Can You Loan Me $550.00?

 

My recent  50th high school reunion has prompted me to remember things in my past that I have long forgotten.   Among them is this story of 50 years ago:  I was the first one in my family to graduate from college.   My Dad attended Elon, but dropped out soon after my Mom and Dad were married.  My Mom finished high school through a GED, and none of my grandparents even attended college.   

I had looked forward to college.     It had always been a goal of mine.   I remember I started a college fund at First Federal Savings and Loan when I was around 12 years old though I never saved a lot of money.     Since I was beginning to believe that God was calling me toome a pastor,   I decided to go  to Methodist College in Fayetteville, NC.   It is now known as Methodist University.    

 College applications and college finances were a new venture not only for me, but also for my family. I completed the college applications and financial aid package.   I applied for some scholarships but with little good fortune.    A couple of weeks before I was  to head to college as an entering freshman,   we got the bill in the mail for college.   That bill brought sticker shock to my family.   My Mom had thought the tutition and fees were for a whole school year when it was actually for just one semester.  The bottom line was that the money was not there for me to  afford college.   I remember Mom crying as we sat at the dinner table one evening as she broke  the news.

At the time, I had only been a Christian for a matter of months.   I had started reading the Bible and praying.   I remember praying about college and my financial need.   I believed if God wanted me to be a pastor he would make a way.    I was working a summer job at the Burlington Industries pioneer plant and discovered that Burlington Industries had a college loan program.    The bad news is that the deadline to apply had passed.  I talked to my supervisor about it, and he encouraged me to still  apply.   In a few days,   I got  news that I had received the loan and was presented with the $550 I needed for college.   When college graduation came around, I happily went to Burlington Industries and paid that loan back with no interest because I was no glad that they had believed in me.   God does provide.   Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER

            O God, thank you that provide for all we need.  Thank you, God our Father;  through Christ our Lord.  Amen.