Answered Prayers

I thought I'd take my lunch break to express my joy for today :)

First, last year around this time I was debating whether or not to go back to school. I felt that I really wasn't accomplishing anything and that I didn't have any goals. So, I needed something to do! I have always enjoyed school so I suggested to Josh that I should go back. He gave me a puzzled look, and we talked about the price issue and whether or not it would be worth it (considering I'd be a stay at home mom for many of the upcoming years). I kept praying asking for some guidance on the issue. I then started to look at a few schools and when my friend Ranea suggested Liberty, I knew I wanted to go there. Liberty is the world's largest Christian college and they incorporate Christianity throughout all of their courses. I looked into it and they even offered a military tuition discount for family members. Still at this rate it was over $12,000, not including books. Still feeling that this was too pricey, I kept praying.

Not even a day later I received an email about the milspouse program which offered a whopping $6000 free to military spouses going back to school. Immediately, I signed up for classes, and got the grant. I was cruising through the program and in January, I had already spent the last of that $6000. So, I looked into the tuition program at work. Coincidentally, right when my money ran out was my one year anniversary at work, which made me eligible to ask for tuition assistance. I asked for $2400 and received $1200, I was very pleased! Just last week, I registered for my last 3 courses and thought I would try the work scholarship again, I'm ecstatic to say I received the FULL amount today! Included in that amount is the $550 cost for textbooks. The Lord gave me a Masters for a measly $2050!

That leads to another answered prayer. Throughout the past 8 months I had been struggling with the issue of whether or not to keep working at my current job. I had asked numerous times for a raise (which I had been promised when I was hired) and which after a year of working there I still had not received. It kept getting pushed back, and I was becoming very discouraged and unmotivated. I then started looking for other jobs, and even had a job offer. However, I felt that God was telling me to just be patient and that it would all work out. Why would I ever question Him?! A couple weeks later I received my performance evaluation letting me know that I would be receiving a 27% raise! An offer higher than what I would have been making had I accepted that other job.

That raise starts tomorrow :)

I am very pleased with my decision to stay at my job, not only because of the raise, and tuition assistance, but also because of the people. Our workload is starting to be less stressful and allowing us to get the time to know our coworkers much better. Everyone is truly great. Also, my boss is generously letting me work a 'flexible' schedule starting next week until Josh leaves. If Josh works a full day, I'll work a full day, if Josh isn't working, I don't have to go in. I don't even have to use PTO.

So, praise the Lord for answered prayers. He may not get to them right away, but he gets to them :)