Why I am Going to Bible College...

Hey Everybody, :)

So...... I mentioned on Facebook that I was going to give a nice, thorough explanation as to why I am going to Ecola Bible College (Not “Ebola” Bible College *snork*).

As I start this post I will try to write in an orderly manner and not be too boring in my explanation. :)  I mean, if you are reading this you are obviously a caring person who is also curious. *wink*

Ok folks - Cue the drum roll......

Cue the lights.... camera.... and... ACTION!

2012

I graduated summer of the year of our Lord 2012, at the respectable age of 17. (Technically I was like, two months away from 18... but it is just cool to brag and say I graduated young. *smile*)

Now: it is customary for every adult to ask a fledgling on graduation day what they are going to do in life, and most importantly, are they going to college? Per usual, I experienced this long before the party was even scheduled for my grad celebration. I got phone calls from relatives out of state, parents in close social circles, and relatives who weren’t out of state.

But one thing perplexed them all when I said, very frankly, “NO.”

I recall the questions running like this:

“Why NOT?!”

“Don’t you want to be a success in your life?”

“Would you go next year?”

“I don’t understand your lack of motivation.”

“Only college grad’s make any real money in the working world.”

And…

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU????!!!”

Ok so maybe all of these responses were majorly exaggerated, lol. But I kind of felt like this is what I was hearing. :)

 

The truth was…..I had never really wanted to go to college for mainly these three reasons:

1. Too much money. (I was always stubborn about paying everything myself.)

2. What would I study? I barely knew myself at 17, let alone pick a subject affecting my life?      

3.  I am an introvert. Seriously. College represented a chaotic ensemble of social events, talking, looking people in the eye in conversations.... and I could physically visualize my social battery life draining away percentage by percentage.

So, I just enjoyed my graduation party with my class of two, me and Chasen Hacking, a friend my age who was the only other teen in our Home-school circles that was ready to graduate the same year I did. (Apparently everyone else was holding out for 19 to avoid moving into the adult world too early. *rolling eyes.* Just kidding! )

Anyhow….. class of 2012 graduated, and I moved on in life.

End of that year I started working, and five years later found myself full time, managing a front desk for Priceless Granite Inc., and wondering: “Where on earth did the past 5 years go to?”

Moving on... I promise I’ll finish soon! Sorry :)

2017

2017 rolled around and left me thinking about where I wanted to head in life.

I began this set of thoughts every year since graduation, but somehow 23 hit me in the gut with the full force of “I’m 23. I work five days a week. I go to Church on Sunday. And it feels like I’ve done nothing with my life. Where am I going?!”

My Mom comforted me with the words, “Honey, I felt the same way when I was your age.” And afterwards she would remind me of all the things I had done that did not involve work and sleeping. :) But I still felt like a ball of unused rubber.

TRUTH MOMENT: Actually, I LOVED my jobs at the daycare and PG, and I learned SO much from all the awesome people there! And I wouldn’t trade a second of those five years for a million dollars. :) I learned how to be a successful adult, manage finances, tell Granite apart from Quartz, deal with problems without tears, take care of pink eye, and (PG only) how many can say they got to share the gospel with customers and not be fired or reprimanded by management? So - I just had to clear the air there and say that I LOVED my jobs, but I just still went through that 20’s phase that lies and says. “You have done nothing. You aren’t going anywhere in life.” So - yah.

Moving on…..

Back in Fall 2016, my friend Anna had planned to go to a Christian College in New York State, and at first, I was like “No. College as far as possible from home? NO WAY.” But some months later, God began to soften my heart in unexpected ways.. And I said “ok, God. If you want me to do this than ok. Open doors, and I will step out in faith and see where this leads.” But as the months rolled around, something came up unexpectedly which shut the door in my face for New York and that Christian College. (Which my friend just started attending happily this year. :) Go Anna!) P.S. Nothing was wrong with the College at all, it just didn’t work out.

So months passed, 2017 rolled around, Spring unfolded it’s tender beauty, and Summer hit full force and bleached my dark brown locks to a lighter shade.

Now we are getting to the good part here:

June 2017, Mom went to a conference in Washington, and at some point in the vendor hall, she picked up a small bulletin for a little-known bible college down on the coast of Canon Beach, Oregon.

When I received the flyer from her, I was at first like “Ugh, not another flyer from another college? I really don’t feel like doing this dance again.” But I opened it up, read the interior and exterior of the little bulletin, and was immediately intrigued.

First of all:  Ecola was a college I had never heard of. It looked small, and small is always better.

Secondly:   Ecola was completely honest, up-front, and clear about everything. I loved the honesty, and the fact that they weren’t trying to hook me with claws and drag me kicking and screaming with dollar bills flying out of my pockets away from my family.

Thirdly:       It was close to home, (only five hours away) so if anything happened, I wasn’t crazy far away from my awesome family.

So on my own I looked up the website, read all the reviews, looked up costs, and read and re-read the lesson plan and was like “Yes! I really like this college.” So I talked with Mom and Dad about it, and we began doing more research, and I was seriously interested in going fall 2018. I hoped to work until then, and pay cash for the whole thing plus any extra expenses I might have.

And that is where I left it until the end of July came, and God began to work something more in my heart.

I was talking with Mom and Dad and we were discussing Ecola. Mom and Dad both said, “Why go next year? Why not go this year instead?”

I remember stubbornly saying “NO. I want to pay for the whole thing myself, and I refuse to go to any bank and borrow money and go into debt over a one year College program.” (Truthfully, one year would only cost about $9,000.00.)  

But I think it was later on that week or so, I was driving to work, and thinking to myself. I drive an hour to work every morning, and an hour back home after. So there is plenty of time to think and pray and mull things over in my mind. But anyhow - I was driving, and I had this thought in my mind, “What is the real, foundational reason that I want to go next year and not this year?”

And it hit me. FEAR.

I would be alone, in another state, faced with unfamiliar things… and I would have to trust GOD to take care of me.

I have always struggled with fear, and fully trusting Him to take care of me, provide for me, was something I was still struggling with doing. I just did not want to let go, and take a step of faith, and trust in His provision.

PART TWO IS COMING SOON..... (Thanks for your patience :) )