Leaving

   Time stop. Time speed. Whisk by me so I can be back. Freeze forever so I can't say goodbye. Don't make me say goodbye. Don't stop me from going back.

   The summer is gone, and with it my time with my family. I am now fully entered into the world of college. A world with two homes and two families that can never connect. I can never be in Vermont and Michigan at the same time.

   I dream of a bridge between them. I dream of wings so I could easily fly the distance. I imagine God scooping up my school and all the people I love and putting it all in Vermont.

   God has not given me a bridge or a pair of wings, and will never place my part of Michigan in Vermont. What He has given me is many people to love. And most of all He has given me Himself- a savior who has promised me an eternal home in Heaven where I will never leave His presence.

   Though I am still dreading the goodbye, I have hope in my eternal home.

 

What I Didn't Know About College: Scholarships

Every small amount of money helps.

Tuition at the school I wanted to go to was about $30,000 a year. To me that sounded like the national debt. I figured if God was going to provide the money for me to go, it would be like a flash of lightning where some random millionaire liked my face and decided to pay for all of my education. If that was the case, the random $100 scholarships I was supposed to be applying for would be pointless.
But I am learning that usually God works through small miracles. After financial aid, a state grant, loans, and a few scholarships from the school, I think it ended up being $8,000 a year divided into smaller payments per month. Suddenly the $100 scholarship seemed worthwhile. It was all the little things, all the small miracles from God, that allowed me to go to school.


Scholarships aren't just for incoming freshman.

My freshman year ended, and we began again on the endless cycle of wondering where the money for next year's tuition would come from. I never thought about applying for scholarships again. When my mom suggested that I look for scholarships and writing contests, I searched online and found a ton I could still enter.


You can ask your college to help you find scholarships.

Maybe it was because I was home schooled and I never had a guidance councilor to help me find scholarships, but for whatever reason, I never thought about asking my college for help. We asked them if they could give me more scholarships since we were struggling financially, and though they said no, they offered to help me find scholarships next year. I have it written down in my planner to see someone in the financial aid office on December 2. Maybe this is another one of God's small miracles.