My daughter’s graduation was fast approaching and she needed to take a required course in the spring semester in order to graduate on time the following fall semester. The issue confronting her was that the class was offered on Thursday from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. This was in conflict with our commitment to attend Bible Study and my children's ushering obligation on Thursday nights. Prior to my daughter beginning college, it was explained to her that our priority is God and everything else is second, including education. As the parents, we knew the importance of God's Word to train our children in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart.[1] We wanted our children to learn how to seek the Kingdom's way of doing things first. [2] So, when we were faced with making the decision concerning whether our daughter would take the Thursday class or postpone graduation indefinitely, a decision had to be made. We figured that God would work out the conflict--but how He would work it out was the question. Therefore, my daughter began searching for a remedy. She first researched when this class would be offered again. What she found was that the class was only offered in the spring term and had ALWAYS been offered on Thursday and at the same time—7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. It would be impossible to ever graduate under these set of facts.
Shortly thereafter it came to our knowledge that the university could make special provisions for students if there were scheduling conflicts due to religious convictions. We were excited and she scheduled an appointment with the director to inform him of her conflict. At the meeting, she presented her issue but the director denied her the exemption. We thought that surely this would be the avenue God would use to allow her to graduate in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, she could not take the required class. About two months later, the director stepped down from his position – hmm, could God be doing something was our thought. All we could hope for was that God would somehow make provision in the summer, next fall or the following spring. Spring came and went. Summer came and the class was still not available. Despair loomed.
At last, it was time to register for the fall semester, only to be confronted with another required class scheduled on Thursday night from 7:00-10:00 pm. Now we had two obstacles to overcome. Surely, it was beyond any hope that my daughter would graduate in the fall or ever for that matter. I assured her that if God did not come through for her, there would be no graduation and that we would not compromise our Thursday night Bible Study for a class. My final word was that this situation did not catch God by surprise. He could have fashioned a solution that would not take her from her commitment and obligation to God, if he saw fit. Though I was moved by the sadness in her eyes and the somber words she spoke as she voiced her desire to graduate in the fall, I did not change my position. I believed I wanted her to graduate more than she wanted it, but I stood resolute and unshakable because I knew the importance of serving and trusting God and having her experience God working in her life. His Word says that without faith it is impossible to please Him and that He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek after Him.
During the summer preceding the fall graduation, my daughter was on a class trip when she found herself conversing with a classmate while awaiting the event to start. Out of the blue, the classmate shared with my daughter regarding a friend who only had one class left before graduation when she had to move to another state unexpectedly and was given the option of taking an independent studies course to allow her to graduate. It was plainly clear that God had divinely orchestrated this chance meeting and conversation. When my daughter returned home, she was eager to share the story with me and the possibility that she might be extended the same option so that she could graduate in the fall. The independent study course would afford her the opportunity to structure her own class hours. Sensing God’s hand we immediately planned for her to speak with her professor regarding the spring class and to set an appointment with the new director regarding the fall class. My daughter spoke with her professor and she, without hesitation or reservation, agreed to allow her to take the class on an independent study basis so that she could be free on Thursday nights. Bear in mind that my daughter had worked as an assistant to this same professor a year earlier. God had already been working behind the scene to cause that professor to be partial towards my daughter when the need arose.
Next, she met with the newly appointed director in hopes that he would give her a religious exemption. As she spoke to him about her issue, he told her that he was the assigned professor for the class she was inquiring about. What would be the likelihood that the new director would be th Want to add a caption to this image? Click the Settings icon. e professor for the class my daughter needed the exemption for other than God’s hand being directly involved? The director skirted the religious issue and informed her that he did not see the feasibility of him doing an independent studies class with her. However, he suggested or should I say God caused him to suggest that he would be willing to allow her to take the Thursday class without actually physically attending the class. He instructed her that she would need to review his Power Point notes, do the class assignments and submit them online. God went yet a step further and provided a student from the class who recorded the professor’s lectures and faithfully emailed them to my daughter every week. Needless to say, God delivered in such a miraculous way not once but twice and my daughter graduated with her master’s degree this past fall semester on time with a 3.8 grade point average. GOD IS FAITHFUL!
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