Listen

There was a period in high school where I didn't want to go to college. My career goal in life was to get married and be a good housewife; why spend time and money on a college degree if you don't need one? I was sick of being in school, and I really didn't want 4 more years of it.

But God had other plans for me. And as God often does, he spoke to me repeatedly until I got it. It started while I was watching Queen Latifah play "Celebrity Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?" When she won her check, which she was donating to a college scholarship fund of some sort, she held it up to the camera and said, "Go to college, kids!"

Well, there was a chord of conviction in my heart with that line. I knew my reasons to not go to college were lazy, not from God. But I'm a stubborn person, so I dismissed Queen Latifah's comment and went on with life. Then the next day on my mom's page a day calendar (which without me to flip it is now perpetually months behind the real date), there was a quote about seeking wisdom and knowledge. Again, I pushed it aside. Then I read a verse in Proverbs with a similar sentiment. Shove.

And then a few days later an envelope came in the mail from me. I was in about 10th grade at this point, and when I was in 5th grade I'd joined this group called the Crusades. Basically you pledged to abstain from drugs and alcohol through high school, and when it came time for college if you qualified for financial help, you were guaranteed to get it if you'd kept your pledge. I hadn't heard from them in years when they sent this envelope.

In the envelope was a magazine about colleges. And a letter was tucked inside the magazine explaining what it was about. One line jumped out at me and I could no longer ignore the chord of conviction resonating in my heart: "You are on your way to college with this magazine."

I never did hear from Crusades again, come to think of it. One randomly sent magazine amidst years of silence, timed just for the week when God was sending me all the other messages I tried so hard to ignore.

People often read the Old Testament and wonder why God doesn't speak to us today like he spoke to people back then. I think he still speaks just as clearly...we're just not very good listeners. But don't worry, he'll keep drilling his point until we finally pay attention.