Somehow I made it through college and earned a bachelor's degree with only $1500 in student loans!
When I look at the maze of difficulty it takes for my kids to get their education it astounds me that I even finished college. But what a great blessing it is to have completed a leg of the education journey! I am so thankful for those who helped along the way.
One aspect of my education was 'off site', and I am still in awe of this blessing. A woman, whom I only knew as Mrs. Gilmore had taken an annual trip to the Holy Land and had become too ill to take the trip one year. She asked the college staff to choose a student to go in her place. For some reason, I was chosen! My entire way was paid!
How can one begin to measure the value of this gift?
I stood on the mount of Olives overlooking the Gate Beautiful of Jerusalem, and breathed a prayer much like the one Jesus had verbalized in the very same spot, "Not my will for my life, but Yours, God."
I also saw that in other parts of the world they do not feel compelled to have front lawns made of grass or to change their outfit every single day. These were things I always thought were compulsory. Hmm. My mind was blown open in more ways than one.
I saw another part of the world that I never would have been able to experience any other way. As a Christian, I was in awe of the fact that the much glorified Middle East is 'just a place' and that Jesus had chosen rather ordinary geography to come to earth. That meant He was more 'human' than I ever dared believe. That meant He might as well have come to my home town. For all practical purposes, He did!
Mrs. Gilmore, thank you!
When I look at the maze of difficulty it takes for my kids to get their education it astounds me that I even finished college. But what a great blessing it is to have completed a leg of the education journey! I am so thankful for those who helped along the way.
One aspect of my education was 'off site', and I am still in awe of this blessing. A woman, whom I only knew as Mrs. Gilmore had taken an annual trip to the Holy Land and had become too ill to take the trip one year. She asked the college staff to choose a student to go in her place. For some reason, I was chosen! My entire way was paid!
How can one begin to measure the value of this gift?
I stood on the mount of Olives overlooking the Gate Beautiful of Jerusalem, and breathed a prayer much like the one Jesus had verbalized in the very same spot, "Not my will for my life, but Yours, God." I also saw that in other parts of the world they do not feel compelled to have front lawns made of grass or to change their outfit every single day. These were things I always thought were compulsory. Hmm. My mind was blown open in more ways than one.
I saw another part of the world that I never would have been able to experience any other way. As a Christian, I was in awe of the fact that the much glorified Middle East is 'just a place' and that Jesus had chosen rather ordinary geography to come to earth. That meant He was more 'human' than I ever dared believe. That meant He might as well have come to my home town. For all practical purposes, He did!
Mrs. Gilmore, thank you!
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