Two years ago I made the decision to go back to school and my finish college education. Tomorrow I will be accomplishing my two-year goal and entering the next stage of my life. Looking back on those two years, I have written down the reasons that motivated my decision, in hopes that it may inspire anyone who is considering going back to college, or returning back to a project that was started but not completed.
1. My mother. I went back to school to honor my mother. On Feb 5, 2012 my pastor preached a message that rocked me to the core:
“Honoring your parents is more than just doing the things that make them proud, it’s also about avoiding the things that break their hearts. It goes beyond just a spoken thing; it’s an unspoken thing.” P. Sunhee Robinson
At the time that message was preached I had already been serving the church full-time for two years, being fed spiritually, but at the expense of my finances. Every day I was working at the church was a day that was breaking my mother’s heart. Her dream was for me to go to school to get a job with benefits. My dream was to drop out of school, build a business and get rich. I was a part of the real estate boom in its heyday, but when the bottom fell out in the market, so did my income. I had my third interview for a job earning $50,000 but I chose instead to serve the church full-time, believing that God will have a better opportunity for career-wise in its appointed time.
After the message, I asked my pastor what I could to honor my parents. She replied, “I believe that God will make a way for you to honor your parents and honor Him at the same time.” Six months later, I was back in school. I figured I could still build a business and get rich, but there all always opportunities to that, in many different types of ways. School, however, was designed for a specific time, and the time to complete it was now. Tomorrow, it will be complete.
2. My father. I went back to school to honor my father. My father is the hardest working man I know. He gets up and he just doesn’t stop, whether it’s working at the job, working at home, babysitting my niece, taking care of his mother, or fixing something around the house. As for me, my mind and my mouth worked harder than my hands, and it was dishonoring my father: “You have no goals,” he said bluntly. I was taken aback by the comment. Before I could respond in defense, I took what he said to heart, and realized that he was right.
I DIDN’T have goals. I had DREAMS. The dreams I had were things only I could see. Goals are something others can see. Dreams are aspirations that are personal. Goals take those personal aspirations and attach deadlines to them, measurements and markers to gauge progress. The reality was that I had dreams, but those dreams were not progressing, and my father was not happy. All he wanted was for me to be on my own financially, but all I wanted was to serve God, and for Him to make a way for me to be on my own financially. He did give me some options, but something in my spirit was holding me back from capitalizing on those options. The time wasn’t right yet. There was something I needed to accomplish first. I needed to go back to school. I needed to finish my education. I needed to honor my father.
3. My sister. My parents showed me why, but my sister showed me how. Growing up, my little sister used to follow me wherever I went, and do things I did. Growing up, we were very close and she used to look up to me. As the years went by, I’m not quite sure if her admiration grew with those years. Ironically, my younger sister was the one who stayed in school, getting up at 3am to work at Starbucks for five years, while carrying a baby AND studying as a nursing student. Five years later, she went from pouring coffee to taking blood pressure within a month or so after graduation. She got married, has a wonderful husband and daughter, has her career set and her life ahead of her. I, however, was still at home living with mom and dad with no income coming in. I saw my sister work hard and succeed. I, too, was working hard and succeeding, but in the spiritual arena, and not in terms of career and money. My sister struggled, but it all happened so fast! When I saw how fast it took her to go to school, work, graduate, and start her career, that’s all it took for me to humble myself and follow her lead. I love my sister very much, and my prayer is that we can become as close or even closer than we were growing up.
4. My pastors. In 2005 I met my pastors Benjamin and Sunhee Robinson and my life has never been the same. My thirst for knowledge, wisdom, and discernment has always been quenched whenever I hear their voices. I have adopted them as my spiritual parents and I hold myself accountable to them in representing Jesus Christ to the world. I respect them as leaders, as ministers, and as two people who love and care for me in all aspects of my life.
When I made the decision to go back to school, P.Sunhee smiled and beamed with pride. “I am at peace with this, and I am excited. This is God.” P.Benjamin also told me recently, “Sunhee and I are personally invested in seeing you graduate, get married, start your career, and enter into your destiny.” Tomorrow, step one will be finally be completed, and the next chapter of my life will begin.
5. Myself. Although I went back to school primarily to honor my parents, I also went back for me. I needed to know that I could discipline myself to stay focused for as long as it took to achieve my goals. I heard someone say, “In terms of leadership, people want to know where you are headed long before you get there.” When anyone makes a decision to go back to school, everyone else around them knows where they are headed before they get there. There is a sense of security and ease that people get when they know that you are on your way to accomplish something, especially something as important as earning a college degree.
6. God. I went back to school to honor my parents, and in honoring my parents I honor God. God said through the prophet Jeremiah “I know the plans I have for you… Plans not to hurt or harm you, but to give you a hope and a future” (Jer 29:11). I gave my life to God in 2005, accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I understand that my life is not about me, but about the people around me, the Father who created them, and the Son who died for them. I
live my story for His glory, and my prayer is that those who read my testimony may be
inspired, encouraged, and strengthened to pursue the plans God has for you, knowing that as you seek His kingdom first and His righteousness, all things will be added to you, in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
