God's Plan for School!
Funny story; the day after I tell God to help me get out of my own way and seek His will for my life, He hits me with something especially exciting!
I have to back-track a few weeks.
It was a Sunday morning and everyone in my house had gone to church except for me because I was waiting on CVS to open so I could get my insulin. I plopped on the couch and flipped on the tv, only to find one of my favorite tv preachers....Joel Osteen. With his usual twinkle in his eyes, he preached that each of us have a destiny gene that flips on at the right time in our life. Sometimes, something that you never could imagine yourself doing begins to open up to you and you start feeling the grace to do it (things that would Glorify God, of course). It was at that moment that I heard a small prompting in my heart, one that I had pushed back the last time or two that it came:
"Ash, what if you got a doctorate degree one day?"
I slightly considered it this time. I even looked into it via the internet that day while my family was still gone. Unable to find anything that interested me, I dismissed the thought again. "Nah, I don't need one. I don't want to come off as that super-smart person that has so many degrees that they don't know how to have fun anymore. I don't want to seem so prestigious that I'm no longer approachable."
I was told that when a thought repeats itself that isn't sinful, most times its God speaking to you. That, and I know His voice all too well from being friends with Him most of my life. Still, I pushed it away.
Well, it repeated itself today while I sat in my current internship's professional development. I was completely in awe and amazed at my principal; an energetic and personable African American man named Norris Williams.........Dr. Norris Williams. See where I'm going?
As the morning progressed, I met our instructional faciliator; African American lady. Also holds a doctorate. Also very fun and personable.
The entire morning I was so inspired by my leaders and peers! And there it was again-that small nudge in my heart.
"Ash, what if you got a doctorate degree one day? It wasn't what you thought. They still have fun and goof off, they just dedicated time and energy to study something they were passionate about."
This time I felt differently. I could totally do that. Not to mention the name Dr. Mattison has a fun ring to it. Just kidding. Not really. It doesn't help that my sister Liz and I had just been out walking the night before and we briefly mentioned Liberty University Online. It came back today, and I felt like the Lord was right beside me on my couch as He guided me through Liberty's site to another Master's Degree that I'm absolutely crazy about, and a Doctorate degree that emphasizes the root of the program He's given me to start.
Sooooo, I can't plan my future. There's so many facets of life that He isn't showing me yet, but by His grace today He decided to reveal to me a way to continue being a student for as long as I can while maintaining life with my husband. All degrees are online.
Gosh, He's crazy faithful!
Love, Ash
