Thursday, September 17, 2009

My College Journey Part I - Why I Did It.

Just about four and a half years ago I graduated from high school. At the time I was facing the question that nearly every American graduate faces – what do I do next? I knew from the direction that my dad provided that I needed to pursue a college degree but I also knew that my heart was yearning for home. The idea of committing to a full time load, even at a local college, was overwhelming. Before graduation I was accepted to a local Christian college that is forty minutes from my house. But as I learned about this commitment I found that I would basically be gone everyday and that to graduate in four years I would have to carry a substantial academic load that would also be quite expensive. The idea of being that committed brought me to tears as I contemplated the separation that would bring from my family. I remember sobbing my eyes out as I helped my mom paint the kitchen ceiling as I pictured what it would be like to be a full time student. Yet I felt stuck because I couldn’t think of another alternative. However, I also remember that even then my mom encouraged me to remember God always provides. She was so right.

Little did I know at the time that God had an entirely different plan for me and my education. If I have learned nothing else over the past four years, I have learned that God is faithful to direct us as we seek to follow and obey His ways while we make decisions for our lives. He is still teaching me to have the faith that He will provide ways for me to life and follow His ways without compromise.

Now I realize the idea of desiring to be with my family as a home based daughter instead of desiring to be a full time traditional college student, may sound foreign to most. So before I go any further let me explain why I believe it is godly to desire to be a home based daughter. Then I will tell you how God provided for my education.

If you conduct a thorough study of scripture you will find that home-based ministry is the woman’s domain. Notice that I said home-based and not home-bound. The Proverbs 31 woman was active in her community as well as her home. However, it is in the home that her ministry is based and it is from the home that God has designed her, and all women, to impact the world. Even though I am not yet a wife it is my goal to pursue a Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 lifestyle so that I will be thoroughly prepared to run a household and stand by my future husband should that be God’s plan for my life. In the mean time, I live in a family and in a community which both desperately need godly young ladies who are willing to serve and fill in gaps as they follow the original pattern of Biblical womanhood.

But, you may ask, what about being independent? Isn’t that an important aspect of life women learn at college? I do not believe that the Bible teaches women to be independent. The normal pattern in scripture shows women as being under the caring protection and nurturing authority of husbands and fathers, except in the case of widows. Women are not designed to be independent or unprotected. Just look at the dearth of the unprotected and independent ladies we have today and notice the heart break and emotional baggage that comes as a result of broken or wrong relationships. How many times do we see ladies in bad relationships and ask, “where is her father, why isn't he doing his job?” How healthy is it to train unmarried ladies to be independent when the Bible says they are to submit to their husbands in marriage? (Eph 5:21-25) An independent spirit does not stop as soon as a woman says “I do” and emotional baggage is carried straight into marriage. Independence is not something the Bible advocates for women and as you look around our culture you can see the fruit of teaching women to be independent.

Please note, that choosing to be home-based and under God-ordained authority does not mean that I advocate sitting around and knitting all day. Far from it. As an unmarried women I am as responsible as anyone to wisely use the time He’s allotted me for His glory. The Proverbs 31 woman is a model for all ladies everywhere. Like her I want to be virtuous, trustworthy, productive, diligent, industrious, strong, and honorable. I want to reach out to the poor and the needy, take care of my family, avoid idleness, make wise purchases and investments for my family, plan for their good, smile at the future and speak wisdom and kindness. Who would not want to be like this woman?

In addition my life should be a picture of the one-another’s of scripture. I have more of an opportunity to reach out to others in the community who need a helping hand because I do not have the kind of commitments as a mother with children. I have time to travel as a companion with my widowed grandmother. I have time to assist my family in accomplishing hospitality as we reach out to others and bring them into our home for evangelism or fellowship. I have time to help bedridden mothers care for their household. Truly, the sky is the limit on how many opportunities I have to minister from home as I work on behalf of my family and my God.

So where does education and college fit into this picture? Every Christian should make it their aim to gain wisdom and knowledge throughout life. So whether I am studying for college exams or not, I should make it my goal to learn and grow wiser in the knowledge of God (Prov 1:7). This will help me on an everyday level as I make decisions about life. {2 Tim 3:16-17} The knowledge that I have learned in the process of gaining my degree will help me in my life purpose of ministry from the home. Through my studies on personal finance, I learned how to be a wise steward. Through economics I learned about the way financial systems work (or don’t work) so I can make better educated financial decisions. Through biology I was reminded that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Through psychology I contemplated the way the world thinks and saw how God’s ways are better. Through history I saw how the choice to honor God impacts the culture and the future. Through music I saw the hand of God at work in organizing a logical system. Finally, through my work I am now very close to obtaining a four year bachelor's degree. Pursuing this degree fit my life purpose and now I will have it as one more tool in my tool box.

Now to the rest of the story . . . . (But first I must give credit to my friend at TrueFemininity for being the inspiration behind these posts! =)

4 comments:

Micah N. said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
TCS said...

Hello,

This is a well thought out and well written post. Lydia is a great example of a Godly young woman who is content swimming upstream in order to do what is right. Potential suitors can send their resumes to Tcs.omega@qinsight.net. Please include a $20 check to cover the handling fee…

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TCS

Lydia said...

Spoken like a true brother TCS! =)

sacredharplady said...

Lydia,

Thank you so much for sharing your amazing testimony. As a mother of two students who are following a similar path I appreciate the encouragement.