Comments on: Education – Part 3: Under Her Father’s Roof

By: Whit

Whit — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:38:03 +0000

Okay, so I’m commenting a year later but that’s because I’ve been going back through older posts. I’m so glad to have read this one! I am certainly a lone voice in my world shouting that college isn’t everything and isn’t for everyone. I spent 6 years at 4 different schools (and we won’t attempt to count all the majors) in attempt to discover what in the world I’m to do with life. I recently pulled out of a nursing program I was halfway from completing because the pull between satisfying the world’s expectation for me and the Lord’s direction for me was too great. My weeks consisted of tears for months as a result of this struggle. The day I dropped out from pursuing the world was the day my happiest days in years began. The second day afterwards my husband said to me. “I’m so glad to have my wife back.” THAT made not having that college degree or meeting those expectations entirely worthwhile. I can’t begin to advocate enough for a personal evaluation prior to entering college. In fact, I personally think a year or two after high school for exploration is invaluable time that for some reason isn’t looked highly upon. God has an individual plan for each of us. For some it is indeed a college degree and career. But for others we must find the courage to step out and follow our own path. When we do, we find absolute peace and comfort in our mighty God! Again, thank you for discussing your own education record and for the immense encouragment!

By: Lindsay F.

Lindsay F. — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:58:18 +0000

Thank you so much for your great and godly encouragement and advice You have a very busy life taking care of your husband and two young kids so I thank you for taking the time to respond to me! I am definitely leaning towards finishing my education to become a teacher, I feel that God is speaking to me in numerous small ways, including your response. I have no doubt that being a teacher will provide invaluable wisdom once I have my own family one day As for my boyfriend and I, we are still planning on being married, most likely within the next year or 2, and I am still working on trying to convince my family that being married young or being a stay-at-home mom aren’t bad things, especially if its what God has called me to do.
I will continue to be a reader of your blog!
Thanks again, Lindsay

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:41:05 +0000

My dear friend, I definitely understand your dilemma. I would strongly encourage you to take it to the Lord in prayer. He knows what is best for you! My first thought is that a major like education is very beneficial for your future, if you plan to have children and teach them (especially if you want to home school). It would be a huge blessing to have that knowledge. Honestly, I wish I had a little more knowledge and training myself. I don’t think it is totally necessary, but if you are halfway there and have a full scholarship…I would lean towards sticking it out. If you were racking up debt, that would be a different story. I definitely encourage your high calling to be a wife and mother…I would strongly encourage you to devote every free moment to cultivating those homemaking skills. Do you have a good church in your area? Now more than ever you need to surround yourself with solid Christian friends and even godly older women that you could ask to mentor and train you. Seek out those older women that could fill that gap that your mother did not fill. Being a keeper of the home is definitely a full time job and one that I would encourage you to prepare for. I don’t know what is best for you…but I do know that we serve a Sovereign Awesome God that loves and cares for you! He has opened up these doors and scholarship for you, you are still young, do what He calls you to do with all your might (whether that be continuing or discontinuing), and you won’t regret it. Pursue what gives you peace. You just have to be on your guard against the desire to careerism and the world will try to pull you down into its mold. Stand strong for the Lord! Stick to your convictions. Don’t stop praying! May the Lord bless you with His direction.

By: Lindsay F.

