THE MIRACLE OF TAKING THE FIRST STEP!
THE MIRACLE OF TAKING THE FIRST STEP!
Nancy Detweiler
Responding to a friend who has just taken the first step into the seeming darkness of Divine Order unfolding, I am reminded of a time in my life when I did the same thing—quit my job because I knew intuitively that it was time. I walked into the darkness, with only my intuition guiding me.
My college career is the story of one “miracle” after the other. My parents had told me they could not afford to send me to college. My response was to write the college (Mars Hill Junior College) and tell them that I had no money, but wanted to attend “on faith.” I was accepted. From then on, my every move was with the intention of attending college. The financial aid office provided what was available to needy students in the form of scholarships, including a work scholarship. I made it through my freshman year and went to my beloved Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly Grounds to work for the summer. I had worked there the summer after high school graduation and former staffers in college had priority for future summers. “Daddy” Weeks, the director, was truly our adoptive “Daddy.”
At the end of the summer, I returned home still needing more money for my sophomore year’s fall tuition. I packed my luggage for school … got a job as a department store salesperson … and worked with the intention of returning to college that September.
Fall semester started … I still did not have the money to return. I notified my college roommate, who offered to work my job and hers until I could get there.
Several days later, while at work, I knew.
It was time to return to school. Not knowing how Divine Order was unfolding behind the scenes, I quit my job that day, telling them that I was returning to school. I took the first step into the seeming darkness and a miracle happened!
When I got home, a check had arrived in the mail. It was from an anonymous member of the church I attended for the amount I needed to pay fall semester’s tuition.
The next day I returned to college! I still had a job, thanks to my roommate! I had missed a week of classes.
What some would call a “struggle” continued throughout my college career—I went to school on faith. I had asked to do so and I was granted that opportunity! The miracles continued to happen! One day, I was called to the Financial Aid Office and told that I would have to drop out if I did not pay 2nd semester’s tuition. I placed the task in God’s hands and returned to class. A day or two later, a check arrived in the mail from my aunt—for the exact amount I needed to pay tuition. I had spoken to no one but God!
I graduated from Mars Hill Junior College debt free. My parents could not afford to attend my graduation, so a Mars Hill friend’s parents came in their place. They gave me a pearl ring for graduation—I still wear this ring 42 years later.
Not having the money to continue college, I worked the summer at Ridgecrest, then went to Raleigh, North Carolina, and worked for a year. Still, my every move was aimed toward returning to college. A former suitemate’s father worked at the North Carolina Baptist Convention. He helped me make contacts there; the result was that Wake Forest College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, offered me a scholarship, grant, and work scholarship. I returned to college after one year’s absence—still knowing the essential ingredient was maintaining faith that I could do it.
There were times at Wake Forest when I lived on boiled potatoes and tomato soup. At one point, the boy I was dating offered to eat two meals a day, so I could have his meal ticket for one meal. That lasted only a day or two, then the miracles began to happen.
In those days, the girls’ dormitory was secured. All visitors could enter the lobby, but could go no farther without first checking in with the receptionist at the lobby desk, who called the student to come take the guest to her room. If the student was not there, a record was kept of the visitors and the student was notified upon her return.
One day I returned to my dormitory. When I unlocked the door to my room, I was greeted by a surprise! My bed was covered with packages containing all kinds of essentials for college living, including checks signed by individuals I did not know. A note was with the packages, stating they were sorry to have missed me and listing a Sunday School Class at a church in Raleigh. I wrote a thank you note to the Sunday School Class.
Periodically, during the next two years at Wake Forest, I found my bed covered in gifts and checks at the very times I most needed it. Always … the guests came while I was away from the dormitory and the lobby receptionist never had a record of anyone checking in with her. On top of that, we locked our rooms while away from the dormitory. There was always a note: “Sorry we missed you” and signed by the same Sunday School Class in Raleigh. Each time, I sent a thank you note to that Class.
Once I graduated, had a job, and could purchase a car, I drove to Raleigh on a Sunday morning. I wanted to thank the Class in person. I attended the Class and during the announcement period asked to speak. I thanked them for all the help they had extended to me during my years at Wake Forest. They knew nothing of having done so, in fact, denied that the Class had adopted a college student. I had no one to thank!
To this day, I do not know how my dormitory bed got covered with gifts and checks. And no receptionist’s record of visitors!
All I know is: Take the first step into the darkness of Divine Order unfolding and miracles begin to happen!
