NURSING SCHOOL, PART 3

In NURSING SCHOOL, PART 1, I shared how God removed multiple hurdles to pave the way for me to go to school. At the end of that first post, one hurdle remained...

When I started my new job last summer, I had two financial goals:

• Build an emergency fund for medical expenses in case my youngest or I ever need to see a doctor.
• Save to purchase a reliable vehicle. (Currently, I drive my middle daughter's van, which she will need back when she and her family return from Japan later this month. When the van is not available, my father-in-law has offered to let me drive his farm truck until I can save up enough for my own set of wheels.) 

Saving pretty much everything I made, I checked the first goal off in four months. Then, I began working on Goal #2.

Paying for school was NOT one of my financial goals. Last summer, school had not even crossed my mind. Then came that conversation in the library with my friend, and a seed was planted.

After clearing all previous hurdles, finally convinced that this school thing was something God really meant for me to pursue, I registered for spring classes.

"Now, God, how am I supposed to pay for this?"

I had until the Tuesday before classes started to pay fees. If God didn't make something plain to me by then, I would lose my classes. I had to depend on God to keep opening the doors.

I re-evaluated my financial situation. Since starting the new job, I have saved almost everything I've earned. What if I saved only half of each paycheck?

Well, it would take much longer to save for a vehicle, for starters. Since I'll be using my father-in-law's truck, will he mind? I do not want to presume upon his generosity.

Will half my paycheck be enough to cover fees?

I crunched the numbers. If I applied every single dollar I made at work to school fees, it would just barely cover tuition. What about books? What about transportation/gas? What about unexpected expenses?

"God, if this is really what You want me to do, You are going to have to make a way for it to work."

I prayed and waited, crunched the numbers again, prayed and waited. Every time I checked into my UTM account, I was chagrined by the bright red ! and the notice that I needed to pay fees in order to confirm my classes so that I wouldn't be dropped.

"God? Are you sure this is what you want me to do?"

Then, an unexpected grant that covered almost a quarter of my fees, making my balance considerably lower. I crunched the numbers again.

"God?"

Then, my son-in-law gifted me with the loan of a wealth of textbooks for Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology.

School looked almost possible.

!

"God?"

"Mom, don't worry about a vehicle or gas. I'll cover that. We can carpool." Mondays and Wednesdays, my youngest and I have classes at the same time. Fridays and work days, I can borrow the van or the truck.

!

"God?"

I received a card two weeks ago. On the front, in big letters: "THANK YOU."

Inside: "Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday for the next few years..." The sender had heard that I was thinking about going back to school. He went on to say that since I helped him with his education when he was a young man, he wanted to help me pursue my education now. This unexpected benefactor and his wife had created a fund to help offset my school fees. (I am stunned, humbled and grateful.)

The ! is gone from my account now.

Classes began last Friday, and we hit the ground running. I am going to have to work my tail off to keep up, folks, but I am so excited - this is going to be an awesome semester!

God is so very gracious to this timid daughter of his. I keep coming back - "God?" - and He keeps saying, "Yes, I'm right here."