Reclaiming Victory Ministries Blog

How do you pass along your life of faith to your kids?

Some of you know the miracle that transpired with our youngest, Rachael, attending college. We had traveled in May for a father/daughter college exploration trip to Arizona and California. We had a memorable trip, seeing college dorms, viewing the Grand Canyon, and visiting friends. I knew that Rachie’s desire was to go to a small, Christian college called Vanguard, in Southern California.

Well, as I teach at a Christian college, I know the expense of such a school…..yet we sent in all the paperwork and Vanguard came back with $19K in scholarship/loans…of the $33K it would take to attend there.  Well, we did not have $14k for the rest of tuition…so after a very disappointing refusal, Rachael kept a good attitude, and applied to Southern Oregon University. She even went down to interview at a coffee franchise where she worked her senior year. Well…she was offered an assistant manager’s position near that school…good money…while going to school…and she could stay with a friend who teaches down there. Well….the small Christian school’s president sends out a letter to encourage those who have been impacted by the recession, to call her and see what the college could do from the inside.

Well…..Toni wrote one of her plea letters…that Rachie was heartbroken that she could not go to vanguard, that with a 3.95 GPA, 25 hours of college credits,she is college material. The next thing we knew, the dean of enrollment calls, works on some internal scholarship money, and offers $29k in aid, so all we would have to come up with is $3K!!!…..needless to say, Rachael is down at Vanguard, loves it, and rejoiced as she went through the gates…knowing that what her earthly father and mother provided(prayer), her Heavenly Father answered.

So how do you pass along your faith walk to another? By example. By diligent prayer. By keeping a good attitude of gratefulness no matter the avenue He opens for you. As Rachie wrote in a letter to God in 2008 “I want to be open to the plans You may have for me that I don’t see yet. God, can the college I go to just be warm? Like sunny.and can you put stamina in me to get A’s this year and next?…and would you bless my parents in the things they do and receive, financially, spiritually, lovingly..may you continue to be the center of my life.”

May we all be submitted like that, waiting for our Heavenly Father to provide in the eleventh hour, so that He might get all the glory!…oh, and by the way..I got two teaching jobs in September/October that paid the balance of her first year….even for an old 30 year old Christian…that was a quick answer to prayer!

Reminder, we only have three more weeks of meeting on Saturday nights…starting on October 4th, we move to our office complex on Sunday mornings at 10a.m.( I just ordered the signs and they look great)…thanks to all those who have prayed about our move and donated chairs,PowerPoint projector, and a sound system.

Blessings to you all,

P&T et al