Clearly updating
my blog has not been at the top of my priority list, however, I am
excited to finally share the rest of my story with you.
If you either a)
need a refresher on the first blog, or b) haven’t even read it yet,
you can do so by clicking here.
If
you are like me and would rather not read the entire blog to be able
to read this blog, I shall give you a quick recap:
In
a matter of 4 months, everything that is grad school happened.
I
applied to Richmont Graduate University in May.
Took
the GRE in June.
Got
accepted into Richmont in July.
Started
school in August.
WHAT
A WHIRLWIND- I think I am still recuperating form the madness.
Upon
receiving my acceptance letter in July, thoughts of how I was
planning on paying for grad school flooded my mind….
(side
note: I was raised to not discuss financial situations outside of the
home, let alone all over the internet. However, in an effort shed
light on this process and give glory to God, I am going to go against
the manners instilled in me.)
After
all, I was going to have to pay a deposit, tuition, rent, and buy
books… not to mention needing money to live on. Who, in their right
mind, wants to think about a final figure for all those things… not
I.
I
prayed about seeking financial aid through student loans, but really
felt like God was saying no. Have you ever wanted to do something,
but felt like you just couldn’t.. like you just couldn’t go through
with it… well that is how I was with financial aid. So, I set up a
payment plan where I could pay 4 of $1,800 installments over the
course of 4 months.
From
July to date, the Lord has provided over $4,500 for all things grad
school, plus money to live on.
Some
of this has been from my parents, but I have noticed a difference in
their giving. It is not because I am their daughter and they feel the
need to support me, I really do believe the Lord is using them to
fulfill His plan for me.
5
days before having to pay my first installment for grad school, my
father asked me how I was planning on paying for it. I explained that
God was going to provide and I would just wait on that- and if for
some reason He didn’t provide for the fall, I would push my start
date back to January. During the conversation, my dad told me that
because of my faith, him and my mother wanted to pay my first
installment.
WOW,
God, really? I was determined not to ask my parents for money, I
wanted to do this on my own, after all, I am an adult- or something
like that. But, God showed me that He was using the very people who
believe in me the most to get me started.
Paying
for the 2nd
installment was another story. There are a few people in my classes
that know of the financial situation I am in, (the situation being, I
pray for God to provide and wait for the provision.) One of my new
friends, pulled me aside one day after class and told me that God had
put in on her heart to pay for one of my classes- $1,100. I was
shocked. SPEECHLESS. I didn’t know what to say, but “are you sure?â€�
she laughed and told me “YES!� If you do the math, that was $700
short of what I needed for my 2nd
installment. Needless to say, it got paid.
I
wish I could tell you all the ways God has financially blessed me,
but dude, that would take FOREVER!!! All I know is that I am baffled
by how He has been providing and there is not doubt that He will
continue to do so.
He has good plans for His children.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to
those who ask him!”
-Matthew 7:9-11
