Faith

This particular post is similar to this post from last year.

This whole summer while Lyndsey was home from college, she tried to get a job. She applied everywhere (except for some places we believe are a little too scary for her to work at). Nothing. Nope. Notta. Zilch in the job market. She couldn't find a job.

As the months wore on, we (or maybe just Lyndsey and me) began to get a little nervous. After all, Lyndsey isn't a newbie when it comes to college. She's been through it before. We KNOW this year what will happen the first week she goes back to school - that first payment is due.

But nothing happened. Our family was praying for a job for her or provision of her needs. Our church was praying for her as well. Friends and extended family were praying.

And still....the Lord seemed to be silent on the whole issue. We were completely in the dark as to what God's plans were for this situation.

Our financial situation was much bleaker this year than last and we weren't/and still aren't able to help her in any way financially.

The only thing we knew to do was to take her back to school and trust God that He would provide.

The day we took Lyndsey back she had less than $100 in her bank account (she had $400 last year). I can't even begin to tell you the number of butterflies in my stomach that day. But we took her and came back home.

My girl told me that she was incredibly nervous when we said our goodbyes. She started having doubts about whether or not she was supposed to be there. Then she went to church that night. She said when she walked into the auditorium and sat down it was like the Lord told her, "Don't be nervous. You are right where I want you." She said an overwhelming peace came over her and she wasn't nervous anymore. To that, I say praise God!

She worked so hard those first five days she was back (She works part-time on campus which helps to pay a small portion of her bill) But she was loving every second of it.

The first week on campus is when the students register for classes, get settled in the dorms, purchase books, and make that dreaded first payment (at least it was dreaded for Lyndsey this time).

She had until Friday morning to pay the bill. She was waiting and waiting and waiting until the last possible minute to go to the finance office just in case some money just so happened to come in the mail or someone gave us some money for her or the Lord dropped it in our lap somehow.

Lyndsey and I were talking and I told her she might as well go to the finance office because we had checked the mail already for the day and I really didn't think anything would happen that day money wise. She really doesn't like going there if she can't pay the bill. She gets really nervous and because of her nerves, she cries and especially if she has to talk to Dr. Rasmussen (the head of the finance department and a very kind man, too) about her bill. She said, "Mom, I don't know what it is about going in to Dr. R's office, but every time I do, I cry! I really don't want to go there!" I told her I understood but she HAD to.

We were praying Dr. Rasmussen would give her an extension on paying her bill. He already knew she didn't have any money a couple of weeks before she went back because we had seen he and his family and he told us to bring her back anyway.

She got into his office and....she bawled like a baby! He looked at her and said, "Lyndsey, I am signing this paper and giving you an extension and trusting that somehow, some way the Lord will provide your bill." She called me right after leaving his office. She was laughing and crying at the same time and I was right with her and praising God the whole time.

Also, this year at the school, a new scholarship program has been started. Dr. Rasmussen told Lyndsey he made sure she was a participant in the program because he knew how much she needed the money. As long as she meets the requirement, 25% of her bill will be paid at the end of the semester. Hallelujah!

So......we've just been praying and waiting for God's perfect timing with her bill. Oh, and her bill is five monthly payments of almost $1,000. Whew! That's no chump change!

Last week, I got a text from someone very dear to me asking me who they should write a check to for Lyndsey's bill. I told them the information and decided that I was not about to count my chickens before the eggs hatched whatsoever! I was just thanking the Lord for any amount because I KNOW that He would multiply it greatly.

We got the check in the mail yesterday. When I opened the envelope, a check for $1,500 was inside! Glory to God! PRAYER DOES WORK!

This is such a faith building lesson that continues to be so very evident not only in our lives but in Lyndsey's life as well. I heard a preacher say recently, "Faith doesn't mean you aren't scared or nervous, but that you are obedient." Wow! I've thought for many years that I didn't have the right kind of faith because so many times I have been scared or nervous over different situations.

God really does reward our faith. I KNOW and have known (as well as my husband and Lyndsey) that West Coast Baptist College is EXACTLY where our daughter is supposed to be right now. It is so evident to us. There are other little things too that have happened to solidify this to us. I can't say it's been easy to have faith, but it definitely has strengthened my faith!

Faith = obedience
If God wants you to do something, just be obedient. He WILL work out all the details right down to the tiniest. If He's done it for me, He will do it for you, too!

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I am happy to report that Lyndsey LOVES college! So loves it, in fact, that she doesn't miss home (she will soon - I just know it!).

Also on the joyful front, she took her first real test and got a 95 (all the others were pop quizzes)! What was a little weird was that she was mad at herself for only getting a 95. She wanted that 100 so bad she could taste it!

I'm not so happy to report that my daughter (aka social butterfly) is sick. Apparently, a lot of the students are sick and it's now Lyndsey's turn.

***Big Sigh*** but with a smile

My husband and I were feeling a bit uneasy a couple months ago with the choice of colleges we had agreed to let Lyndsey go to. After getting quite a bit of counsel, we decided it wasn't in her best interest to go to that particular college. Walter told her he would like her to go to West Coast Baptist College.

She was devastated....absolutely devastated. She had been looking forward to spending her college years with her best friend, Esther. Now that wouldn't be happening. Oh how she cried. It broke my heart...the whole thing was so sad.

But she was not mad at us. We showed her the reasons and let her read the pamphlets we had read and she came to same conclusion we did. She needed to go to another college.

Fast forward to last Sunday.

Lyndsey went to West Coast Baptist College and stayed there for almost a week. She got to attend different college classes and stay in the dorms and see what college life is like. She had a great time and being the social butterfly she is, met a ton of people and made new friends.

Me, on the other hand.........had a really hard time with her being gone. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the time with my boys, but my girl being gone was so hard. I got a small glimpse of what it will be like when she leaves for college in August. It was so different this time. It wasn't like she was just going to summer camp for a week and coming home. She was getting a taste of what life will be like for her in just over 4 months.

She was supposed to come home yesterday. We found out a couple hours before she was to be home that she wouldn't be coming home until today. My heart melted. I had to wait another 24 hours to see my little girl/very beautiful young woman.

That started a domino effect on the day. The computer was on the fritz and wouldn't boot up. I tried to use the printer to copy a test for Phyllip and discovered it was out of ink (which we had no replacements, either). How much worse could it get? I didn't even want to find out. I was having such a bad day and so was my attitude.

When I decided to change my attitude shortly after, guess what? Things changed for the day. The computer decided to start working and the printer wasn't actually out of ink after all. How does that happen? I believe Satan tries really hard to discourage us and when there is a domino effect that happens quickly, he thinks he can get us down and be of no good use for the Lord Jesus Christ. When I decided I wasn't going to be critical about every little thing that was happening (after all, what could I do to change any of the circumstances?) the day just got brighter. That doesn't mean that I didn't still miss my daughter terribly. But I chose not to live in anger and misery.

I was so happy to see my Lyndsey this morning! Unfortunately, she came home very sick. And she spent the better part of today sleeping. She's got a fever, earache, sore throat, head congestion, etc. It's a combination of not getting enough sleep and the weather.

She is also happy to be home. She said, "Mom, I didn't realize just how close I had gotten to you and Dad until I left on Sunday. I don't know how I'm going to make it at college." (insert gigantic smile on this momma's face :) ) To which I replied, "I don't know how I'm going to make it when you are gone to college!" Actually that's not true. I do know how I will make it - the Lord Jesus Christ. He will give me the strength to let her go.