonchristian parent because I sooo need the LORD to guide me. I still can't believe he has put 2 of his precious creations in my care. I'm also grateful, my man is saved and we are doing life together. Thanks for the book tip, Faith. Always grateful for advice from more experienced mums! Will definitely look for it!
Post a Comment