Back to College: 5 lessons

I took a 12-year break from school (as in "I have my Masters Degree") and I recently completed 12 weeks of a Bible College class. Here’s what I learned.

I like school - I enjoyed going to school simply because my goal is always to finish what I start. My goal for going back was to get the knowledge in Bible Study Methods. I was blessed to do so and I enjoyed the whole process. I do not intent to continue in a degree program, I was there really just for that one class. I conveniently labeled myself “one and done” for that reason.

Take your own snacks - coffee wasn’t that expensive at college but every little bit adds up. I brewed my own coffee, put it in a good thermos and took it to class with me. I also learned that my own trail mix tastes amazing. One week I took popcorn. I think I saved at least $50 by packing my own coffee and snacks.

Make dinner ahead of time - I heard that wives and mothers went to college and grad school but this was my first time experiencing it. It turns out that the household chores still need to be done for 12 weeks. I quickly learned that planning and making dinner helps everyone to have a better night. I often made dinner in the morning so that when we all went back home the food was ready to go.

Don’t procrastinate - I’m that student that enjoys getting her work done without procrastinating. I also like to focus with the help of silence. Haha! Silence and kids do not go together. In order to get my work done I had to start on it 6 days before it was due. I know, it was a lot of work but I made it work. Procrastination was not a choice for me so I did what I had to do in order to get homework done.

Count on God’s faithfulness - other than the methods I learned in class, my biggest takeaway is that if God calls you He’ll fully equip you. 12 years ago all I had to do was go to class (well, it was truly never that simple). This time around I was caring for my family in the process. I also had to come up with childcare for the kids while I took the class. I nearly had ulcers over this. I prayed about it and I asked a few people if they’d help. They gave me an emphatic no. Asking people for help can be embarrassing but I’ve learned to get over it and move on to the next option. I casually told a friend that I was concerned about childcare and she told me to check out a daycare in the neighborhood. I had thought about that place but our conversation further pushed me to call them. It turns out that the open door I was looking for was 7 minutes away from my house. I wish that childcare was the only barrier I faced. Some weeks it was challenging to make the budget work so my husband helped with the kids and in the very last week my friend Martha kept my little one so I could take my final exam. I learned these past 12 weeks that if God calls me to do something He will fully equip me to accomplish that task.

I’m also thankful to God for the Kelly family who gave me a scholarship to attend this class. I pray that God will bless them for believing in me and investing in me.

I’m not planning on going back to school again any time soon unless I know God is calling me and funding the whole thing. If He calls me, I am sure He will equip me to fulfill that call.

I hope that this story encourages you to believe God's open doors for you. It's never easy but trust me, if He's calling you He will fully equip you and grow your belief in Him through the process.