Lindsay F. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:02:48 +0000

Hi Lindsay (we share the same name! haha)
I am a 19-year-old christian girl who is a sophomore at ASU studying Education. I struggle with this issue IMMENSELY, because while I would love to become a certified elementary school teacher and I am learning a lot about child behavior while going to college, ASU is obviously NOT a christian institution and my professors have challenged me on my christian beliefs many times. I only chose to come here because of a great scholarship ASU gave me. My parents are recently divorced and not very strong christians and live 2,000 miles away (they are in WA, I am in AZ), so I have no choice but to live in the dorms, which I hate. My boyfriend and I, who have been together for 2+ years, feel called to be married but I feel pressured by the world to finish college first so I can “achieve something” before being married. But this is such a worldly idea.
From reading your blog I have gathered that being a homemaker involves so many skills, knowledge and practical smarts (in the areas of cooking, cleaning, finances, decorating, etc.) that I am shocked that our society doesn’t consider it worthwhile or ambitious to desire to become a wife and mother. What could be more ambitious than influencing generations of people for Christ!? I have told this to my mother, and she is a bit of a feminist and thinks that I am being brainwashed by my boyfriend to marry him, but really I am trying to follow God’s call on my life. It is ironic because she said that staying at home and raising my brother and I were the best years of her life.
I really have no idea whether I will finish college or not. On one hand, I have received a full scholarship and I don’t want to waste it. I am a good student who makes mostly A’s and a few B’s. On the other hand, I feel that my growth is being stunted spiritually and that these upcoming years (I don’t graduate til Dec. 2011) are a waste when I would rather be doing other things (like getting married, having an apartment with my husband, and following in the footsteps of the Proverbs 31 woman). I have already made one step in this direction by switching my major to education, whereas last year I was studying journalism which is a profession where you are expected to completely abandon all ideas of being a stay-at-home mom or even getting married because it is SO demanding. But I still wonder if I should drop out altogether. Obviously, I need to pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit, as these are huge decisions that will affect the rest of my life.
I really enjoy your perspective and I have already learned so much from reading your blog

By: Rachel Renée

Rachel Renée — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:51:21 +0000

I just found your blog, and wanted to say how thankful I am for your willingness to share your own stuggles. It is encouraging to know that others have had the same concerns that I am dealing with now. I’m 19 years old, graduated in 2008 and have been living at home, though not with a content or cheerful attitude.

I have been realizing how skewed my motives have been, even in the young ladies disciplship group I’m leading. I am so selfish, and mainly act out of fear or guilt, wanting to please other people and feel good about myself.

I think that motives really is what it gets down to, and that’s why some people can have a wonderfully God-glorifying experiences in college, and others can’t. Even missions work is not exempt from being tainted by bad motives.

Thanks again for your wonderful post! It is helping to change my heart

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:59:42 +0000

As a newcomer (and late poster) to your blog, I just wanted to say that I appreciate being able to enjoy uplifting, wholesome, and USEFUL blogs like yours. However, I have to disagree with this post. While I wholeheartedly agree that God has His own plans for each of us, and that college is not for everyone, it is exactly His plan for some of His daughters. I felt very strongly that I was to attend college, and have recently graduated with a Master’s degree. The Lord blessed me with an aptitude and a love for academics, and I felt that not pursuing higher education would be a waste of the gifts He had given. He has told us to love Him with all of our hearts, our souls, and our MINDS, and I believe that for me, college was a great way to love Him with my Mind. Thanks for your gentle approach in addressing this topic!

By: Carli

Carli — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:53:10 +0000

I enjoyed reading your series of posts, and just wanted to tell you that I am currently going to The Master’s and majoring in Home Economics, which is a huge blessing, the only factor that is hard is the price of a private institution and that I am far away from my family.

http://www.masters.edu/DeptPageNew.asp?PageID=14

By: Deena

Deena — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:37:35 +0000

I have an 18 year old son and a daughter of 17, we too have struggled with this same topic. I am also not saying that college is not where God can lead some of His children, but I do believe most go for the pressure placed on them by this world. I just felt the need to post in case anyone else may be struggling in this area, but it is a relatively high percentage of Christian students who leave their faith after just one year in college. Please PRAY, PRAY, AND PRAY MORE about what the Lord wants of you, and not what you feel pressured or guilted into. Satan seeks to destroy and I do feel college and public schools are a tool he has used and been utilizing with an enomorous amount of success.

Lindsay, it seems you always post topics that we have questioned ourselves about… Thank you for sharing your heart.
Blessings to you all!

By: Lori L.

Lori L. — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:16:49 +0000

What a great series of articles!!! This is very encouraging, as I am entering my senior year of high-school and have just decided to not attend college. I am looking forward to being able to focus more on my home-making skills, and being able to spend more time serving.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:06:57 +0000

Super post, Lindsay. I have enjoyed and appreciated this series so much! Thanks for doing it.